Dan Burton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dan Burton
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana |
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| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | David W. Evans |
| Succeeded by | Susan Brooks |
| Constituency | 6th district (1983–2003) 5th district (2003–2013) |
| Chair of the House Oversight Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | William F. Clinger Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Thomas M. Davis |
| Member of the Indiana Senate from the 31st district |
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| In office December 4, 1980 – November 3, 1982 |
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| Preceded by | John Mutz |
| Succeeded by | William Vobach |
| Member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 44th district |
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| In office November 3, 1976 – December 5, 1980 |
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| Preceded by | Stanley Clark Boyer |
| Succeeded by | Lawrence Buell |
| Member of the Indiana Senate from the 19th district |
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| In office November 6, 1968 – November 4, 1970 |
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| Preceded by | Willie Warren Hill Jr |
| Succeeded by | Willie Warren Hill Jr |
| Member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 26th district |
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| In office November 9, 1966 – November 6, 1968 |
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| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | Multi-member district |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Danny Lee Burton
June 21, 1938 Indianapolis, Indiana, US |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Barbara Logan
(died 2002)Samia Tawil
(m. 2006) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Indiana University, Indianapolis Cincinnati Christian University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1956–1962 |
Danny Lee Burton (born June 21, 1938) is an American politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for Indiana from 1983 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dan Burton was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His family moved often when he was young. He had a younger brother and sister.
As a teenager, Burton worked as a caddy at a golf course. He became very good at golf and won a state championship in high school. He graduated from Shortridge High School in 1957.
After high school, he attended Indiana University and Cincinnati Christian University. He also served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1957. He then joined the Army Reserves until 1962. Later, he became a real estate broker and started his own insurance company in 1968.
Serving in Indiana's Government
Before joining the U.S. Congress, Dan Burton served in Indiana's state government. He was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1967 to 1968. He served there again from 1977 to 1980. He was also a member of the Indiana State Senate from 1969 to 1970. He returned to the State Senate from 1981 to 1982.
U.S. House of Representatives
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Dan Burton first ran for Congress in 1970. He ran again in 1972 but did not win the primary election.
Becoming a Representative
In 1980, the boundaries of congressional districts changed. This made the 6th District in Indiana a strong area for Republicans. Dan Burton won the Republican primary election. He then won the general election with 65% of the votes.
He was re-elected 14 times after that. He always won with at least 62% of the votes. His district was later renumbered as the 5th District after the 2000 census.
Later Elections and Retirement
In 2008, Burton faced a strong challenger in the Republican primary. He won with 52% of the votes. In 2010, he won the primary election again, this time with 30% of the votes against six other candidates.
In 2012, Dan Burton decided not to run for re-election. He announced his retirement on January 31, 2012. He mentioned personal family health reasons for his decision.
Key Work in Congress
Helms–Burton Bill
In 1995, Dan Burton wrote a law about foreign companies. This law aimed to allow lawsuits against foreign companies. These lawsuits would happen if the companies did business with Cuba and used property once owned by Americans. In 1996, after an incident involving Cuba, President Clinton signed this law. It is known as the Helms–Burton Act.
Conservative Views
Burton was known for his conservative voting record in Congress. He often voted in ways that supported conservative ideas. For example, he received a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee in 2006. He also had a high rating from the Gun Owners of America.
He received many awards from conservative groups. These included awards from the American Farm Bureau Federation and the Family Research Council. He also received awards for supporting small businesses from the National Federation of Independent Business.
Government Performance and Results Act
Burton worked on a bill in 1998. This bill wanted federal government agencies to plan better. It also aimed to make them more responsible for their results. This bill was not passed into law.
Exposing FBI Corruption
As chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, Burton helped uncover problems within the FBI. His work helped show that some people were wrongly convicted of a murder. His three-year investigation helped clear their names. The four men were later awarded a large sum of money.
Republican Study Committee
Burton was once the chairman of the Republican Study Committee. This group is made up of conservative Republicans in the House. After its funding was stopped in 1995, Burton helped restart the group. It was first called the Conservative Action Team. In 2001, it went back to its original name, the RSC.
Views on Pakistan and India
Congressman Burton was a co-founder of the Pakistan Caucus in Congress. He often supported Pakistan. This led some in the Indian media to call him "anti-India." He received campaign donations from a group that supported Pakistan.
Support for Bahrain's Monarchy
Burton also openly supported the monarchy in Bahrain. He visited Bahrain in 2012 with his wife. This trip was paid for by a group that supports the monarchy.
Committee Assignments
During his time in Congress, Dan Burton served on important committees:
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
- Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia (He was the Chairman of this subcommittee)
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
- Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives
- Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations
After Congress
After leaving Congress in 2013, Dan Burton became the Chairman of the Azerbaijan America Alliance. This group works to build ties between Azerbaijan and America.
In 2015, it was reported that Burton registered as a lobbyist for the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR). This organization is linked to the Church of Scientology. CCHR speaks out against certain types of mental health treatments.
Personal Life
Dan Burton's first wife, Barbara, passed away in 2002 from cancer. They had three children together: Kelly, Danielle, and Danny. In 2006, Burton married Dr. Samia Tawil.
Dan Burton's brother, Woody Burton, also served in the Indiana House of Representatives. Burton is a member of the board of advisors for the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. He is also a 33° Scottish Rite Freemason.
Images for kids
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Burton speaking at an energy independence event in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Dan Burton para niños
