Vic Snyder



Vic Snyder, a Democrat, is a former U.S. Representative for the 2nd Congressional district of Arkansas, having served 1997 to 2011. His district included the state capital, Little Rock.

Iraq War
Snyder voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Bio
Vic Snyder was born September 27, 1947 in Medford, Oregon. He is a 1965 graduate of Medford High School and attended college at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. After attending college for two years, in 1967 Snyder volunteered for the United States Marine Corps. He served in Vietnam with Headquarters Company of the US 1st Marine Division during the Vietnam War, attaining the rank of Corporal. Snyder earned a degree in Chemistry in 1975 from Willamette and earned his medical degree from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon in 1979.

Snyder moved to Little Rock and served his residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. In 1982 after completing his residency he worked as a family practice physician for 15 years. During this time he traveled overseas to volunteer his medical services at Cambodian refugee camps in Thailand, Salvadoran refugee camps in Honduras, and Ethiopian refugee camps in Sudan.

From 1985 to 1988 Snyder attended the University of Arkansas to obtain his law degree while still maintaining his medical practice. In 1990 he successfully ran for a seat in the Arkansas legislature and served in that body until 1996.

Snyder was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 and was reelected in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004.

Snyder focuses on many traditionally liberal issues, including a particular interest in support for veteran's and military families, serving on the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs and the House Armed Services Committee.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Republicans nominated Andy Joseph Mayberry to face Snyder in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Snyder retained his seat.

2010 elections
In 2010, Snyder retired. Tim Griffin (R) beat Joyce Elliott (D) for the House seat.

Committees

 * House Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Military Personnel - Chairman
 * Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
 * House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Military Personnel -Chair
 * Subcommittee on Health

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Personnel - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Readiness
 * House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Health
 * Director of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation

Coalitions and caucuses

 * 21st Century Health Care Caucus
 * Affordable Medicines Task Force
 * AIDS Task Force
 * Alzheimer's Task Force
 * Autism Caucus
 * Bicycle Caucus
 * Biotech Caucus
 * Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus
 * Bipartisan Pro-Choice Caucus
 * Brazil Caucus
 * Cancer Caucus
 * Caucus on Bipartisan Generic Drug Equity
 * Cement Caucus
 * Child Care Caucus
 * Congressional 4-H Caucus
 * Congressional Arts Caucus
 * Congressional Brain Injury Task Force
 * Congressional Caucus on the Judicial Branch
 * Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine
 * Congressional Coalition on Adoption
 * Congressional Humanities Caucus
 * Congressional Rural Caucus
 * Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus
 * Congressional Victim's Rights Caucus
 * Congessional Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus
 * Congressional Zoo and Aquarium Caucus
 * COPD Caucus
 * Democratic Study Group
 * Diabetes Caucus
 * Ethiopia Caucus
 * Co-Chair, Global Health Caucus
 * Health Democratic Caucus Task Force
 * Heart and Stroke Coalition
 * Human Rights Caucus
 * Kidney Caucus
 * Law Enforcement Caucus
 * Medicare Fairness Caucus
 * National Guard and Reserve Components Congressional Members Organization
 * National Park Caucus
 * New Democrat Coalition
 * Oral Health Caucus
 * Parkinson's Working Group
 * Refugee Caucus
 * River of Trade Corridor Congressional Caucus
 * Rural Health Care Coalition
 * Rural Housing Caucus
 * Spina Bifida Caucus
 * Vision Caucus
 * Windstorm Impact Reduction Caucus

Boards and other affiliations

 * American Academy of Family Practice
 * Arkansas Academy of Family Practice
 * Arkansas Bar Association
 * Board Member, Arkansas Historical Association
 * Arkansas Medical Society
 * Board Member, Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas
 * Nature Conservancy
 * Board Member, Our House Shelter
 * Member, Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church

More background data

 * 2006 Arkansas CD 2 Candidate List from VIS

Articles and resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Arkansas Tonight
 * The Voice of Arkansas