Rick Berg

Richard Alan Berg (born August 16, 1959) is an American politician who served as the U.S. Representative for North Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2011 to 2013.[1] Berg served on the House Ways and Means Committee.[2] He is a member of the Republican Party. Before his election to Congress in 2010, he served in the state House of Representatives, with stints as Majority Leader and Speaker. On May 16, 2011, Berg announced his run for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Democratic incumbent Kent Conrad but lost narrowly to Heidi Heitkamp on November 6, 2012.

Rick Berg
Chair of the North Dakota Republican Party
Assumed office
March 20, 2018
Preceded byKelly Armstrong
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Dakota's at-large district
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byEarl Pomeroy
Succeeded byKevin Cramer
Majority Leader of the North Dakota House of Representatives
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2009
Preceded byWesley Belter
Succeeded byAl Carlson
Member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
from the 45th district
In office
January 3, 1985 – January 3, 2011
Preceded bySteve Swiontek
Succeeded byJoe Heilman
Personal details
Born
Richard Alan Berg

(1959-08-16) August 16, 1959
Maddock, North Dakota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Tracy Martin
EducationNorth Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State University (BA)

Early life, education, and business career

Berg was born in Maddock and raised on a farm in Hettinger. His father was a large animal veterinarian and his mother was a writer.[3] His grandfather immigrated to the United States from Norway.[4]

Berg graduated from Hettinger High School. He earned a wrestling scholarship to the North Dakota State College of Science.[5] He attended for a year before transferring to North Dakota State University, where he graduated with a B.A. in Agricultural Economics.

In 1982, after college he co-founded Midwest Management Company (which became Goldmark Property Management in 1994), a real-estate management firm in Fargo. In 1987 he moved on to an affiliate commercial real estate company spun off from Midwest. In 1996 along with other early partners in Midwest he founded Goldmark Commercial Corporation which has since been renamed to Goldmark Schlossman Commercial Real Estate.[6][7][8]

At the time of his election, Berg was the 13th wealthiest member of Congress.[9]

North Dakota House of Representatives

Elections

Berg first ran for the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1984 in the 10th House District, based in Fargo. He won and was re-elected every four years after, until his congressional run in 2010.

In 2002, after redistricting he decided to run in the newly redrawn 45th House District, and won a seat with 31%.[10] In 2006, he won re-election with 28%.[11]

Tenure

In 1991, he became the Chairman of the House Republican caucus. In 1993, he briefly served as Speaker of the House. In 2003, he became the House Majority Leader.

As Speaker, he proposed a controversial new education funding system aimed at making payments more equitable.[12]

Berg supported President George W. Bush's plan to partially privatize Social Security through private accounts in 2005.[13]

In 2009, he earned the Petroleum Council's Legislator of the Year and the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce's Greater North Dakotan award.[14]

Committee assignments
61st Assembly (2009)
  • Appropriations
  • Budget Section
  • Industry, Business, and Labor
  • Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review
  • Water-Related Topics[15]
60th Assembly (2007)
  • Budget Section
  • Committees (Chairman)
  • Delayed Bills (Chairman)[16]
  • Economic Development (Chairman)
  • Legislative Council
  • Legislative Management[17]
59th Assembly (2005)
  • Budget Section
  • Committees (Chairman)
  • Delayed Bills (Chairman)[16]
  • Economic Development (Chairman)
  • Legislative Management
  • Tribal and State Relations[18]
58th Assembly (2003)
  • Budget Section
  • Committees (Chairman)
  • Delayed Bills (Chairman)[19]
  • Economic Development (Chairman)
  • Legislative Management
  • Rules[20]
57th Assembly (2001)
  • Agriculture
  • Budget Committee on Health Care
  • Commerce
  • Industry, Business, and Labor (Chairman)
  • Regulatory Reform Review[21]
56th Assembly (1999)
  • Agriculture
  • Commerce and Labor
  • Industry, Business, and Labor (Chairman)
  • Legislative Management[22]
55th Assembly (1997)
  • Budget
  • Education Finance[23]
  • Industry, Business, and Labor (Chairman)[24]

U.S. House of Representatives

2010 election
See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota

On January 20, 2010, Berg officially announced he was seeking the GOP endorsement to run for the United States House of Representatives.[25][26] In March 2010, Berg won the GOP nomination at the Republican state convention to challenge incumbent Democratic Representative Earl Pomeroy for the state's at-large seat in the United States House of Representatives.[27] In the general election Berg defeated the incumbent with 55% of the vote to represent North Dakota's at-large congressional district.

The biggest donor to Berg's campaign was Goldmark Property Management, Inc.[28] As of 2011, Berg worked at Goldmark since 1981 and was promoted to Senior Vice President of Goldmark Schlossman Commercial Real Estate Services in 2005.[29]

Tenure

Berg voted for the Paul Ryan budget, which would restructure Medicare and Medicaid.[30]

Berg strongly supports a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution.[31]

He voted in favor of the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act and has received "A" and "A+" ratings from the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund for his stance on gun rights.[32][33]

Berg joined almost 60 other members of Congress in a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction that urged committee members not to cut the critical access hospital (CAH) program. The CAH program provides assistance to rural hospitals. 36 CAHs exist in North Dakota, including one in Hettinger, Berg's hometown.[34]

Berg has voted to curtail EPA regulations, stating: "In North Dakota, we know the damaging effects that overreaching government regulations can have on our small businesses and their ability to create jobs."[35] He has also proposed drilling for oil in federal lands, including North Dakota's own Theodore Roosevelt National Park, as a way to provide funding for Social Security.[36] In 2009, he was presented with the Greater North Dakotan Award by the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce for his support of business interests.[37]

Berg is pro-life and has voted to prohibit federal funds from being used for health care plans that cover abortions.[38] He is a member of the Congressional Prayer Caucus.[39]

Berg is against same-sex marriage.[40]

In 2007, Berg voted on ND House Bill 1489, which proposed making abortion a class AA felony, even in the case of rape and incest.[41]

Berg talking with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official Roland Hamborg during the 2011 Souris River flood

Committee assignments
Berg, at a parade in West Fargo.

Berg was a member of the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee.

Caucus Memberships[42]
  • Congressional Western Caucus
  • Unmanned Systems Caucus
  • General Aviation Caucus
  • Coal Caucus
  • Friends of Norway Caucus
  • Job Creators Caucus
  • E-911 Caucus
  • National Archives Caucus
  • Rural Health Care Coalition
  • Sportsman Caucus
  • Sugar Caucus
  • Congressional Prayer Caucus
  • House National Guard and Reserve Caucus

2012 U.S. Senate election
See also: 2012 United States Senate election in North Dakota

On May 16, 2011, Berg announced he would run for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Democratic incumbent Kent Conrad.[43]

Election night results indicated that Berg had lost to former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp by 2,936 votes. As the difference was less than 1% of the ballots cast, Berg declined to concede immediately. The next day, however, Berg acknowledged his Democratic opponent's victory.[44]

References
  1. Wetzel, Dale (November 2, 2010). "GOP's Berg beats Dem Pomeroy for ND US House seat". The Washington Post.
  2. "Statement on Latest Unemployment Report". November 4, 2011. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012.
  3. http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/person/rick-berg-nd/%5B%5D
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 9, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Biography". Archived from the original on November 30, 2011.
  6. Smith, Nick. "Berg sees Senate as key to country's turnaround". TheBismarck Tribune. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  7. Nowatzki, Mike. "Passion for business drives Berg". INFORUM. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  8. "Election 2012". AP Election Guide. NPR. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  9. [cite web|title= The 50 Richest Members of Congress 2011|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307215521/http://www.rollcall.com/50richest/the-50-richest-members-of-congress-112th.html]
  10. "ND State House 45 Race – Nov 05, 2002". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  11. "ND State House 45 Race – Nov 07, 2006". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  12. . March 10, 1993 http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=GF&s_site=grandforks&p_multi=GF&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB6E9BC656A5AC2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. "HCR 3056 Roll Call" (PDF).
  14. "Congressman Rick Berg : Biography". Berg.house.gov. May 17, 2012. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  15. "Representative Rick Berg: District 45 Fargo". Legis.nd.gov. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  17. "Representative Rick Berg: District 45 Fargo". Legis.nd.gov. Archived from the original on June 1, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  18. "Representative Rick Berg: District 45 Fargo". Legis.nd.gov. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  19. "North Dakota Legislative Branch". Legis.nd.gov. Archived from the original on June 6, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  20. "Representative Rick Berg: District 45 Fargo". Legis.nd.gov. Archived from the original on June 1, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  21. "Representative Rick Berg: District 45 Fargo". Legis.nd.gov. Archived from the original on June 1, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  22. "Representative Rick Berg: District 45 Fargo". Legis.nd.gov. Archived from the original on June 2, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  23. "North Dakota Legislative Council Interim Committees(1997-1998 Interim)". Legis.nd.gov. Archived from the original on May 29, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  24. Wilson, Reid. "Rick Berg (R-N.D.)". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  25. Berg Announces. Archived June 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine KXMBTV Bismarck. January 19, 2010.
  26. Berg to begin campaign for US House. Archived February 17, 2013, at Archive.today WDAY News. January 16, 2010.
  27. Cadei, Emily. North Dakota: Berg To Face Pomeroy in November. Archived March 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine CQ Politics. March 20, 2010.
  28. "Rick Berg Campaign Finances". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  29. "Agent Profile: Rick Berg, CCIM". Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  30. "House Vote 277 – Passes Ryan Budget Bill". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  31. Rick Berg (November 10, 2011). "The Time for a Balanced Budget Amendment is Now". Archived from the original on September 16, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  32. "HR 822 Voting Record". November 16, 2011.
  33. "Ratings and Endorsements".
  34. "Berg Fights to Protect Rural Hospitals". November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012.
  35. Rick Berg (November 13, 2011). "Berg Fights for Regulatory Relief from EPA Overreach". Archived from the original on November 2, 2011.
  36. Darren Goode (September 10, 2010). "GOP Candidate Suggests Drilling for Oil in Teddy Roosevelt National Park". Archived from the original on July 19, 2012.
  37. Rick Berg. "About Rick". Archived from the original on May 8, 2012.
  38. "HR 358 Voting Record". October 13, 2011.
  39. "Committees and Caucuses". Archived from the original on June 9, 2012.
  40. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 13, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  41. http://legis.nd.gov/assembly/60-2007/bill-text/HBBD0300.pdf
  42. "Congressman Rick Berg : Committees & Caucuses". Berg.house.gov. May 17, 2012. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  43. Toeplitz, Shira House Freshman Berg Will Run for Senate in North Dakota Roll Call, May 16, 2011.
  44. Democrat Heidi Heitkamp defeats Republican Rick Berg to win US Senate race in North Dakota Associated Press November 7, 2012
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Earl Pomeroy		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Dakota's at-large congressional district
2011–2013		 Succeeded by
Kevin Cramer
Party political offices
Preceded by
Dwight Grotberg		 Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from North Dakota
(Class 1)
2012		 Succeeded by
Kevin Cramer
Preceded by
Jim Poolman
Acting		 Chair of the North Dakota Republican Party
2018–present		 Incumbent
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