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Cliff Bentz

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Cliff Bentz
Official portrait, 2020
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oregon's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
Preceded byGreg Walden
Member of the Oregon Senate
from the 30th district
In office
January 4, 2018 – January 2, 2020
Preceded byTed Ferrioli
Succeeded byLynn Findley
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
from the 60th district
In office
January 22, 2008 – January 4, 2018
Preceded byTom Butler
Succeeded byLynn Findley
Personal details
Born
Cliff Stewart Bentz

(1952-01-12) January 12, 1952 (age 72)
Salem, Oregon, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Lindsay Norman
​
(m. 1987)​
Children2
EducationEastern Oregon University (BA)
Lewis and Clark College (JD)
WebsiteHouse website

Cliff Stewart Bentz (born January 12, 1952) is an American lawyer, rancher, and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Oregon's 2nd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he is the ranking member on the House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife and sits on the House Judiciary Committee.[1] He previously served in the Oregon Senate, representing the 30th district in Eastern Oregon. He also served in the Oregon House of Representatives, representing the 60th district, which encompasses Malheur, Baker, Harney, and Grant counties, and part of Lake County, and includes the cities of Baker City, Burns, and Ontario.[2]

In May 2020, Bentz won the Republican primary for Oregon's 2nd congressional district and faced Democrat Alex Spenser and independent Patrick Archer in November. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 3, 2020.

In February 2021 he was made ranking member of the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife.

Early life and education

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Bentz was born in Salem, Oregon, and raised on ranches in the eastern Oregon communities of Fields and Drewsey. He graduated from Regis High School in the Willamette Valley city of Stayton in 1970.[2][3] He received a bachelor's degree from Eastern Oregon State College (now Eastern Oregon University) in 1974 and a J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School in 1977.[2][3]

Career

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From 1977 to 1980, Bentz was a law associate with the Ontario, Oregon, law firm Yturri Rose, and was made a partner in the firm in 1980, a position he still holds. He specializes in agricultural, water, and real property law. He also owns a 100-acre alfalfa farm.[2][3]

Early political career

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Bentz began his career as a member of the Oregon Water Resources Commission from 1988 to 1996.[4] He served as chair of the commission from 1994 to 1996.[4]

Oregon legislature

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In 2008, Bentz was appointed by county commissioners in House District 60 to replace Tom Butler in the Oregon House of Representatives after Butler resigned to pursue a church mission.[5] He defeated Tim K. Smith in the Republican primary in May 2008, and was unopposed in the general election.[6][7] In 2010, Bentz won another term unopposed in both the primary and the general election.[8]

On January 8, 2018, Bentz was sworn in as state senator to replace Ted Ferrioli, who resigned to take a political appointment.[9] Bentz resigned his seat in the Oregon House and was appointed to the senate seat by the county commissioners in the senate district.[9]

Since 2018, Bentz's largest campaign contributors have been Ironside Associates, a London-based security firm; his brother James Bentz; and his farm, Actin Ranch.[10]

Beginning June 20, 2019, all 11 Republican state senators for Oregon, including Bentz, refused to show up for work at the Oregon State Capitol, instead going into hiding, some even fleeing the state. Their aim was to prevent a vote on HB2020, a cap-and-trade proposal that could lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to combat climate change, in part by increasing fuel taxes. The Senate has 30 seats. Without the Republican senators, the remaining 18 Democratic senators could not reach a quorum of 20 to hold a vote.[11][12] Republican state senators, including Bentz, continued their boycotts in 2020 to prevent the passage of climate change mitigation response, and 2021, after he left for Congress.[13]

Committee assignments

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Bentz served as vice-chair of the following committees: Transportation and Economic Development, Revenue, Joint Tax Credits, Revenue, Tax Expenditures, Carbon Reduction, and Finance and Revenue. He co-chaired the Transportation Committee and was a member of others.

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2020

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See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon § District 2

Bentz resigned from the Oregon State Senate effective January 2, 2020, to run in the 2020 election for Oregon's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.[14] He won the Republican primary and defeated Democrat Alex Spenser and Independent Patrick Archer in the general election.[15]

Tenure

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Bentz sworn into office

In the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol, Bentz was reported to have been sheltering in place during the event. In a phone interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting, he declined to call Joe Biden the president-elect, but said any outcome where Biden does not take office was "highly unlikely".[16][17] The next day, Bentz joined 139 U.S. representatives who objected to Pennsylvania's electoral votes.[18] On January 8, Bentz acknowledged that Biden would become president.[19]

On May 19, 2021, Bentz was one of 35 Republicans who joined all 217 Democrats present in voting to approve legislation to establish the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex meant to investigate the storming of the U.S. Capitol.[20][21][22]

Committee assignments

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Caucus memberships

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Political positions

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Bentz touring the Eugene Amtrak Depot
Bentz and Mike Card, Chairman of the American Trucking Associations, talk about the Oregon Route 62 Expressway Project

Veterans Affairs

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On March 3, 2022, Bentz and many other Republicans voted against the Honoring our PACT Act of 2021. Bentz was the only member of Oregon's House delegation to do so.[26]

On January 12, 2022, Bentz voted against the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act, which would expand eligibility for educational assistance under the G.I. Bill.[27]

Abortion

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Bentz describes himself as pro-life, saying, "I believe that life begins at conception and that life should be protected until death by natural causes occurs." He supports abortion only when the mother's life is at risk.[28][non-primary source needed]

In 2019, Oregon Right to Life gave Bentz the Atterberry Award, which recognizes Oregon legislators who "are tenacious in their public defense of Oregon’s vulnerable."[29]

Health care

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Bentz has said: "I strongly oppose government run healthcare... I believe Obamacare should be replaced with solutions that focus on free market principles to help drive down the skyrocketing cost of healthcare."[30]

On March 31, 2022, Bentz voted against the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would cap the cost-sharing of insulin to $35 or 25% of the negotiated price (whichever is lower) for private insurance and $35 for Medicare.[31]

2020 presidential election

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Bentz joined the Republican members of Congress who sided with the Trump campaign's attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election. He voted not to certify Pennsylvania's electoral votes.[32]

LGBTQ+ rights

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On July 19, 2022, Bentz joined 46 other House Republicans in voting for the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and require each state, as well as the federal government, to recognize any marriage performed in another state.[33] However, Bentz voted against final passage on December 8, 2022.[34]

Israel

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Bentz voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[35][36]

Electoral history

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2008 Oregon State Representative, 60th district [37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 17,443 98.0
Write-in 365 2.0
Total votes 17,808 100%
2010 Oregon State Representative, 60th district [38]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 15,341 98.5
Write-in 233 1.5
Total votes 15,574 100%
2012 Oregon State Representative, 60th district [39]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 20,310 98.7
Write-in 265 1.3
Total votes 20,575 100%
2014 Oregon State Representative, 60th district [40]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 16,909 82.0
Democratic Peter W Hall 3,662 17.8
Write-in 53 0.3
Total votes 20,624 100%
2016 Oregon State Representative, 60th district [41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 22,339 98.4
Write-in 352 1.6
Total votes 22,691 100%
2018 Oregon State Senator, 30th district (2 year term) [42]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 39,536 71.7
Democratic Solea Kabakov 15,525 28.2
Write-in 87 0.2
Total votes 55,148 100%
2020 US House of Representatives, Oregon's 2nd congressional district Republican primary[43]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 37,045 31.4
Republican Knute Buehler 25,976 22.0
Republican Jason Atkinson 22,966 19.5
Republican Jimmy Crumpacker 21,117 17.9
Republican Travis A. Fager 4,201 3.6
Republican Jeff Smith 2,494 2.1
Republican Mark R. Roberts 1,307 1.1
Republican Justin Livingston 1,306 1.1
Republican David R. Campbell 410 0.3
Republican Glenn Carey 280 0.2
Republican Kenneth W. Medenbach 262 0.2
Republican Write-in 447 0.4
Total votes 117,811 100.0
2020 US House of Representatives, Oregon's 2nd congressional district[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 273,835 59.9
Democratic Alex Spenser 168,881 36.9
Libertarian Robert Werch 14,094 3.1
Total votes 457,433 100.0
2022 US House of Representatives, Oregon's 2nd congressional district Republican primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz (incumbent) 67,051 75.3
Republican Mark Cavener 17,372 19.5
Republican Katherine Gallant 4,598 5.2
Total votes 89,021 100.0
2022 US House of Representatives, Oregon's 2nd congressional district[45]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz (incumbent) 208,369 67.5
Democratic Joseph Yetter III 99,882 32.4
Write-in 425 0.1
Total votes 308,676 100.0
2024 US House of Representatives, Oregon's 2nd congressional district[46]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cliff Bentz 224,601 63.9
Democratic Dan Ruby 115,337 32.8
Constitution Michael Kurt Stettler 11,255 3.2
Write-in 296 0.1
Total votes 351,489 100%

Personal life

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Bentz and his wife, Lindsay, a veterinarian, live in Ontario and have two children.[2] Bentz has six siblings. He was born to Kenneth and Anne Bentz and raised on family ranches in Harney County. Bentz's grandfather Paul Stewart moved to Harney County in 1916 and purchased a small ranch, slowly trading ranches until he got the current family ranch. Bentz is a devout Roman Catholic and attends Blessed Sacrament Church in Ontario.[47] He chaired the St Peter Catholic grade school board for five years.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "Committees and Caucuses". Representative Cliff Bentz. January 3, 2021. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Representative Cliff Bentz". Oregon State Legislature. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c "Cliff Bentz". Project VoteSmart. Archived from the original on June 26, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Bioguide Search". bioguide.congress.gov. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  5. ^ "Attorney Cliff Bentz to finish Butler's term". The Oregonian. January 22, 2008. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  6. ^ "May 20, 2008, Primary Election Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  7. ^ "November 4, 2008, General Election Abstracts of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  8. ^ "November 2, 2010, General Election Abstracts of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  9. ^ a b Friedman, Gordon R. (January 8, 2018). "Cliff Bentz sworn in to Oregon Senate". OregonLive.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  10. ^ "Orestar Elections Data". April 11, 2018. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  11. ^ "Oregon Republicans walk out on state Senate over climate change bill as governor threatens police roundup". CBS News. June 23, 2019. Archived from the original on June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  12. ^ Osborne, Mark; Youn, Soo (June 23, 2019). "Oregon's Republican state senators go into hiding over climate change vote amid militia threat". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 23, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  13. ^ Oregon Senate Republicans walk out for 3rd straight year, citing governor’s COVID-19 restrictions Archived February 25, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Oregon Live, February 25, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  14. ^ "Cliff Bentz resigns, will run for Dist. 2". Hood River News. November 27, 2019. Archived from the original on November 28, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  15. ^ "Race For Congress: Cliff Bentz Takes Primary Win In Historic GOP Power Shift". opb. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  16. ^ "Oregon's only GOP congressman challenges Electoral College count". opb. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  17. ^ Bureau, Gary A. Warner Oregon Capital (January 4, 2021). "Bentz, newly sworn in as congressman, backs bid to upend presidential vote count". Baker City Herald. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2023. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  18. ^ Yourish, Karen; Buchanan, Larry; Lu, Denise (January 7, 2021). "The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  19. ^ "Oregon's only GOP congressman challenges Electoral College count". opb. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  20. ^ LeBlanc, Paul (May 19, 2021). "Here are the 35 House Republicans who voted for the January 6 commission". CNN. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  21. ^ Roll Call 154 Bill Number: H. R. 3233 117th Congress, 1st Session Archived May 19, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, United States House of Representatives, May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  22. ^ How Republicans voted on a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot Archived May 20, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Washington Post, May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  23. ^ "Committees and Caucuses | Representative Cliff Bentz". bentz.house.gov. January 3, 2021. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  24. ^ "MEMBERS". RMSP. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  25. ^ "Homepage of Republican Governance Group". Republican Governance Group. December 14, 2019. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  26. ^ "Roll Call 57 Roll Call 57, Bill Number: H. R. 3967, 117th Congress, 2nd Session". March 3, 2022. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  27. ^ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (January 12, 2022). "Roll Call 6 Roll Call 6, Bill Number: H. R. 1836, 117th Congress, 2nd Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ "Issues". Cliff Bentz for Congress. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  29. ^ "Atteberry Award Recognizes Pro-Life Legislators". Oregon Right to Life. November 2, 2019. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  30. ^ "Healthcare". Cliff Bentz for Congress. March 25, 2020. Archived from the original on September 19, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  31. ^ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (March 31, 2022). "Roll Call 102 Roll Call 102, Bill Number: H. R. 6833, 117th Congress, 2nd Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ Stevens, Harry (January 7, 2021). "How members of Congress voted on counting the electoral college vote". Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  33. ^ Shutt, Jennifer (July 19, 2022). "U.S. House on bipartisan vote passes bill protecting right to same-sex marriage". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  34. ^ "Roll Call 513". Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. December 8, 2022. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  35. ^ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  36. ^ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (October 25, 2023). "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  37. ^ "Official Results | November 4, 2008". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  38. ^ "Official Results November 2, 2010". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  39. ^ "Official Results | November 6, 2012". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  40. ^ "November 4, 2014, General Election, Official Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  41. ^ "November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  42. ^ "November 6, 2018, General Election Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  43. ^ "UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION MAY 19, 2020". Oregon Secretary of State. May 21, 2020. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  44. ^ "UNOFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2020". Oregon Secretary of State. November 3, 2020. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  45. ^ "Official Results of November General" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  46. ^ "November 5, 2024, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  47. ^ Ryvall (March 25, 2020). "Life". Cliff Bentz for Congress. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oregon's 2nd congressional district
2021–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
288th 		Succeeded by
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