Marion Berry



This page is about the former Arkansas House member, not the former mayor of Washington, DC.

Robert Marion Berry, a Democrat, is a former U.S. Representative for the First Congressional District of Arkansas, having served 1997 to 2011. In January 2009, he announced that he would not run for reelection. The seat was won by radio-station owner Republican Rick Crawford. map)

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

Comments on the House Floor
Recently, Rep. Berry made headlines when he called Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Florida) a "Howdy Doody looking nimrod" while on the House floor. Amy Moritz Ridenour from the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank, said Berry was "out of line." 

Bio
Berry was born August 27, 1942 in Stuttgart, Arkansas. He was earned his B.S. from the University of Arkansas in 1965, and was a farmer, a licensed pharmacist, a member of the city council of Gillett, Arkansas, a member of the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, a member of the White House Domestic Policy Council (1993-1996) and special assistant to President Bill Clinton for Agricultural Trade and Food Assistance (1993-1996) before entering the House.

Berry, a member of the conservative Blue Dog coalition, "prioritizes protecting the financial future of our children and grandchildren by paying down the national debt and safeguarding the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. In pursuit of this goal, Berry introduced the Social Security Protection/ Balanced Budget Amendment [SSP/BBA] in March 2002, legislation that would amend the U.S. Constitution and require Congress to balance the federal budget annually without using revenue from the Social Security trust fund." 

Barry was "instrumental in passing the 2002 Farm Bill...Citing the enormous economic benefits that the Arkansas farm economy would reap, Berry has also been an outspoken supporter of re-opening trade with Cuba."

"Berry has placed national security and supporting our military servicemen and women at the top of his legislative agenda... Congressman Berry continues to work to provide our troops with the equipment and supplies necessary to keep them safe... Berry has also worked to increase funding for the VA and block proposals to increase premiums and prescription drug co-payments for Veterans seeking access to health care. Recently, Veterans' organizations joined Berry and other devoted House Members to end the Survivor Benefit Penalty."

2006 elections
In 2006, the Republicans nominated Mickey “Stubby” Stumbaugh to face Berry in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)  Berry retained his seat.

Committees

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Water
 * Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development
 * House Committee on Budget

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

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
 * Subcommittee on Homeland Security

More background data

 * 2006 Arkansas CD 1 Candidate List from VIS

Former contact
DC Office: 2305 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-4076 Fax: 202-225-5602 Web Email Website

District Office- Cabot: 116 North First Street Suite C-1 Cabot, AR 72023 Phone: 501-843-3043 Fax: 501-843-4955

District Office- Jonesboro: 108 East Huntington Jonesboro, AR 72401 Phone: 870-972-4600 TollFree: 800-866-2701 Fax: 870-972-4605

District Office- Mountain Home: 1 East 7th Street, Suite 200 Courthouse Square Mountain Home, AR 72653 Phone: 870-425-3510 Fax: 870-425-3511

Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Arkansas Tonight
 * The Voice of Arkansas

Articles

 * Congressman Marion Berry Criticizes Medicare Drug Program by Jason Pederson, KATV, 1/13/06.