Garret Graves

Garret Graves
Ranking Member of the House Climate Crisis Committee
In office
January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Louisiana's 6th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byBill Cassidy
Personal details
Born
Garret Neal Graves

(1972-01-31) January 31, 1972 (age 51)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCarissa Vanderleest
Children3
EducationUniversity of Alabama
Louisiana Tech University
American University
WebsiteHouse website

Garret Neal Graves (born January 31, 1972) is an American politician serving as the United States representative from Louisiana's 6th congressional district since 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life

Garret Graves was born on January 31, 1972, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to John and Cynthia (née Sliman) Graves. He is a Catholic of Lebanese descent. Graves graduated from Catholic High School (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) in 1990. He then attended the University of Alabama, Louisiana Tech, and American University.

Career

Graves served as an aide for nine years to former U.S. Representative Billy Tauzin of Louisiana's 3rd congressional district. He was also a legislative aide to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which Tauzin chaired. In 2005, he became an aide for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, working under Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter. He was the staff director for the United States Senate's Subcommittee on Climate Change and Impacts. He also worked for Democratic former U.S. Senator John Breaux, a protégé of Edwin Edwards and Vitter's predecessor in the Senate. He served as a chief legislative aide to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

In 2008, Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Graves to chair the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. As chair, he negotiated on behalf of the state with British Petroleum over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill until resigning on February 17, 2014.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

In March 2014, Graves announced his intention to run in the 2014 election to the United States House of Representatives for Louisiana's 6th congressional district; incumbent Republican Bill Cassidy successfully challenged incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu.

In the 2014 nonpartisan blanket primary, Edwin Edwards finished in first place with 30% of the vote; Graves was the runner-up with 27%. Graves and Edwards advanced to the December 6 runoff election. In the runoff, Graves received 139,209 votes (62.4%) to Edwards's 83,781 (37.6%).

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held in conjunction with the national elections on November 6, 2018, Graves handily won his third term in the U.S. House, having led a four-candidate field with 186,524 votes (69%). Democrat Justin Dewitt trailed with 55,078 votes (21%). Two other candidates, Democrat "Andie" Saizan and Independent David Lance Graham, received the remaining 3%.

Tenure

In April 2017, Graves became engaged in a public dispute with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards about the disbursement of federal assistance for Louisiana's 2016 flooding victims. Graves, who had been mentioned as a potential challenger to Edwards in the 2019 gubernatorial election, said that he was "focused on flood recovery ... none of the governor's talk is helping flood victims." Edwards attributed the delay in disbursement of the funds, which began on April 10, to the state's financial shortfall, which prevented the quick retaining of a disaster management firm. Edwards's executive counsel, Matthew Block, explained that the state had no money in 2016 to pay the contractor. Edwards projected a $440 million budget deficit for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2017.

On January 6, 2021, Graves voted to object to the results of the 2020 election in Pennsylvania.

In January 2023 following the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives, Graves was a key ally of Kevin McCarthy in helping him be elected speaker of the House. McCarthy then gave him a leadership post: coordinating strategy among the five factions or "Five Families" within the Republican caucus.

Graves was tapped to lead the Republican side in negotiations over the 2023 United States debt-ceiling crisis. Counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young, and legislative affairs director Louisa Terrell were tapped to lead the Democratic side.

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political positions

Graves voted to support Israel following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Personal life

Graves resides in his native Baton Rouge. His wife is Carissa Vanderleest.

See also


This page was last updated at 2023-11-15 14:13 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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