Ron Barber

Ron Barber

Template:TOCnestleft Ron Barber represents the 2nd District of Arizona in Congress.

Background

grew up in a military family. He first came to Tucson when his father, an airman, was stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in the 1950s. Barber attended Rincon High School in Tucson and graduated from the University of Arizona in 1967.

While still in high school, Barber met his wife Nancy.

Barber and his wife ran a small business in Tucson for 22 years. Toy Traders/Stork’s Nest was a place where families could trade and buy children’s toys, clothing and equipment. The business had two locations and 20 employees.

Before becoming a Member of Congress, Barber had a 32-year career with the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Arizona Department of Economic Security, eventually serving as its director. Barber worked to get people with disabilities out of government-run institutions and back into their communities where they could become employed and live full lives with their families and friends. This meant working closely with families and providing them the support they needed to care for their children at home. Under Barber’s direction, the division improved services for families, while running one of the five most cost-efficient, high-quality programs in the country.

Politics

In 2007, Barber was appointed Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ district director. In that capacity, Barber helped Southern Arizona families who experienced problems with the federal government. He oversaw a staff that intervened when families were not receiving Social Security, Medicare or Veterans Administration benefits.

On Jan. 8, 2011, Barber was standing beside then- Rep. Giffords as she held her Congress On Your Corner in Northwest Tucson. An assassin shot the congresswoman, Barber and 17 other people. Six of those people, including Giffords’ aide Gabe Zimmerman, were killed. Giffords and Barber were both critically wounded.

In January 2012, Giffords resigned from office to focus on her recovery. Barber was sworn into serve the people of Southern Arizona in June of 2012. He was sworn into his first full term in Congress on January 3, 2013 and now serves his constituents on the House Armed Services Committee, Committee on Homeland Security, and Committee on Small Business.

PDA lobbying

James Hannley, Ron Barber aide

In 2013 Progressive Democrats of America assigned activists to deliver their material to almost every US Congressman and several Senators. James Hannley, was assigned as contact for Rep. Barber.

2012 CLW Senate victories

2012 Council for a Livable World House Victories were;

Ron Barber (D-AZ), Ami Bera (D-CA), Tim Bishop (D-NY) Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Bruce Braley (D-IA), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Lois Capps (D-CA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), John Garamendi (D-CA), Joe Garcia (D-FL), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI), Denny Heck (D-WA), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Patrick Murphy (D-FL), Rick Nolan (D-MN), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Brad Schneider(D-IL), Carol Shea-Porter(D–NH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ),Mark Takano(D-CA) and John Tierney(D-MA)..

When endorsing Barber, the council said this of him;

Barber supports new negotiations with Russia to lower nuclear arsenals to 1,000 deployed weapons per side with an eye to further reductions in the future.

Barber’s opponent in November is Martha McSally, a former Air Force officer and Gulf War veteran. McSally is a neoconservative hawk and strong advocate of national missile defense. She has served as a legislative aide to Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ), who led the fight against Senate ratification of the New START nuclear weapons reduction treaty.

AARA connection

Social Security Birthday Party

Marking the 78th birthday of Social Security, the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans members, leaders and community activists celebrated on Wednesday, August 14, 2013, at 11:30am at Armory Park Senior Center Tucson, . Attendees will celebrate the programs’ successes and released a new report detailing the impact of these programs on state residents.

WHAT: Social Security Birthday Party and Awarding of the “Champion of Social Security Award” to Community Activist Tino Torres and Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick WHO: Congressmen Raul Grijalva and Ron Barber, Congresswoman Kirkpatrick’s Deputy Director Blanca Varela, Local leaders, 80-100 area retirees, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans leadership.

Medicare Birthday Party

With Medicare celebrating its 49th birthday last week and Social Security’s 79th birthday coming up on Thursday, August 14th, 2014, Alliance members have been holding celebrations across the country in honor of the retirement security programs. Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance, traveled to Arizona from July 31st to August 4th in order to take part in some of the events. Alliance celebrations in the state included an event in Tempe with Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9), an event in Tucson with Rep. Ron Barber (AZ-2), and an event in Flagstaff with Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-1).

ARA endorsement

The Alliance for Retired Americans Political Action Fund endorsed Ron Barber in 2014.

Blue Dog Coalition

By 2014, the Blue Dog Coalition was a shell of its former self, shrunken to just 15 members because of political defeat, retirements after redrawn districts left them in enemy territory and just plain exhaustion from the constant battle to stay in office. Several are not running for reelection in November, and a few others are top targets of Republicans.

In danger of losing even more clout, the leading Blue Dogs are regrouping and rebuilding. They are adding four members to their ranks in February — Reps. Ron Barber (Ariz.), Cheri Bustos (Ill.), Nick Rahall (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) — and angling to play a key role in bipartisan talks over the next few years in the belief that the polar tension in the Capitol will thaw.

References

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