Robert Foster Bennett

Republican Senator of Utah

Senator
Utah
January 5, 1993 - January 3, 1999
Senator
Utah
January 6, 1999 - January 3, 2005
Senator
Utah
January 4, 2005 - January 3, 2011

http://bennett.senate.gov

Congresses Served

Senate Terms

January 1, 1933 (83 years old)

Birthday

January 1, 2016

Death

Served as a United States Senator from 1993 to 2011
Held chairmanships and senior positions on various key Senate committees
Was considered a popular and reliably conservative senator for most of his tenure
Became a target of the Tea Party Movement in 2010, criticized for supporting the Bush Administration’s bank bailout
Joined the law firm Arent Fox as senior policy advisor after leaving the Senate
Became Chairman of Bennett Group, a consulting firm, and announced intention to become a registered lobbyist
Served as a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center focusing on budget, energy, and health issues
Part-time teacher, researcher, and lecturer at the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics
Born into a politically prominent family with ties to the LDS Church
Attended the University of Utah, where he was Student Body President
Worked in various capacities in Washington, D.C., including for a Utah Congressman and in the Nixon Administration
Involved in business before entering politics, including roles at J.C. Penney Company and as CEO of Franklin International Institute
Opposed abortion and supported measures to restrict it
Attempted to suspend the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the District of Columbia until a referendum could be held
Supported Bush Administration wiretapping proposals and voted against a proposed constitutional ban on flag burning
Advocated for a flat tax and the repeal of the inheritance tax, Alternative Minimum Tax, and “marriage penalty”
Opposed public health care expansions and supported the Healthy Americans Act
Had a mixed record on immigration control, supporting both a fence along the Mexico–United States border and the 2006 Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act
Supported the PATRIOT Act and voted against limiting tours of duty for soldiers in Iraq
Opposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and supported Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling
Married Joyce McKay and had six children
Died in 2016 after suffering from pancreatic cancer and a stroke
Spent his last days apologizing to the Muslim community for controversial rhetoric from Republican presidential candidates