Max Baucus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Max Baucus
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Official portrait, 2014
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| 11th United States Ambassador to China | |
| In office March 20, 2014 – January 16, 2017 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Gary Locke |
| Succeeded by | Terry Branstad |
| United States Senator from Montana |
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| In office December 15, 1978 – February 6, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Hatfield |
| Succeeded by | John Walsh |
| Chair of the Senate Finance Committee | |
| In office January 4, 2007 – February 6, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Chuck Grassley |
| Succeeded by | Ron Wyden |
| In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Chuck Grassley |
| Succeeded by | Chuck Grassley |
| In office January 3, 2001 – January 20, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | William Roth |
| Succeeded by | Chuck Grassley |
| Chair of the Senate Environment Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Daniel Patrick Moynihan |
| Succeeded by | John Chafee |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – December 14, 1978 |
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| Preceded by | Richard Shoup |
| Succeeded by | Pat Williams |
| Member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 18th district |
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| In office January 1973 – January 1975 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Maxwell Sieben Enke
December 11, 1941 Helena, Montana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Ann Geracimos
(m. 1975; div. 1982)Wanda Minge
(m. 1984; div. 2009)Melodee Hanes
(m. 2011) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Stanford University (BA, JD) |
Maxwell Sieben Baucus (born December 11, 1941) is an American politician. He served as a United States Senator for Montana from 1978 to 2014. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Baucus was a U.S. Senator for over 35 years. This makes him the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Montana history.
After his time in the Senate, President Barack Obama chose Baucus to be the 11th U.S. Ambassador to China. He held this important job from 2014 until 2017. As the leader of the Senate Committee on Finance, Baucus was very important in discussions about health care reform in the U.S. Before becoming a Senator, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives and the Montana House of Representatives.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Maxwell Sieben Enke was born on December 11, 1941, in Helena, Montana. His mother was Jean Sheriff and his father was Stephen Enke. When he was two, his mother moved back to Helena. She later married John J. Baucus, and Max took his new stepfather's last name.
Max Baucus went to Helena High School and graduated in 1959. He then attended Carleton College for a year. After that, he went to Stanford University. He earned a degree in economics in 1964. He then studied law at Stanford Law School and became a lawyer in 1967.
Early Career in Law and Politics
After finishing law school, Baucus worked as a lawyer in Washington, D.C., for three years. In 1971, he moved back to Montana. He worked as the executive director for Montana's Constitutional Convention. He also opened his own law office.
In 1972, Baucus was elected to the Montana House of Representatives. He served as a state representative for Missoula. In 1974, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He was re-elected to the House in 1976.
Serving as a U.S. Senator
Max Baucus was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 7, 1978. He was then appointed to the Senate early, on December 15, 1978. He served as a Senator for over 35 years. On April 23, 2013, he announced that he would not run for re-election.
Important Senate Committees
As a Senator, Baucus worked on several important committees. These groups of Senators study specific topics and create laws.
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry: This committee deals with farming, food, and forests.
- Committee on Finance (Chairman): Baucus led this committee. It handles taxes, trade, and health care.
- Committee on Environment and Public Works: This committee works on issues like clean air, water, and transportation.
- Joint Committee on Taxation (Chairman): This committee advises Congress on tax laws.
Political Views and Actions
Max Baucus was a member of the Democratic Party. However, he sometimes voted differently from many other Democrats. This happened on topics like taxes, the environment, and gun laws.
Views on Civil Rights
Baucus had a mixed record on civil rights issues.
- Voting Rights: He voted against giving full voting representation to Washington, D.C.
- LGBT Rights: In 1996, he voted for a law that defined marriage as between a man and a woman. However, in 2004, he voted against changing the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. In 2012, he said he supported same-sex marriage. He also supported laws to prevent job discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Economic Policies
Baucus often supported policies that helped businesses.
- Business and Bankruptcy: He voted to make it harder for people to file for bankruptcy. He also often visited workplaces in Montana to learn about their needs.
- Trade: He supported international trade agreements. He believed these deals could help the U.S. economy.
- Tax Laws: In 2009, he helped create a law to make sure Americans pay taxes on money they earn in other countries.
Environmental Protection
Baucus had a mixed record on environmental issues.
- He voted against government money for oil and gas. He also voted against drilling for oil in a wildlife refuge.
- He supported national rules to use less oil and encourage cars that run on hydrogen.
- However, he voted against stricter fuel efficiency standards for cars. He also voted against increasing federal money for solar and wind power.
- He was a leader in a large conservation project in Montana called the Montana Legacy Project.
Foreign Relations
Baucus was involved in many foreign policy discussions.
- Cuba: He was against the U.S. trade ban and travel limits on Cuba.
- Iraq War: He voted to allow military force in Iraq in 2002. Later, in 2007, he spoke against increasing troops in Iraq. He called for U.S. troops to leave Iraq gradually.
- Vietnam: He argued against a trade dispute with Vietnam over fish imports. He believed it was important for the U.S. to follow fair trade rules.
- Japan: He visited Japan to promote U.S. exports. He believed that selling American goods overseas helps create jobs in the U.S.
Health Care Reform
As the head of the Senate Finance Committee, Baucus played a big role in the debate over health care reform.
- Affordable Care Act: In 2013, Baucus worried about how the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) would be put into action. He said it could be a "train-wreck" for small businesses. He wanted the law to succeed but was concerned about its rollout.
- Single-Payer Health Care: Baucus initially said that a "single-payer" health care system (where the government pays for most health care) was not an option. He had protesters removed from meetings who supported this idea. Later, he admitted it was a mistake to rule out this option. Years after leaving the Senate, he said it would make sense to consider a single-payer system.
Concerns about Influence
Some people criticized Baucus because he received a lot of money for his campaigns from health insurance and drug companies. Critics worried this might influence his decisions on health care laws. Many of his former staff members also became lobbyists for these industries. In response, Baucus said he would stop taking money from health care political groups for a time.
Political Campaigns and Elections
Max Baucus ran for re-election many times during his career.
2002 Election
In 2002, Baucus ran for re-election to the Senate. His opponent was Mike Taylor. Baucus won the election with 63% of the votes.
2008 Election
Baucus ran for re-election again in 2008. He raised a lot of money for his campaign. Most of this money came from people living outside of Montana. He won this election by a large amount, getting 73% of the votes. He won in every county in Montana.
U.S. Ambassador to China
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On December 20, 2013, President Barack Obama announced he wanted to make Baucus the Ambassador to China. The Senate approved his nomination on February 6, 2014. He was sworn in on February 21, 2014. It was unusual for an Ambassador to China not to speak Mandarin Chinese.
Baucus finished his time as Ambassador in January 2017. This was when President Donald Trump nominated a new Ambassador.
Later Career
After leaving his role as Ambassador, Max Baucus served on the Board of Advisors for Alibaba Group, a large online company, until May 2019.
Personal Life
Max Baucus has one son from his first marriage. He has been married three times. In 2011, he married Melodee Hanes.
Baucus enjoys outdoor activities. He has completed a 50-mile ultramarathon, which is a very long running race. He has also helped other runners in 100-mile races.
Images for kids
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Max Baucus during his time in the House of Representatives
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Max Baucus during his time in the U.S. Senate
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Senator Chuck Grassley (left) and Representative E. Clay Shaw (right) with Baucus at the White House
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Max Baucus (foreground) meets with Secretary of Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner (left)
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Max Baucus greeting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Beijing in June 2016
See also
In Spanish: Max Baucus para niños
