Tim Johnson
Senior Senator from South Dakota
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 7, 1997 Serving with John Thune
Preceded by	Larry Pressler
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's At-Large district
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Tom Daschle
Succeeded by	John Thune
Born	December 28, 1946 (1946-12-28) (age 61) Canton, South Dakota
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Barbara Brooks
Alma mater	University of South Dakota
Religion	Lutheran

Timothy Peter Johnson (born December 28, 1946) is the senior United States Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Democratic Party. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Larry Lee Pressler (b March 29, 1942) is a US Republican Politician. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. The South Dakota at-large congressional district covers the entire state of South Dakota. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Thomas Andrew Daschle (born December 9, 1947) is a former US Senator and Senate Majority Leader from South Dakota. John Randolph Thune (born January 7, 1961) is the Republican junior U Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Canton is a city in and the County seat of Lincoln County, South Dakota, United States. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval The University of South Dakota, the state’s oldest university was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882 The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. He was the subject of national attention in December 2006 when his ill health raised the possibility that, were he to die, the South Dakota governor might appoint a Republican to fill his seat, thus returning the Senate to Republican control after elections which had given the Democratic Party a slim majority. Johnson has since regained his health, and now continues his service in the Senate.

Early life and state politics

Johnson was born in Canton, South Dakota to Ruth Jorinda Ljostveit and Vandel Charles Johnson. Canton is a city in and the County seat of Lincoln County, South Dakota, United States. ^[1] He was raised in Vermillion, Johnson earned a B.A. in 1969 and an M.A. in 1970, from the University of South Dakota, where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Vermillion is a city in and the County seat of Clay County, in the southeastern corner of the U The University of South Dakota, the state’s oldest university was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882 Delta Tau Delta ( ΔΤΔ, DTD or " Delts " is a US -based international college fraternity. After doing post-graduate studies at Michigan State University from 1970 to 1971, he earned his J.D. from the University of South Dakota in 1975. Michigan State University ( MSU) is a co-educational public Research university in East Lansing, Michigan USA. Juris Doctor (abbreviated JD or JD, from the Latin, Teacher of Law) is a first professional graduate degree and Professional The University of South Dakota, the state’s oldest university was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882 He served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1979 to 1982 and in the South Dakota Senate from 1983 to 1986. The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota State Legislature. The South Dakota Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota State Legislature. Johnson served as Clay County deputy state's attorney in 1985 during his tenure in the South Dakota Senate.

House of Representatives

Johnson was elected to the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota's At-large congressional district in 1986. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The South Dakota at-large congressional district covers the entire state of South Dakota. He served up until 1997, when he took up his newly acquired Senate seat.

United States Senate career

Elections

Johnson defeated three-term Senator Larry Pressler (R) in the 1996 U.S. Senate election, making him the only Senate candidate to defeat an incumbent in a year that saw thirteen open seats. Larry Lee Pressler (b March 29, 1942) is a US Republican Politician. The US Senate election 1996 was an election for United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of Bill Clinton as president In 2002, he defeated his successor in the at-large House seat, U. The 2002 United States Senate election featured a series of fiercely-contested elections that resulted in a victory for the Republican Party, which gained two seats and S. Representative John Thune (R), by 524 votes to win re-election. John Randolph Thune (born January 7, 1961) is the Republican junior U His close margin of victory was made possible by final returns from Shannon County on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which reported twice the turnout of the previous election and 92% votes for Johnson. Shannon County is a County located in the US state of South Dakota. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation ( Oglala Oyanke in Lakota, also called Pine Ridge Agency) is an His re-election race was widely seen as a proxy battle between President George W. Bush, who had carried South Dakota comfortably in 2000, and the state's senior Senator and Johnson's fellow Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who was subsequently up for re-election in 2004 and lost to Thune. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Democratic candidate Al Gore, then Vice President, and Republican The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders (also called Senate Floor Leaders) are two United States Senators who are elected by the party conferences Thomas Andrew Daschle (born December 9, 1947) is a former US Senator and Senate Majority Leader from South Dakota. The United States Senate election 2004 was an election for one-third of the seats in the United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of George

In spite of his recent illness (see "Health" section below), Johnson's chief of staff has announced they hired leading political strategist Steve Jarding for Johnson's re-election campaign for the 2008 Senate election. Steve Jarding is one of the leading political consultants in the Democratic Party who worked at the highest levels in state-wide and national political campaigns The South Dakota Senate Election of 2008 will be held on November 4, 2008. ^[2]

Positions and votes

Sen. Johnson (second from right) answers questions after he helped prevent the closure of Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. Ellsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base near Rapid City in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. Left to right: Governor M. Michael Rounds, Rep. Marion Michael "Mike" Rounds (born October 24, 1954) is an American politician. Stephanie Herseth, Johnson and Sen. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (born December 3 1970) is an American Lawyer and Democratic politician, currently serving John Thune. John Randolph Thune (born January 7, 1961) is the Republican junior U

While in the House, Johnson was among the minority of his party to vote in favor of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 — a welfare reform bill — and another bill to repeal the ban on semiautomatic weapons. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 ( PRWORA,) is a United States federal law considered to be a fundamental shift in both the method "Social welfare" redirects here For other uses see Welfare A social welfare provision refers to any program which seeks to provide The Federal Assault Weapons Ban ( AWB) was a subtitle of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a Federal law of the United States He was among the minority of Democrats to vote for Bush's 2001 tax cut. On January 31, 2006, Johnson was one of only four Democrats to vote to confirm Judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Samuel Anthony Alito Jr (born April 1, 1950) is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. He has also called for "broadened use" of the death penalty. Capital punishment of a Felon in the United States, in modern times is employed and in practice only in cases involving murder ^[3]

Johnson was, however, among the minority of senators to vote against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which was strongly supported by pro-life groups. The Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-212 is a United States law which recognizes a "child in utero" as a legal victim if he or she is injured Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation While a member of the House, he was one of only 16 congressmen to vote against the Telecom Act of 1996, which provided for deregulation and competition in the communication sector and was given firm support by Republicans, business groups, and most Democrats. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was the first major overhaul of United States Telecommunications law in nearly 62 years amending the Communications Act of Deregulation, a term which gained widespread currency in the period 1970-2000 can be seen as a process by which governments remove reduce or simplify Restrictions on Business

In May 2007, Senator Johnson received an Honored Cooperator award from the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) for his support of cooperative businesses. Founded in 1916 as the Cooperative League of America, the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA is a United States membership organization for Cooperatives

Paul Hazen, NCBA president, made the presentation to Johnson’s staff at the NCBA annual meeting in Arlington, Va. Hazen praised the South Dakota Democrat for consistently supporting the Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG) program, which creates jobs and bolsters the rural economy through cooperative business. Typically funded at $6 million annually, the RCDG program is the only federal grants program devoted solely to forming and expanding co-ops. His elder son, Brooks, serves in the U.S. Army, making him the only Senator with a child in the U.S. Armed Forces when America invaded Iraq. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States Michael Moore stated in his film Fahrenheit 9/11 that only one member of the Senate had a son serving in the military at the time; Moore was referring to Johnson, although he didn't mention his name. Michael Francis Moore (born April 23 1954 is an Academy Award -winning American filmmaker author and liberal Political commentator. Fahrenheit 9/11 is an award-winning 2004 Documentary Film by American filmmaker Michael Moore which takes a critical look He and his wife Barbara, a professional social worker, have another son, Brendan, and a daughter, Kelsey. Social work is a discipline involving the application of Social theory and research methods to study and improve the lives of people groups and societies

Committee assignments

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
  • Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
  • Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment
  • Subcommittee on Security and International Trade and Finance
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests
  • Subcommittee on Water and Power (Chairman)

Health

Senator Johnson was treated for prostate cancer in 2004 and further tests showed that he was clear of the disease. ^[4][5]

In Washington, D.C., on December 13, 2006, during the broadcast of a live radio interview with WNAX radio in Yankton, South Dakota, Johnson suffered bleeding in the brain caused by cerebral arteriovenous malformation, a congenital problem that causes enlarged and tangled blood vessels. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Yankton is a city in Yankton County, South Dakota, United States. Cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM is a malformed collection of Blood vessels within the brain, characterized by tangle(s of Veins and arteries He underwent successful surgery at George Washington University Hospital to drain the blood and stop further bleeding. The George Washington University ( GW or GWU) is a private coeducational university located in Washington D ^[6] As of January 19, 2007, Johnson was undergoing physical, occupational, and speech therapy every day for three hours. Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Occupational Therapy, often abbreviated "OT", is the "use of productive or creative activity in the treatment or rehabilitation of physically cognitively or Speech-language pathology is the study of disorders that affect a person's Speech, Language, cognition voice swallowing ( Dysphagia) and the rehabilitative This included strengthening exercises to gain mobility and work with parallel bars. His recovery was expected to take "several months. "^[7] In his 2007 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush wished Johnson well. The 2007 State of the Union Address was a speech given by United States President George W George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. ^[8]

On February 10, it was reported that Senator Johnson was reading news clippings and starting to do some office work from the hospital. Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead "At this point, he has requested more contact with office and is looking for updates from staff," a member of his staff said in a statement. ^[9] On February 15, Johnson co-sponsored his first piece of legislation since his hospitalization, the Emergency Farm Relief Act of 2007. ^[10]

On February 20, he left the hospital and moved to a private facility. Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment ^[11][12] On March 13, 2007, Johnson issued his first public statement, "I want to thank the people of South Dakota and all of our dear friends for their support and prayers. Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. This has been an unexpected journey and there is a long road in front of me. I am determined and focused on my recovery, and I look forward to returning to the Senate on behalf of South Dakota. "^[13] Johnson was discharged from the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington on April 27. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated ^[14] On June 11, 2007, his doctor said that he would be able to resume his full duties in the Senate. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[15]

Johnson returned to work in the Senate on September 5, 2007 to both tributes and standing ovations. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. It was reported that Democrats and Republicans alike had tears during his first speech on the Senate floor. ^[16]

2008 election

Johnson's current term is up in January 2009. Sen. Johnson has stated that he will run for reelection, although, because of the severity of his illness, there is speculation that he may not run.

While Johnson was recovering, fellow Democratic senators raised funds on behalf of Johnson's reelection campaign.

Early polls show him a favorite to beat the Republican challenger in the fall. ^[17]

Tim Johnson has endorsed Illinois Sen. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Barack Obama for the 2008 Presidential election. ^[18]

However, NBC News reported that Johnson's superdelegate vote will go for Hillary Clinton as he pledged earlier to support the winner of the South Dakota Primary.

Electoral history

References

External links

• United States Senator Tim Johnson, Senate site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Current Bills Sponsored at StateSurge. The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a Biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D The Federal Election Commission (or FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the The Center for Responsive Politics (CRP is a nonpartisan research group based in Washington D Project Vote Smart ( PVS) is a Non-profit, Non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in com
• New York Times — Tim Johnson News collected news and commentary
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Tim P. Johnson profile
• Tim Johnson for South Dakota, Campaign site
• Creepy Sleepy Tim Johnson talks politics on the Creepy Sleepy Show podcast, May 2005