Mike Thompson (California politician)

Thompson is a Blue Dog Democrat[13] and was previously a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He has been labeled as a "moderate Democratic leader".[14] Thompson has taken nearly $2 million each election cycle from corporations including pharmaceuticals, insurance, weapons, banks, tobacco, oil, sugar and real estate.[15] Thompson has voted with the Democratic party 91% of the time.[16] During the 2008 presidential campaign, Thompson endorsed former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) for president; his district, however, was narrowly won by Barack Obama.

Thompson is a Roman Catholic,[3] but is pro-choice. In May 2004, he, along with 47 other Catholic Democratic Congressmembers, sent a letter to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C. to dissuade him from refusing to administer Holy Communion to Catholic Congressmembers who practice pro-choice legislative voting.[17] In February 2006, he was one of 55 Democratic U.S. Representatives identifying as Catholic who signed a "Statement of Principles" which affirmed a commitment to their faith but acknowledged opposition to Catholic doctrine on some issues. They stated that on those issues, such as abortion rights, they would follow their conscience instead of the church's teachings.[18] In response, the U.S. Catholic Bishops issued a "Statement on Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life" that said, in part, "Catholic teaching calls all Catholics to work actively to restrain, restrict and bring to an end the destruction of unborn human life."[19]

Thompson was endorsed for re-election in 2008 by the Humane USA PAC, a political action committee founded by leaders of animal rights groups such as The Humane Society of the United States, The Fund for Animals, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Doris Day Animal League, the Animal Welfare Institute, Farm Sanctuary and The Ark Trust.[20] Thompson has an 88% lifetime rating from the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, which endorsed him for re-election in 2008.[21] This organization is the 501(c)(4) sister organization of Defenders of Wildlife.

Thompson has voted against banning ivory imports[22] and has voted several times in favor of polar bear trophy importation.[23][24]

While a California state senator, Thompson helped defeat legislation to halt the use of dogs in hunting of black bears[25] and co-authored and voted for a bill (SB 28) to resume trophy hunting of cougars.[26] SB 28 would have undone provisions of California Proposition 117 (the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990) which had been approved by the voters in the statewide election held on June 5, 1990, that provided some protection for cougars.[26] Thompson was the House sponsor of the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush. Thompson was recognized as Federal Legislator of the Year by the hunting lobbyist group Safari Club International; he received the Hunting Heritage Award from the same group.[27] He is an active member and former co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus,[28][29] and is a lifelong hunter and fisherman.

The League of Conservation Voters publishes the National Environmental Scorecard for each session of Congress which rates how members voted on key energy and environmental issues. Thompson was rated 92% (with 100% being the highest possible rating) for the 2nd session of the 110th Congress. His LCV Scorecard ratings have been at 90% or above for every session of Congress since 2001.

Thompson voted for President Bush's Healthy Forests Initiative,[30] which some environmentalists saw as a preference to the timber industry.[31] He has disappointed some environmentalists with votes against limits to new commercial logging roads in Alaska's Tongass National Forest[32] and against limits to hunting bears over bait.[33][34] He was also one of only 30 Democrats to vote against an amendment to maintain roadless areas protected under the Roadless Rule.[35] Thompson received an A+ rating for his 100% voting record from the American Wilderness Coalition in 2004.[36]

The Sierra Club endorsed Thompson for re-election in 2010.[37]

Thompson has voted several times to weaken the Clean Water Act.[38][39]

In March 2012, Thompson, along with Assemblyman Jared Huffman, voiced his opposition to a piece of water legislation that the House would be voting on, which he argued would "kill local jobs, ignore 20 years of established science and overturn a century of California water law."[40]

In late 2002, Thompson joined Democratic Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington and David Bonior of Michigan on a fact-finding trip to Iraq. During the trip, the lawmakers spoke to officials in Baghdad and residents in Basra. They expressed skepticism about the Bush administration's claims that Saddam was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.[41]

On March 26, 2008, Muthanna Al-Hanooti, an official of a Michigan charity, was accused of underwriting three members of Congress to travel to Iraq, on behalf of Iraqi intelligence officials. McDermott's office was already organizing the trip when the charity offered to pay the trip expenses. McDermott's spokesman claimed the charity was fully vetted by the U.S. government. He also stated that the congressmen obtained a license from the State Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control for the group to travel to Iraq.[42]

Thompson has supported military intervention in certain foreign countries.[43]

Thompson has been a supporter of a public option for healthcare. In 2009, Thompson wrote that "[b]y streamlining health care, reducing fraud and abuse, ending unnecessary testing, discouraging over-utilization, investing in smart reforms, and emphasizing preventive health care, we can significantly bring down the cost of health care."[44] Additionally, in 2010, Thompson voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[45]

Thompson voted for the Patriot Act,[46] the USA Freedom Act of 2015,[47] and the FISA Re-authorization Act of 2017.[48]

Mike Thompson in 2010

• Committee on Ways and Means
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Tax Policy

• Blue Dog Coalition[49]
• Co-chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus
• Congressional Arts Caucus[50]
• Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus[51]
• Climate Solutions Caucus[52]
• U.S.-Japan Caucus[53]