Bill Jenkins



William Lewis "Bill" Jenkins was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Tennessee's 1st Congressional district (map) from 1997 to 2007. He opted to retire rather than seek reelection in 2006.

Bio
Jenkins was born November 29, 1936 in Detroit, Michigan. A seventh-generation Tennesseean, he was educated at the Tennessee Technological University. Jenkins was elected to the Tennessee General Assembly in 1962 and he served as Speaker of the House from 1969 to 1971. Jenkins served on the board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority from 1971 to 1978, and was a circuit court judge for Tennessee's Third Judicial District from 1990 to 1996.

Congressional career
On May 10, 1996, he resigned his judgeship to run for the U.S. House of Representatives after 17-term incumbent Jimmy Quillen announced his retirement. The 12-way primary was watched very closely in Tennessee Republican circles, as the district is so heavily Republican that whoever won the Republican primary was all but assured of being the district's next congressman. Although Jenkins did not secure Quillen's endorsement for the primary, he narrowly won with 18% of the vote and breezed to election in November. He has been reelected four times without serious opposition, and ran unopposed in 2000 and 2002. He won a fifth term in 2004 with 74% of the vote.

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

2006 Elections
With Jenkins announcing that he would not seek reelection at the end of his term, Democrats nominated Rick Trent and Republicans nominated Dave Davis to contest the November 2006 election for his Senate seat. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)

Committees in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs - Chair
 * Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Task Force on Antirust
 * Subcommittee on the Constitution
 * Subcommittee on Courts the Internet and Intellectual Property

Articles and Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Appalachian Voices

Contact
DC Office: 1207 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-6356 Fax: 202-225-5714 Web Email Website

District Office- Kingsport: 320 West Center Street Post Office Box 769 Kingsport, TN 37662 Phone: 423-247-8161 Fax: 423-247-1834