Ed Whitfield



Wayne Edward Whitfield has been a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1995, representing the 1st District of Kentucky. (map)

Iraq War
Whitfield 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

2011 Whitfield amendment defunds House Green Initiative
On Feb. 17, 2011, the House adopted an amendment by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) to the fiscal 2011 continuing resolution that stripped $1.5 million from the House's Greening the Capitol initiative, a program begun in 2007 under then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to make Congress an example of energy efficiency in the workplace. Whitfield's amendment targeted a section of the CR that deals with legislative branch appropriations for the House, which the Senate does not consider in creating its version of the legislation.

Whitfield's amendment attacked a key component of the Greening the Capitol plan that sought to phase out the use of coal at the Capitol Power Plant. Whitfield said that in their effort to implement their greening program, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wrote a letter to the Architect of the Capitol directing him to stop buying coal for the Capitol Power Plant "even though the plant met all environmental requirements."

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who helped begin the program as the former chairwoman of the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the legislative branch, said the Greening the Capitol Initiative has already saved the House $1.5 million and would have saved taxpayers upward of $9 million when fully implemented.

2011 Whitfield amendment to block power plant regulations
As of September 2011, Joe Barton has taken over $704,000 from donors connected to the utility, oil and gas, coal and mining sectors, according to DirtySecrets.org. That same month he supported the House Bill TRAIN (Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation) Act, which would indefinitely delay clean-up of dangerous power plant air pollution, and added an amendment that would permanently block stronger pollution safeguards for power plants.

Bio
Whitfield was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, on May 25, 1943, and was educated at the University of Kentucky, Wesley Theological Seminary and American University. He served in the Army Reserve, and was a lawyer, business executive, business owner and member of the Kentucky House of Representatives before entering the House in 1995.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated Tom Barlow to face Whitfield in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Whitfield retained his seat.

Money in politics
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Committees

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
 * Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations - Ranking Member

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

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce

Caucuses and Coalitions

 * Army Caucus
 * Congressional Horse Caucus
 * Congressinal Travel and Tourism Caucus
 * Co-Chair, House Nursing Caucus
 * National Guard & Reserve Components Congressional Members Organization
 * Nuclear Cleanup Caucus
 * Pro-Life Caucus
 * Steel Caucus
 * Transit Valley Authority Caucus

Boards and Other Affiliations

 * Chamber of Commerce
 * Florida Bar Association
 * Kentucky Bar Association
 * Former Member, Kiwanis
 * Former Member, Lutheran Social Services Board
 * Methodist Church
 * Former Board of Directors, Salvation Army
 * Advisory Board, America Bosnia Foundation

Contact
DC Office: 301 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515-1701 Phone: 202-225-3115 Fax: 202-225-3547 Web Email Website

District Office - Henderson: 222 First Street, Room 307 Henderson, KY 42420 Phone: 270-826-4180 Fax: 270-826-6783

District Office - Hopkinsville: 1403 South Main Street Hopkinsville, KY 42240 Phone: 270-885-8079 TollFree: 800-328-5629 Fax: 270-885-8598

District Office - Paducah: 100 Fountain Avenue, Room 104 Paducah, KY 42001 Phone: 270-442-6901 Fax: 270-442-6805

District Office - Tompkinsville: Monroe County Courthouse Post Office Box 717 Tompkinsville, KY 42167 Phone: 270-487-9509 Fax: 270-487-0019

Articles and Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database