Randy Hultgren

Early life, education, and early political career

Hultgren graduated from Wheaton Academy in 1984, and from Bethel University in 1988 (magna cum laude). He earned a juris doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1993.

Hultgren has been Republican Precinct Committeeman for Milton Township Princinct #20; Member of DuPage County Board; Board of Directors for the DuPage Homeownership Center. He was first elected to the DuPage County Board in 1994 to represent the 4th district.

Elections

In 1998, incumbent Republican State Representative Peter Roskam of Illinois' 40th House District decided to retire in order to run for Congress. Hultgren ran and won unopposed. He won re-election to a second term unopposed in 2000. After redistricting, Hultgren decided to run in the newly redrawn 95th House District and defeated Democrat Dirk Enger 61%–37%.

Committee assignments

Hultgren was on the Death Penalty Committee and the Education Committee.

Elections

In 2006, incumbent State Senator Peter Roskam of Illinois' 48th Senate District decided to retire to run for Congress again. Hultgren ran and won the Republican primary 60%–40% over Naperville City Councilman Dick Furstenau. He won the general election unopposed. In 2008, he won re-election to a second term unopposed.

Committee assignments

2010

On September 28, 2009, Hultgren announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in Illinois's 14th congressional district and won the party's nomination in the February 2nd primary election. Hultgren defeated Democratic incumbent Bill Foster 51%–45%.

2012

As a result of the decennial reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Illinois lost one seat in the US House of Representatives. The new district map (now featuring only 18 districts, and drawn by the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly), saw Hultgren's district lose its large western portion, centered around Dixon. It became a much more compact district centered around the outer western suburbs of Chicago.

The new 14th included areas previously represented in the 8th district, represented by fellow Republican Joe Walsh. The new map drew Walsh's home into the 14th while making the 8th significantly more Democratic, prompting Walsh to consider challenging Hultgren in the primary for the much friendlier 14th. However, soon after Hultgren sought a second term in the 14th, Walsh decided to run in the 8th district. In the general election, Hultgren won re-election to a second term, beating Democratic candidate Dennis Anderson, with 59% of the vote.

2014

Hultgren ran for a third term and was opposed by Dennis Anderson for a second time. Hultgren again defeated Anderson, this time with 65% of the vote.

2016

Hultgren defeated Democrat Jim Walz in the November 2016 general election with 59% of the vote.

Tenure

Hultgren was appointed the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in February 2017.

Committee assignments

Political positions

As of 10 July 2017, Hultgren voted with his party in 99.1% of votes so far in the current session of Congress and voted in line with President Donald Trump's position in 97.3% of votes.

Hultgren has been described as a member of the Tea Party movement.

Abortion

Hultgren is described by Vote Smart as pro-life. He favors a prohibition on embryonic stem cell research.

Economic policy

In 2012, Hultgren voted for legislation stop an increase of the debt limit, which if successful would have caused a government shutdown.

Hultgren supports a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Hultgren has sponsored legislation to permanently repeal the estate tax and has voted several times to repeal the tax.

Hultgren is a vocal opponent of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which created new financial regulations after the financial crisis. He has called Dodd-Frank "flawed" and introduced Republican-backed legislation to kill Dodd-Frank. Hultgren supported the Financial CHOICE Act, another Republican-backed bill to dismantle Dodd-Frank; the legislation would eliminate the Treasury Department's Office of Financial Research, kill the Volcker Rule (which bars certain banks from particular risky trades); kill the Orderly Liquidation Authority (which allows the federal government to shut down failing banks that post a systemic risk to the economy); and kill a provision imposing greater oversight on "systemically important financial institutions." Hultgren introduced the Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act into the House in March 2013; the bill would roll back Dodd-Frank regulations and expand banks' authority to use swaps to hedging risk. The bill passed the House but not the Senate, and did not become law.

Hultgren has been a strong advocate of municipal finance and tax-exempt municipal bonds. In 2013, he joined with fellow U.S. Representative Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) in securing the signatures of 137 House Republicans and Democrats in a letter to congressional leaders "reject any proposal to cap or eliminate the deduction on tax-exempt municipal bonds used to finance the vast majority of infrastructure projects in America’s communities." The two circulated a similar letter in 2015 and formed the Municipal Finance Caucus in 2016.

Education

Hultgren sponsored legislation to allocate $110 million per year in federal grants for abstinence education in schools.

Hultgren has been an advocate for homeschooling, as his four children are home-schooled, and he believes that "homeschooling is the ultimate local control." In 2011, Hultgren introduced the Family Educational Records Privacy Extension Act (H.R. 2910), which would have required "parental consent before educational agencies or institutions release the educational records of home-schooled students."

Environment

Hultgren opposes federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. He has described cap-and-trade as "an irresponsible policy". In February 2017, he voted to repeal the Stream Protection Rule, a regulation that required coal companies to restore streams and mined areas to their pre-development conditions. In February 2017, he voted in favor of repealing a rule that required energy companies to disclose payments to foreign governments.

In 2010 Hultgren signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, promising to vote against any climate-change legislation that would raise taxes.

Health care

Hultgren favors repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). On May 4, 2017, Hultgren voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and to pass the American Health Care Act.

Hultgren supported a bill that would allow employers to exclude veterans receiving health insurance from the United States Department of Defense or the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs from their list of employees. This would have the effect of keeping their list of employees shorter, allowing some small businesses to fall underneath the 50 full-time employees line that would require them to provide their employees with healthcare under the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

Immigration

He opposes a pathway to citizenship.

LGBT rights

Hultgren opposes same-sex marriage. He voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act.

National Public Radio

He has voted in favor terminating funding for National Public Radio.

Presidential endorsement

Hultgren endorsed businessman and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

Privacy

In March 2017, Hultgren voted to reverse a Federal Communications Commission privacy rule that prevented internet service providers from to selling their customers' browsing data.

Climate change

Hultgren rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. He has said that "the greatest impact on our climate clearly is the sun... So, I don’t believe we have a significant impact on climate change."

Theory of evolution

When asked if he believed in the theory of evolution and whether it should be taught in schools, Hultgren answered that he believed in "intelligent design" and advocated for school boards being given the choice of what to teach.

Basic research

Hultgren has been described by the American Physical Society as an "outspoken advocate for basic scientific research and STEM education." According to NBC Chicago, "the conservative Republican has carved a reputation as a pro-science, pro-STEM education supporter."

Hultgren went on record to note that "The U.S. research system is unique. We’ve found an incredibly powerful combination, wedding education and research by incorporating universities, user facilities and Department of Energy resources. But this system is only as stable our commitment to it, which is why sustained and predictable research funding is crucial."

Along with then United States Senator Mark Udall (D-CO), Hultgren was awarded the George Brown Science Technology Engineering Leadership award by the Science, Technology, Engineering Working Group, a coalition of pro-science groups including The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Institute of Physics, ASME, et al.

In October 2012, Hultgren was a recipient of the Champion of Science Award by the Science Coalition, a non-profit advocacy group composed of the 50 leading research universities in the United States. The award was presented by Fermilab Director Pier Oddone and University of Illinois President Robert Easter along with University of Chicago President Robert Zimmer, who noted that "Congressman Hultgren provides a strong voice for science in Congress."

Hultgren introduced the American Super Computing Leadership Act (H.R. 2495; 113th Congress) into the House on June 25, 2013. The bill would require the United States Department of Energy to improve and increase its use of high-end computers, especially exascale computing, through an organized research program.

Women's rights

He voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act in 2013.

Personal life

Hultgren currently resides in Plano, Illinois with his wife, Christy, and four children who have been home-schooled.