Lloyd Alton Doggett II is an American attorney and politician serving as a U.S. representative from Texas. He is a member of the Democratic Party and has represented a district based in Austin since 1995, which is currently numbered as Texas's 37th congressional district.
October 6, 1946: Birth of Lloyd Doggett
Lloyd Alton Doggett II was born on October 6, 1946.
1973: Began Service in Texas Senate
Lloyd Doggett's service in the Texas Senate commenced in 1973.
1979: The "Killer Bees" Incident
As a member of the "Killer Bees," a group of Democratic state senators, Lloyd Doggett participated in a walkout in 1979. This protest aimed to oppose a plan to reschedule the state's presidential primary, intended to benefit John Connally.
1980: Impact of the "Killer Bees"
The actions of the "Killer Bees" in 1979 had repercussions in 1980, influencing the political landscape surrounding John Connally's campaign.
1984: Unsuccessful U.S. Senate Run
Lloyd Doggett lost his campaign against Phil Gramm for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1984.
1985: Doggett Represents San Antonio
After winning the general election, Doggett became the first Anglo Democrat to represent a significant portion of San Antonio since Chick Kazen's departure from office in 1985.
1985: Concluded Service in Texas Senate
In 1985, Lloyd Doggett's time serving in the Texas Senate came to an end.
1994: Election to the House of Representatives
Lloyd Doggett was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994, succeeding Jake Pickle, who had served for 32 years, in the 10th district.
1995: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives
In 1995, Lloyd Doggett began representing a district in Austin, Texas, in the U.S. House of Representatives.
1996: Vote for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
Doggett voted for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996.
1996: Re-election and Notable Victory
In 1996, Lloyd Doggett secured re-election to the House, defeating Teresa Doggett (no relation). This win marked his second consecutive victory against a black female Republican.
1996: Previous Close Election
The 2010 election was Doggett's closest since his 1996 re-election campaign.
2002: Support for Nancy Pelosi
Doggett backed Nancy Pelosi's successful bid for House Democratic leader in 2002 over the more moderate Martin Frost, another Texan.
2003: Redistricting and Political Maneuvering
The Texas Legislature's redistricting in 2003 resulted in Austin being divided into three districts. This gerrymandering placed Doggett's residence in a heavily Republican district. He relocated to the newly formed 25th district and won both the primary and general elections.
2003: Redistricting's Impact on Latino Voters
The 2003 redistricting had significant consequences for Latino voters. Notably, Laredo, a heavily Democratic and predominantly Latino city, was largely removed from the 23rd district.
2003: Vote Against Banning Late-Term Abortions
In 2003, Doggett voted against a bill that would have banned late-term abortions, known as "partial-birth abortions."
2003: Receives 0% Rating from Anti-Immigration Group
Doggett received a 0% rating from the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an anti-immigration organization, in 2003, highlighting his strong stance in favor of immigration.
2004: Vote Against Hospital Reporting of Undocumented Immigrants
In 2004, Doggett voted against a bill that would have required hospitals to report undocumented immigrants seeking treatment to the Department of Justice, demonstrating his support for immigrant healthcare access.
June 28, 2006: Supreme Court Ruling on Redistricting
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 28, 2006 that the 23rd district's boundaries, drawn in 2003, violated the voting rights of Latino citizens. The court deemed the 23rd and 25th districts unacceptable due to their configuration and impact on Latino representation.
2006: Regaining Base and Re-election
Following the court-ordered redistricting, Doggett regained much of his former base in Austin in the 2006 election. He won the election and subsequent ones in 2008 and 2010, with the latter being his most competitive race since 1996.
2006: Estimated High Net Worth
In 2006, The Sunlight Project estimated Doggett's average net worth to be over $13 million.
2007: Vote for Federal Funding of Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Doggett voted in favor of a bill to provide federal funding for embryonic stem cell research in 2007.
2007: Climate Change Legislation
In 2007, Doggett wrote climate change legislation aimed at reducing greenhouse gases, going beyond the proposals supported by his party's leadership.
2008: Re-election to the House
Lloyd Doggett won re-election to the House in 2008.
2008: Significant Oil Stock Investments
The Sunlight Foundation reported in 2008 that Doggett had the 11th-highest amount of investment in oil stocks among the 435 House members.
May 2009: Obama's Tax Plan Incorporates Doggett's Proposals
When Obama revealed his plan to reform the taxation of U.S.-based multinational companies in May 2009, it included elements of Doggett's proposals aimed at curbing tax avoidance.
June 2009: Vote for the American Clean Energy and Security Act
Doggett voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act in June 2009, a bill that proposed an emissions trading system for carbon dioxide producers in the United States. He expressed reservations but believed supporting it would allow him to contribute to its improvement later.
August 2009: "Rally" Against Obamacare and Doggett's Response
In August 2009, Doggett faced protests dubbed a "rally" against the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) after stating he would support it even if it went against his constituents' views. Doggett criticized the protesters, labeling them a "mob" and "extremists" belonging to the "party of no," and defended his stance on healthcare reform, emphasizing individual choice.
2009: Support for Climate-Change Bill with Reservations
Doggett supported the 2009 climate-change bill despite believing it did not adequately protect the environment. He criticized its perceived leniency towards coal plants and other polluters while advocating for stronger measures like auctioning carbon allowances.
2009: Authorship of the American Opportunity Tax Credit
As part of the Obama administration's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, Doggett authored the American Opportunity Tax Credit. This legislation offers a refundable tax credit to help cover tuition and related expenses, increasing access to higher education.
March 2010: Vote for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
In March 2010, Doggett voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, despite expressing reservations about its affordability, insurance competition, and consumer protection provisions.
2010: Vote Against the 2010 Tax Compromise
Doggett voted against the 2010 tax compromise, disagreeing with the renewal of the Bush tax cuts and criticizing the inclusion of a Social Security payroll tax reduction, which he believed would harm the program's stability.
2010: Education Funding Amendment and Lawsuit
In 2010, Doggett added an amendment to an education jobs bill requiring Texas to maintain its level of education funding for three years to receive $832 million in federal funds. This amendment, opposed by Texas Governor Rick Perry, led to a lawsuit after the Department of Education rejected the funding application.
2010: Close Re-election Race
In 2010, Doggett faced a close re-election race, securing only 52% of the vote. This marked his most challenging election since 1996.
2011: Ranking Member of the Human Resources Subcommittee
In 2011, Doggett began serving as the ranking member of the Human Resources Subcommittee.
2011: Co-Sponsorship of the Respect for Marriage Act
In 2011, Doggett co-sponsored the Respect for Marriage Act, aiming to repeal DOMA.
2011: Austin Outpatient Clinic Opening
The Austin Outpatient Clinic, the nation's largest veterans' clinic of its kind at the time, opened in 2011, a project Doggett helped to secure.
December 2012: Bill to Enhance Medicare Card Security
Collaborating with Representative Sam Johnson in December 2012, Doggett worked to pass a bill through the House aiming to improve security and reduce identity theft by gradually removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards.
January 2013: Passage of Bill Addressing Child Abuse and Neglect
In January 2013, Doggett successfully passed a bill establishing a national commission to address child abuse and neglect, focusing on reducing fatalities, a pressing issue in Texas.
2014: Missions National Park Expansion
Doggett played a key role in passing legislation to expand the Missions National Park in 2014 and supported its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
June 2015: Vote Against Fast-Track Trade Promotion Authority
In June 2015, Doggett voted against fast-track Trade Promotion Authority, expressing concerns that it prioritized corporate interests over a balanced trade agreement. He criticized the U.S. Trade Representative's record on enforcing labor and environmental standards.
2015: Passage of the NOTICE Act and Other Healthcare Legislation
In 2015 Congress passed Doggett's NOTICE Act, which mandates that hospitals inform senior patients whether they are classified as outpatients or inpatients, ensuring transparency and preventing unexpected Medicare coverage issues. The same year, Doggett also sponsored the Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act, protecting seniors by removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards, and the Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act, which compensates patients with rare diseases for trial participation without impacting their eligibility for Social Security or Medicaid.
2015: Legislation to Close Tax Loophole for Executive Bonuses
Doggett introduced legislation in 2015 to eliminate a tax loophole that allowed companies to write off senior executive bonuses. He argued that this loophole encouraged excessive executive pay at the expense of taxpayers.
2015: Support for the Iran Nuclear Deal
Doggett demonstrated his continued engagement in international affairs in 2015 by supporting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. He worked to secure congressional support for the agreement.
2016: End of Term as Ranking Member of the Human Resources Subcommittee
In 2016, Doggett's term as the ranking member of the Human Resources Subcommittee ended.
2016: 12th House Term Victory
Lloyd Doggett secured his 12th term in the House of Representatives in 2016, defeating Susan Narvaiz with 63.1% of the vote.
2017: Ranking Member of the Tax Policy Subcommittee
Doggett became the ranking member of the Tax Policy Subcommittee in 2017.
2018: Last White Male Democrat from Texas
Following the retirements of Gene Green and Beto O'Rourke after the 2018 elections, Lloyd Doggett became the sole white male Democrat representing Texas in Congress.
2018: 100% Rating from Clean Water Action
In 2018, Doggett received a 100% rating from the environmental advocacy group Clean Water Action, reflecting his support for their policies.
2019: Co-Sponsorship of Medicare for All Act
Doggett showed his support for expanding healthcare access by co-sponsoring the Medicare for All Act of 2019.
2020: Census and Redistricting
Texas gained two congressional seats as a result of the 2020 census, prompting a redrawing of congressional district boundaries.
October 2021: Re-election Campaign Announcement
Doggett announced in October 2021 his decision to run for re-election in the newly established 37th district instead of the 35th. This followed Texas's gain of two congressional seats after the 2020 census.
2022: Continued Service
The information suggests Lloyd Doggett continued his service in the House of Representatives in 2022.
July 2, 2024: Call for Biden's Withdrawal from 2024 Presidential Election
On July 2, 2024, Doggett became the first sitting Democrat in Congress to call for Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election, citing concerns about Biden's age and the need for a strong Democratic candidate.