Mark Pryor



Mark Lunsford Pryor, a Democrat, has represented Arkansas in the United States Senate since 2002.

H.R. 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (health care reform)
On December 9, 2009, Senator Pryor was one of ten Democratic Senators to reach what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called a “broad agreement”on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The discussion focused on abandoning or greatly narrowing the public health insurance option. In exchange, people 55-64 would be able to buy in to Medicare and Medicaid eligibility would be expanded to people within 150 percent of the federal poverty line. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office released a statement on the compromise:

"I asked Senators Schumer and Pryor to work with some of the most moderate and most progressive members of our diverse caucus, and tonight they have come to a consensus. It is a consensus that includes a public option and will help ensure the American people win in two ways: one, insurance companies will face more competition, and two, the American people will have more choices. I know not all 10 Senators in the room agree on every single detail of this, nor will all 60 members of my caucus. But I know we all appreciate the hard work that these progressives and moderates have done to move this historic debate forward. I want to thank Senators Schumer, Pryor, Brown, Carper, Feingold, Harkin, Landrieu, Lincoln, Nelson and Rockefeller for working together for the greater good and never losing sight of our shared goal: making it possible for every American to afford to live a healthy life. As is long-standing practice, we do not disclose details of any proposal before the Congressional Budget Office has a chance to evaluate it. We will wait for that to happen, but in the meantime, tonight we are confident."

Iraq War
On March 15, 2007, Pryor was one of two Democratic Senators who voted against a joint resolution to revise U.S. policy in Iraq. The measure failed 48-50. Later on March 27, he was the only Democrat to vote with Republicans in favor of an amendment to the Iraq supplemental spending bill that would have stripped the measure of its troop withdrawal deadline. The amendment was narrowly defeated 48-50. He later voted with all Democrats in passing the final spending bill, which passed the Senate 51-47.

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

Oil Record
Mark Pryor has voted in favor of big oil companies on 67% of important oil-related bills,according to Oil Change International. These bills include Iraq War funding, climate change studies, clean energy, and oil import reductions. See below for oil money in politics.

Gang of 14
On May 23, 2005, Pryor was one of fourteen senators to forge a compromise on the Democrats' use of the judicial filibuster, thus blocking the Republican leadership's attempt to implement the so-called "nuclear option". Under the agreement, the Democrats would retain the power to filibuster a Bush judicial nominee only in an "extraordinary circumstance", and the three most conservative Bush appellate court nominees (Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen and William H. Pryor, Jr.) would receive a vote by the full Senate.

Bio
Pryor was born January 10, 1963 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He earned his B.A in History from the University of Arkansas in 1985 and his J.D. from the University of Arkansas in 1988. He worked as an attorney in private practice for more than ten years before being elected to office. He was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1991-1998 and served as the Arkansas Attorney General from 1999-2002. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2000. He is the son of former Senator and governor David H. Pryor.

Pryor defeated incumbent Republican Tim Hutchinson in 2002 to gain his seat. He was the only Democrat to defeat a Republican incumbent in that election cycle.

Pryor is one of the few Democrats in the Senate to oppose legal abortion.

Money in politics
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Oil Money in Politics
Mark Pryor has received $89,750 in oil contributions during the 110th congress. $38,000 of those dollars were from industry PACS. In total, Pryor has accepted $134,400 from oil companies since 2000, which makes him one of the top recipients of oil money in the United States Senate. See above for oil and energy voting record.

Committees

 * Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
 * Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
 * Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
 * Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics, and Related Sciences
 * Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism
 * Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation
 * Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety - Chairman
 * Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
 * Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
 * Senate Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Airland
 * Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
 * Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
 * Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Investigations
 * Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
 * Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration

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

 * Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs Product Safety and Insurance - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Science and Space
 * Subcommittee on Technology Innovation and Competitiveness
 * Subcommittee on Trade Tourism and Economic Development
 * Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine
 * Senate Select Committee on Ethics
 * Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs
 * Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
 * Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia
 * Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

More Background Data

 * See how you compare to Mark Pryor

Contact
DC Office: 257 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510-0404 Phone: 202-224-2353 Fax: 202-228-0908 Web Email Website

District Office- Little Rock: The River Market, Suite 401 500 Clinton Avenue Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-324-6336 Fax: 501-324-5320

Resources

 * Official website
 * Follow the Oil Money-Senate
 * Vote Tracker
 * Follow the Coal Money- Senate
 * Appalachian Voices

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Freedom's Watch
 * Vets for Freedom

Articles

 * Andy Davis, "‘Don’t surrender’ in Iraq, vets urge Pryor in TV ad," Arkansas Democrat Gazette (NWA News (Northwest Arkansas)), August 17, 2007. re Vets for Freedom

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Arkansas Tonight
 * The Voice of Arkansas