Raul Grijalva

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Raúl Grijalva
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2003
Preceded by	District created after 2000 census
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	February 19, 1948 (age 59) Tucson, Arizona
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ramona F. Grijalva
Religion	Roman Catholic

Raúl M. Grijalva (born February 19, 1948) is an American politician from Arizona. He is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003 and represents Arizona's 7th congressional district.

1 Biography
2 Politics
3 Committees and assignments
4 Criticism and controversies
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Biography

Raúl Grijalva's father was a migrant worker from Mexico who entered the United States in 1945 through the Bracero Program and labored on southern Arizona ranches.^[1]

Raúl was born in Tucson, Arizona, and graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1967. Grijalva is a 2004 inductee to the Sunnyside High School Alumni Hall of Fame. He attended the University of Arizona and earned a bachelor's degree in Sociology. While at the university, he was a member of MEChA.^[2]

In 1974, he was elected to the Tucson Unified School District board and served as a school board member until 1986. Grijalva Elementary School in Tucson was named for him in 1987.^[3]

From 1975 to 1986, Grijalva was the director of the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, and in 1987 he was Assistant Dean for Hispanic Student Affairs at the University of Arizona.

Grijalva was a member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors from 1989 to 2002, and served as chairman from 2000 to 2002. He was first elected to Congress in 2002. In 2006, he defeated Republican challenger Ron Drake.

He is married to Ramona F. Grijalva and together they have three daughters: Adelita, Raquel and Marisa.

[edit] Politics

In 2006, National Journal ranked him as the 21st most liberal member in the House of Representatives, based on his votes in 2005.^[4] Along with 25 other Democratic House members, he was ranked most liberal in economic policy votes; with 17 other Democrats he was most liberal on foreign policy. He ranked as more liberal than 84% of Representatives on social issues.

[edit] Immigration

Grijalva believes current immigration laws are "cruel," and border policy is "unjust."^[5] He supports legalization for some immigrants and a program to allow immigrants to work legally in the United States "without displacing or having an adverse impact on American workers". He voted against H.R. 4437 and opposed Arizona Proposition), and he does not support a National Guard presence on the border.

The Arizona Daily Star reported that in his "State of the District" address on June 2, 2006 Grijalva announced a forthcoming plan to "stabilize the border" that would serve to help Congress "internalize the issue".^[6]

Grijalva supports the Cyberport Port of Entry project in Nogales, Arizona and the San Luis II Port of Entry project in San Luis, Arizona, which would improve security by "making border traffic processing more efficient".^[7]

[edit] Taxes

Grijalva has frequently voted against various tax cut initiatives. For his voting record during the 108th congress he received an F (11%) from the conservative American Taxpayers Union, which tabulates scores based on any vote that affects taxes, spending and debt.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Gun control

Grijalva is a supporter of gun control legislation. He was a cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Act of 2003, a cosponsor of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Act of 2005, and is a supporter of the Brady Bill and other gun control legislation.

He voted "no" on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers. (Oct 2005) He voted "no" on prohibiting suing gun-makers and sellers for gun misuse. (Apr 2003) He received an F rating from the National Rifle Association on gun issues.^[8]

He is a co-sponsor of the current Assault Weapon Ban, HR 1022.^[9]

[edit] Animals

In 2005 the Humane Society gave Grijalva a score of 100% for his "advocacy on animal welfare issues considered by Congress in 2005." He opposed horse slaughter, animal fighting and puppy mills.^[10]

[edit] Industrial hemp

Grijalva co-sponsored the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2005.

[edit] Darfur

Grijalva is an endorser of the Genocide Intervention Network.

[edit] Native Americans

Grijalva is a strong supporter of sovereignty and government-to-government relationship[s].^[11] He supports the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and the protection of sites sacred to Native Americans.

[edit] Censure of George W. Bush

Grijalva supported H.Res. 635 to censure President George W. Bush.^[12]

[edit] Committees and assignments

Rep. Grijalva sits on the the Committee on Natural Resources where he serves as chairman of the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee. He also sits on the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Small Business. He is the chair of the House Democratic Environmental Task Force and is the second vice-chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for the 110th United States Congress.

[edit] Criticism and controversies

[edit] Lifelong Democrat?

According to an article in the alternative weekly newspaper Tucson Weekly, Grijalva was a member of the short-lived Raza Unida Party, and registered as a Democrat in Pima County, Arizona in 1977, despite his claim to be a lifelong Democrat.^[13]

[edit] Immigration and Mexico

Grijalva's position on immigration has generated criticism from groups supporting immigration reduction. The American Patrol Report web site dedicates a regularly-updated page to oppose him.^[14]

[edit] Confrontation

In October 2006, Garrett O'Hara, a conservative Christian blogger and University of Arizona student, claimed that a Grijalva campaign staff member used physical force to switch off his audio recording device and removing the microphone plug. O'Hara was attempting to record a conversation between Grijalva and another candidate.^[15]