Allen Boyd
| Allen Boyd, Jr. | |
 |
|
|
|
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 7, 1997 |
|
| Preceded by | Pete Peterson |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
|
|
|
| Born | June 06 1945 Valdosta, Georgia |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Stephanie Roush |
| Religion | Methodist |
F. Allen Boyd Jr. (born June 6 1945) is an American politician, and has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing Florida's 2nd congressional district (map). His district includes all of Bay, Gulf, Calhoun, Jackson, Liberty, Gadsden, Franklin, Wakulla, Taylor, Suwannee, Lafayette, and Dixie Counties. The district also includes most of Leon and Jefferson Counties. Allen Boyd is a Blue Dog Democrat.
Personal life
He was born in Valdosta, Georgia to Margaret Elizabeth Finlayson and Fred Allen Boyd.[1] He was educated at Florida State University, and served as an infantry officer in Vietnam with the United States Army.[2] Boyd was a fifth generation farmer from Monticello, Florida and a member of the Florida House of Representatives before entering the U.S. House.
Military and veterans advocacy
Representative Boyd has long been considered by the Florida veterans' community as a defender of veterans' rights. In 2005, he was named by the Collegiate Veterans Organization as an "advocate" for veterans' rights. Boyd is a member of the House Caucuses for the Army, Air Force, and Mine Warfare. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life. Boyd was a combat veteran with the U.S. Army, and cites his experience as a reason for his advocacy. He is considered a patron of military bases in the Florida Panhandle, notably securing funding for Tyndall Air Force Base, and the Naval Support Activity — Panama City base. Boyd voted for the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, funding and supplemental funding for the war in Iraq, and is a vocal supporter of democracy in Iraq as a model for the Middle East. Currently, Boyd is working on a soldier's Bill of Rights for the 21st century.
Boyd was unopposed in the November 2006 elections, assuring him a 6th term in Congress. Boyd has traditionally performed better than most Democrats in his socially conservative, pro-military, Republican-trending North Florida district. He won reelection in 2004 with 62% of the vote, even while John Kerry lost the district. Republicans will, however, very likely target Florida's 2nd District when Boyd retires.
On October 10, 2002, Allen Boyd was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq.
Social Security
Representative Boyd was the only Democrat out of 202 in Congress at the time to endorse and actually was the cosponsor of the Bill to Privatize Social Security (H.R. 440 — "The Bipartisan Retirement Security Act").
Election 2006
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Pete Peterson |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 2nd congressional district 1997–Present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
References
External links
- U.S. Congressman Allen Boyd official House site
- Allen Boyd at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Federal Election Commission — F. Allen Boyd Jr. campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues — Allen Boyd issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org — Allen Boyd campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart — Representative Allen Boyd Jr. (FL) profile
- Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Allen Boyd voting record
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
