Sam Brownback Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Sam Brownback
Official portrait, 2018

5th United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
In office February 1, 2018 – January 20, 2021
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	David Saperstein
Succeeded by	Rashad Hussain
46th Governor of Kansas
In office January 10, 2011 – January 31, 2018
Lieutenant	Jeff Colyer
Preceded by	Mark Parkinson
Succeeded by	Jeff Colyer
United States Senator from Kansas
In office November 7, 1996 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Sheila Frahm
Succeeded by	Jerry Moran
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1995 – November 7, 1996
Preceded by	Jim Slattery
Succeeded by	Jim Ryun
Secretary of Agriculture of Kansas
In office September 18, 1986 – July 30, 1993
Governor	John W. Carlin Mike Hayden Joan Finney
Preceded by	Harland Priddle
Succeeded by	Philip Fishburn

Personal details
Born	Samuel Dale Brownback (1956-09-12) September 12, 1956 (age 68) Garnett, Kansas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Mary Stauffer (m. 1982)
Children	5
Education	Kansas State University (BA) University of Kansas (JD)
Signature

Samuel Dale Brownback (born September 12, 1956) is an American lawyer and politician. He has served in many important roles, including as a U.S. Senator and the 46th governor of Kansas. He was also the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom for President Donald Trump.

As a member of the Republican Party, Brownback was known for his conservative views. He even ran for the Republican nomination for president in 2008.

Early Life and Schooling
Starting His Career
Serving as a U.S. Senator
Running for President in 2008
Governor of Kansas
- The Kansas Experiment
- Education and Health Care
Ambassador for Religious Freedom
Political Positions
Personal Life
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Schooling

Sam Brownback was born in Garnett, Kansas, and grew up on a farm in Parker, Kansas. He was very involved in the FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) and became a national vice president for the group.

He went to Kansas State University and was elected student body president. He earned a degree in agricultural economics in 1978. Later, he went to the University of Kansas to get a law degree, which is called a J.D., in 1982.

Starting His Career

After law school, Brownback worked as a lawyer. In 1986, he was chosen to be the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture. He also worked for the U.S. government in a program called the White House Fellow program.

In 1994, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served one term before running for the U.S. Senate in a special election in 1996. He won and was reelected two more times.

Serving as a U.S. Senator

Senators Brownback and Feinstein with actress Angelina Jolie in 2003. They were calling for new laws to help young immigrants.

From 1996 to 2011, Brownback represented Kansas in the U.S. Senate. He was a member of several important committees, including the Judiciary Committee and the Appropriations Committee. These committees help make decisions about laws and how the government spends money.

In 2000, Brownback helped pass the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. .....

During his time in the Senate, Brownback was known for his conservative positions. In the mid-1990s, he hired Paul Ryan as a legislative director. Ryan later became the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Running for President in 2008

Senator Brownback opening his campaign office in Iowa for his presidential run.

In 2007, Brownback announced he was running for president. He was popular with religious and conservative voters. He described himself as an "economic, a fiscal, a social and a compassionate conservative."

He participated in debates and campaigned in early states like Iowa. However, he struggled to raise enough money to continue his campaign. He dropped out of the race in October 2007 and later supported John McCain, who became the Republican nominee.

Governor of Kansas

Brownback and a general from the 1st Infantry Division give a medallion to a child whose father died while serving in Iraq.

Brownback decided not to run for the Senate again in 2010. Instead, he ran for governor of Kansas and won. He served as governor from 2011 to 2018.

The Kansas Experiment

As governor, Brownback started what he called a "red-state experiment." In 2012, he signed a law that created one of the biggest income tax cuts in Kansas history. The goal was to boost the state's economy and create jobs.

The law lowered taxes for individuals and eliminated them for many business owners. Brownback hoped this would work like the policies of President Ronald Reagan.

However, the tax cuts caused the state to collect much less money than expected. This led to large budget shortfalls, meaning the state didn't have enough money to pay for everything. The government had to cut spending on important services like education and transportation.

In 2017, the Kansas Legislature voted to reverse the tax cuts to fix the budget problems. They even overrode Governor Brownback's veto to make it happen.

Education and Health Care

As governor, Brownback signed a bill that changed the rules for firing teachers. It also allowed schools to hire unlicensed teachers for some subjects. The state's budget cuts also meant less money for schools.

In 2013, Brownback turned down a $31.5 million grant from the federal government. The money was meant to help Kansas set up a health insurance marketplace under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Ambassador for Religious Freedom

Brownback speaks at the Holocaust Museum in 2018.

In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Brownback to be the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. This job involves promoting religious freedom around the world.

The Senate confirmed his nomination in January 2018. Brownback then resigned as governor of Kansas and was sworn in as ambassador on February 1, 2018.

As ambassador, Brownback spoke out against countries that limit religious freedom, especially China. He pointed out the poor treatment of Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and Christians in China. He served as ambassador until January 2021.

Political Positions

Sam Brownback speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2015.

Throughout his career, Sam Brownback has been known for his strong conservative beliefs.

Taxes: He believes that lower taxes help the economy grow. This was the idea behind his "Kansas experiment."
Evolution: Brownback has said that he believes in "intelligent design." He supported teaching different views on the origin of life in schools.
Immigration: In the Senate, he supported laws that would have given a path to citizenship for some immigrants. As governor, he took steps to limit the resettlement of refugees in Kansas.
Foreign Policy: He supported the U.S. military's presence in Iraq and has been a strong supporter of Israel.