How much is Jeff Bingaman worth?
| Net Worth: | $8 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Former United States Senator |
| Date of Birth: | October 3, 1943 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | Unknown |
About Jeff Bingaman
In 1982, Jeff Bingaman won a seat in the New Mexico Senate. On February 18, 2011, Senator Bingaman declared he would not run for reelection in 2012.
The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee was chaired by this sharp, unassuming senator in 2007–2008. He is a fervent supporter of energy efficiency and the protection of natural resources. He was one of the 23 senators who voted against the Iraq War in October 2002.
Personal Data
- Birth – October 3, 1943 in El Paso, Texas
- Education – Attended public schools in Silver City, NM; BA in Government from Harvard University in 1965; JD from Stanford University Law School in 1968.
- Family – Married; one adult son, John.
- Faith – Christian, Methodist
Senate Committees in 112th Congress, 2011-2012
- Energy & Natural Resources Committee, Chair
- Finance Committee
- Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources & Infrastructure, Chair
- Finance Subcommittee on International Trade
- Finance Subcommittee on Healthcare
- Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee
- Health Subcommittee on Children and Families
- Health Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging
- Congressional Joint Economic Committee
Prior Experience
- US Army Reserves, 1968-74
- Assistant New Mexico Attorney General, 1969, as counsel to the State constitutional convention
- Practicing attorney, 1970-78
- New Mexico Attorney General, 1979-82
- US Senator from New Mexico, 1982-present
Notable
“It runs counter to how previous court rulings have been rendered. This Congress is taking an exceptional action with this move.” On November 10, 2005, Senator Bingaman vehemently disagreed. He was reacting to a Senate vote that prevented foreign detainees from challenging their imprisonment in US courts despite a Supreme Court decision establishing such legal safeguards in 2004.
Major Interests and Voting History
Senator Bingaman is an advocate for preserving the environment and for using less energy. He is an active member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and serves as vice-chair of the Alliance to Save Energy.
He consistently votes in favor of public education, choice, and peace. He favors the study of embryonic stem cells and has voted in favor of all US free trade agreements. He attempted to stop financing for the President Bush-desired new “bunker-buster” nuclear weapon in 2002.
John D. Bingaman, the senator’s father, served as a delegate to the 1940 Democratic National Convention and taught chemistry at Western New Mexico University for 45 years.
The Persona of Jeff Bingaman
Jeff Bingaman became an Eagle Scout when he was 15 years old. Bingaman is still regarded as a trustworthy, loyal, and smart senator. He also hasn’t wavered in his steadfast determination to succeed. “Bingaman stands out for his quiet, serious-minded style.” USA Today noted in 2004. He is the last to grab a microphone and the first to offer it to a colleague, according to one person. There are rumors in Washington that the senator has a distinct penchant for saving money.
Senator Bingaman’s spouse Anne Kovacovich Bingaman
Attorney Anne Kovacovich Bingaman and her spouse both earned law degrees from Stanford University in 1968. She has built a successful and lengthy career as a lawyer and educator, serving as the director of the Department of Justice’s antitrust division for three years under President Clinton. She received $2.5 million from Global Crossing Corp. in 1999 to “lobby” for pro-antitrust legislation, which sparked controversy. The bill was approved.
Memorable Quotes
“In some ways, not tooting your own horn can help you be effective. Somebody that I’m working with on a bill may not worry that I’m going to go out and call a press conference and claim credit for something we’ve been working on together.”
“A policy that is not based on sound science is unwise.” — September 16, 1999
On U.S. Torture
On December 9, 2004, Bingaman wrote to Defense Secretary Rumsfeld to express his “deep concern over issues related to detainees being held in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Recent reports indicate that not only were detainees mishandled and interrogated in a manner inconsistent with the Geneva Conventions, but that subsequent internal reports of abuse appear to have been suppressed… While the abuse of detainees is unacceptable under any circumstance, reports of the suppression of evidence regarding abuse are extremely disturbing. Please inform me of the actions you intend to take.”
On Due Process Rights for Prisoners
“The current practice of holding detainees or prisoners indefinitely, without affording them basic due process rights, has been widely criticized in this country and throughout the world. For a country such as ours that has consistently advocated for the rule of law, the policies of the current administration are nothing short of a major embarrassment… How we handle prisoners can have a dramatic impact on how our own men and women are treated in the event they are themselves taken prisoner.” — November 8, 2005
Energy Concerns
“We have a lot of major energy concerns in the US today. We have a need to increase supply and control the growth of demand for electricity….We have a need for more infrastructure for natural gas for heating. More and more, natural gas is the fuel people and small business depend on. But the natural gas infrastructure is inadequate for the future. We also have need for more gas and oil refining capacity. And we need to do something to control growth of demand for gasoline for autos.” — June 1, 2001
