Baron Hill

Baron P. Hill, a Democrat, is a former U.S. Representative for the 9th Congressional district of Indiana, having served from 1999 to 2005 and 2007 to 2011. (map)

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

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Ethics reform
Just days before Congress took their Easter recess in April 2007; Hill introduced legislation calling for the dissolution of the House Ethics Committee. The bill would replace the committee with an outside, independent panel of former Members who are not lobbyists. 

On June 1, 2007, following the recommendation of a special task force, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced her intention to create an independent ethics commission that would allow outside groups to file complaints against members of Congress, which previously could only be filed by other members. The commission, as proposed, would consist of a four-person panel and could filter complaints, but would have no judging authority or subpoena power. Implementation of the new commission was delayed, however, as many members were worried by the ability of non-members to submit complaints, fearing the change would be abused with politically motivated attacks. Fifty-three House members signed onto an alternative piece of ethics legislation, introduced by Rep. Hill, which would create a powerful investigative panel consisting of 12 former representatives, but would only allow complaints from sitting members.

Biography
Hill was born in Seymour, Indiana in 1953. He was a three-sport star at Seymour High School, where he was all-state in football and basketball. He accepted an athletic scholarship to Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1975. After graduation, he moved back to Seymour and joined his family's insurance and real estate business.

Hill is married to Betty Schepman, a public school math teacher. They have three adult daughters.

Political career
Hill was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1982 to 1990. He served as chairman of the Caucus Campaign Committee, where he played a prominent role in building a Democratic majority in the House. In 1990, Hill lost a U.S. Senate bid to incumbent Republican Senator Dan Coats, 54-46 percent. Hill made a name for himself during that campaign by walking the length of the state, from the Ohio River to Lake Michigan, to meet with voters.

Hill was elected to the House in November 1998. He defeated Republican Jean Leising, 51%-48%, winning the seat vacated by retiring Democratic Representative Lee Hamilton. In 2001, Hill voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, which passed the House 384-45. He later said he was in favor of scrapping it, calling it a "more or less of a federal takeover of our system."

In 2002, he defeated Rep. Mike Sodrel (R-Ind.) with 51 percent of the vote. Sodrel, a New Albany businessman, had 46 percent. In December 2003, Hill was named communication co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 34 moderate-to-conservative Democrats who advocate fiscal discipline.

In November 2004, in a rematch, Hill lost to Sodrel. Hill partly blamed the defeat on billboards purchased late in the campaign by an independent political action committee called Citizens for Truth, that accused Hill of supporting gay marriage, flag burning, and removing God from the Pledge of Allegiance.

2006 congressional election
Hill decided to run for his old congressional seat in 2006, where he would again face Sodrel. Hill won the election 50%-46%-4% (4% going to Libertarian Eric Schansberg) to retake the seat he had lost to Sodrel in 2004. 

2010 elections
In the 2010 election, Hill lost to Republican Todd Young.

Money in politics
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Committees and affiliations

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection
 * Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials
 * Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
 * House Committee on Science and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Research and Science Education

Former contact
Washington, D.C. Office: 223 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 phone (202) 225-5315 fax (202) 226-6866 Web Email Website

Jeffersonville Office: 279 Quartermaster Jeffersonville, IN 47130 phone (812) 288-3999 toll-free number 1-866-440-1321 fax (812) 288-3873

Bloomington Office: 320 W 8th Street, Suite 114 Bloomington, IN 47404 phone (812) 336-3000 fax (812) 336-3355

Resources

 * Bring Back Baron, official campaign site.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Torporindy

Articles

 * Susan Davis “Frosh Call for Ethics Overhaul”, Roll Call, April 10, 2007.