Ron Kirk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron Kirk
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Official portrait, 2009
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| 16th United States Trade Representative | |
| In office March 18, 2009 – March 15, 2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | Demetrios Marantis |
| Preceded by | Susan Schwab |
| Succeeded by | Michael Froman |
| 56th Mayor of Dallas | |
| In office June 5, 1995 – February 20, 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Steve Bartlett |
| Succeeded by | Laura Miller |
| 97th Secretary of State of Texas | |
| In office April 4, 1994 – January 17, 1995 |
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| Governor | Ann Richards |
| Preceded by | John Hannah |
| Succeeded by | Tony Garza |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ronald Kirk
June 27, 1954 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Matrice Ellis |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Education | Austin College (BA) University of Texas at Austin (JD) |
Ronald Kirk (born June 27, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician. He held important roles in the United States government. From 2009 to 2013, he was the United States Trade Representative. He also served as the 97th Secretary of State of Texas. Before that, he was the 56th mayor of Dallas from 1995 to 2002. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Born in Austin, Texas, Ron Kirk went to Austin College and the University of Texas School of Law. He made history as the first African-American to be both the Secretary of State of Texas and the Mayor of Dallas. Later, President Barack Obama chose him to be the U.S. Trade Representative.
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Ron Kirk's Early Life and Education
Ron Kirk was born in Austin, Texas, on June 27, 1954. He was the youngest of four children. His father worked for the U.S. postal service. Ron grew up in a mostly African-American neighborhood. He went to public schools in Austin. In high school, he was a leader and was elected student council president. This was at John H. Reagan High School.
After high school, Ron Kirk went to Austin College. He studied political science and sociology. He graduated in 1976. Then, he attended the University of Texas School of Law. He earned his law degree in 1979. He worked as a lawyer for a few years. In 1981, he worked for Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen. Later, he returned to Texas to work as a lawyer for the city of Dallas. Ron Kirk is the nephew of civil rights leader William Astor Kirk.
Ron Kirk's Political Career in Texas
In 1994, Ron Kirk worked for then-Texas Governor Ann Richards. He served as the Secretary of State of Texas. This job involves managing state records and elections. The next year, Kirk decided to run for mayor of Dallas. He had strong support from local businesses. Many important members of the city's African American community also supported him.
He won the election in 1995 with 62 percent of the votes. This made him the first African American mayor of Dallas, Texas. As mayor, Kirk was known for bringing people together. He helped the Dallas City Council and School Board work as a team. He also created the "Dallas Plan." This was a big idea for the city's future over 25 years. It included the Trinity River Project. This project aimed to build parks and toll roads near the Trinity River. He also helped build the American Airlines Center. This sports arena opened in 2002.
In 1999, Kirk was re-elected as mayor. He won by a large amount, getting 74 percent of the votes. In 2002, Kirk left his job as mayor. He decided to run for a U.S. Senate seat. He ran against Republican John Cornyn. Kirk lost the election, getting 43 percent of the votes.
After Being Mayor of Dallas
After his Senate campaign, Ron Kirk went back to working as a lawyer. He worked for a law firm in Dallas. He was also briefly considered to lead the Democratic National Committee. This is a major group for the Democratic Party. Later, he became a partner at a law firm in Houston. He also worked as a lobbyist. A lobbyist tries to influence government decisions for a company or group. He worked for companies like Energy Future Holdings.
Ron Kirk as U.S. Trade Representative
Many people thought Ron Kirk might become the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. But President Barack Obama chose him for a different role. He was nominated to be the United States Trade Representative. This job involves handling trade deals with other countries.
Becoming the Trade Representative
Ron Kirk supported the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This trade agreement was sometimes criticized. His choice for the job caused some discussion. It was also found that he owed some money in back taxes. He had received payments for speeches. These payments went to a scholarship fund at Austin College. He should have reported these payments as income. He also claimed deductions for tickets to Dallas Mavericks basketball games. The rules for these deductions are very strict.
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Ron Kirk. This means they approved him for the job. The vote was 92 in favor and five against. He was sworn in on March 18, 2009. Vice President Joe Biden formally swore him in on March 20, 2009. Ron Kirk was the first African American to hold the position of United States Trade Representative.
Work as U.S. Trade Representative
As the U.S. Trade Representative, Ron Kirk was called "Ambassador." He was also part of the President's Cabinet. His work often focused on intellectual property rights. This means protecting ideas, inventions, and creative works. He worked on how these rights relate to trade with other countries. This included treaties like the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Working with China
Kirk often talked about concerns from American businesses. They felt that China was not protecting the intellectual property rights of U.S. companies. Some believed the Chinese government was taking secrets from international companies. These secrets were then given to local companies. This helped local companies compete better. Kirk also criticized China's internet censorship. He considered challenging these rules at the WTO. This would have been a first-of-its-kind case.
ACTA in South Korea
Ron Kirk helped convince South Korea to adopt an early version of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). This agreement was negotiated in secret. Its effects in South Korea were big. Many websites were taken down because of copyright issues.
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was a major trade treaty. In 2012, some legal experts criticized how the USTR handled the TPP talks. They said the process was "biased and closed." They asked Kirk to make the talks more open. They wanted the public to see the negotiating texts. These experts said the proposed rules could change U.S. laws. They also felt the proposal focused too much on company rights. It did not do enough to help the public. They said groups like consumers and libraries were not included in the talks.
Kirk said he was "strongly offended" by claims that the process was not open. He said it was more open than past trade talks. However, the academic group argued that trade talks are usually secret. They said this was not a good standard for the TPP. They felt the TPP was not just about trade. It was about setting new international rules that affect local laws. They said this secret process was not democratic.
Kirk later defended the secrecy. He said some privacy was needed to keep negotiating strength. It also encouraged partners to share issues. He announced he would leave his role as U.S. Trade Representative on January 22, 2013.
See also
- History of African Americans in Dallas-Fort Worth
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
