Steven Brett Guthrie (born February 18, 1964) is an American businessman and politician serving as the
U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
for . The district is in central Kentucky and includes
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold res ...
,
Owensboro
Owensboro is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Daviess County, Kentucky, United States. It is the fourth-largest city in the state by population. Owensboro is located on U.S. Route 60 and Interstate 165 about southwest of Lou ...
,
Bowling Green
A bowling green is a finely laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of turf for playing the game of bowls.
Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding of Thrupp, near Stroud, UK, invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on ...
, and
Danville. Guthrie previously served as a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
member of the
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators. The Kentu ...
.
Early life, education, and career
Guthrie was born in
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
,
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, the son of Carolyn P. (née Holt) and Lowell M. Guthrie. He earned his
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
in
mathematical economics
Mathematical economics is the application of mathematical methods to represent theories and analyze problems in economics. Often, these applied methods are beyond simple geometry, and may include differential and integral calculus, difference an ...
at the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1987 and his Master's of Public and Private Management at
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
in 1997.
Guthrie is a former vice president of Trace Die Cast, Inc., an automotive parts supplier based in
Bowling Green
A bowling green is a finely laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of turf for playing the game of bowls.
Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding of Thrupp, near Stroud, UK, invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on ...
. He previously served as a
field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement.
Until the early 20t ...
officer in the
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...
at
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee, Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). F ...
, Kentucky.
Kentucky Senate
Guthrie represented the 32nd district in the
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators. The Kentu ...
from 1999 to 2008, serving as vice chair of the Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee and chairing the Transportation Committee.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
;2008
In the 2008 congressional
general election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
, Guthrie defeated
Democratic nominee State Senator
David Boswell for the right to succeed the retiring U.S. Representative
Ron Lewis
Ronald Edward Lewis (born September 14, 1946) is an American retired politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1994 to 2009, having represented the 2nd congressional district of Kentucky.
Lewis a ...
. Lewis announced his retirement on the last day for candidates to file for the seat in 2008, in hopes of steering the Republican nomination to his chief of staff, Daniel London. Guthrie defeated London for the nomination.
![Brett Guthrie by Gage Skidmore](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Brett_Guthrie_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg)
This set up the closest race in the 2nd in 14 years. Democrats had a large advantage in registration, but voters had been very conservative on social issues. This was a major reason Lewis had been able to hold the district with little trouble since winning it in a 1994 special election. Guthrie prevailed by 15,500 votes, mostly on the strength of rural voters. He may have been boosted by voters being more motivated to come to the polls due to the presidential and Senate election held at the same time. Republican presidential nominee
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
carried the district with 60% of the vote and won all but one county entirely within the district. Incumbent Republican Senator
Mitch McConnell
Addison Mitchell McConnell III (born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and retired attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky and the Senate minority leader since 2021. Currently in his seventh term, McConne ...
also carried the 2nd district easily.
;2010
The 2nd reverted to form in 2010, and Guthrie defeated Democratic nominee Ed Marksberry by a large margin.
;2012
Guthrie won reelection in 2012 with over 64% of the vote.
;2018
Guthrie filed for reelection on November 27, 2017. Two Democratic challengers filed against Guthrie: Grant Short and Brian Pedigo, both of whom ultimately lost to Democratic candidate
in the primary.
Tenure
;2011
In 2011, Guthrie voted for the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012112th Congress, 1st Session, H1540CR.HSE"National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012."/ref> () is a United States federal law which among other things specifies the budget ...
as part of a controversial provision that allows the government and the military to indefinitely detain American citizens and others without trial. In July 2013, he voted against defunding the National Security Agency due to the alleged privacy violations reported by whistleblower
Edward Snowden
Edward Joseph Snowden (born June 21, 1983) is an American and naturalized Russian former computer intelligence consultant who leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013, when he was an employee and su ...
.
;2013
Guthrie voted in favor of ending the
United States federal government shutdown of 2013
From October 1 to October 17, 2013, the United States federal government entered a shutdown and curtailed most routine operations because neither legislation appropriating funds for fiscal year 2014 nor a continuing resolution for the interim ...
.
In September, Guthrie introduced the
Missing Children's Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2013
The Missing Children's Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2013 () is a bill that was introduced into the United States House of Representatives during the 113th United States Congress. The Missing Children's Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2013 ...
, authorizing the continued funding of the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a private, nonprofit organization established in 1984 by the United States Congress. In September 2013, the United States House of Representatives, United States Senate, and the Pres ...
through fiscal year 2018 and to strengthen additional programs that prevent the abduction and sexual exploitation of children.
;2017
Guthrie and
Virginia Foxx
Virginia Ann Foxx ( Palmieri;[Foxx, Virginia Ann](_blank)
. ''Biographical Directory of ...
introduced the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act, an act that would eliminate
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program is a United States government program that was created under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (CCRAA) to provide indebted professionals a way out of their federal student loan debt ...
and reduce federal funding made available to for-profit colleges.
On December 19, Guthrie voted for the
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
The Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018, , is a congressional revenue act of the United States originally introduced in Congress as the Tax Cuts and Jobs A ...
.
Before his vote, he said he was "willing to accept" criticism about the bill making American businesses more competitive on a global scale.
;2022
In August 2022, Guthrie criticized President
Joe Biden for forgiving up to $10,000 of student loan debt for eligible borrowers. Guthrie was criticized for hypocrisy because he had $4.3 million of debt from his
PPP loan
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a $953-billion business loan program established by the United States federal government during the Donald Trump administration in 2020 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES ...
forgiven.
Committee assignments
*
Committee on Energy and Commerce
A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...
**
Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection
**
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
**
Subcommittee on Health The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health is a subcommittee within the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jurisdiction
The House Subcommittee on Health has general jurisdiction over bills and resolutions relating to pub ...
Caucus memberships
*
Congressional Arts Caucus
The Congressional Arts Caucus is a registered Congressional Member Organization for the US House of Representatives in the 115th Congress.
History
The Congressional Arts Caucus was created in the 1980s as a way for the various members of Congres ...
*
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee (RSC) is a study group of conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives. As of 2021, the Chairman of the RSC is Representative Jim Banks of Indiana.
Although the prim ...
*
Climate Solutions Caucus
The Climate Solutions Caucus is a bipartisan caucus of U.S. legislators supported by the Citizens' Climate Lobby whose members work to achieve action addressing the risks from climate change. The House of Representatives and Senate each have a ...
*
U.S.-Japan Caucus
Political positions
Interest group ratings
Guthrie has an "A" rating from the
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent Gun politics in the United States, gun rights ...
for his gun rights voting record.
In 2016, Guthrie received a "D" rating from marijuana legalization advocacy group
NORML
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML ) is a social welfare organization based in Washington, D.C., that advocates for the reform of marijuana laws in the United States regarding both medical and non-medical use. Acc ...
for his voting record on
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
-related causes.
Health care
Guthrie supports the repeal and replacement of the
Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and colloquially known as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presid ...
("Obamacare").
Abortion
Guthrie opposes
abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
. In 2008, Kentucky Right for Life endorsed him. He has a 100% rating from the
National Right to Life Committee
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) is the oldest and largest national anti-abortion organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and more than 3,000 local chapters nationwide.
Since the 1980s, NRLC has influen ...
for his voting record on abortion-related matters.
Electoral history
Personal life
With his family, Guthrie attends the Lehman Avenue
Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to:
Church groups
* When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16.
* The entire body of Ch ...
in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Michael Greene, former minister of the Lehman Avenue congregation, said he had no doubt "Guthrie's faith will play a positive role" in representing
the 2nd district.
[Jessie Sanders]
"Kentucky Church Member Elected to Congress"
retrieved 2008 December 31.
References
External links
Congressman Brett Guthrieofficial U.S. House website
Brett Guthrie for Congress*
*
*
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guthrie, Brett
1964 births
21st-century American politicians
American members of the Churches of Christ
Republican Party Kentucky state senators
Living people
Politicians from Bowling Green, Kentucky
Politicians from Florence, Alabama
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky
United States Army officers
United States Military Academy alumni
Yale University alumni