Baron Hill (politician)

During five non-consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives, Hill was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of moderate and conservative Democrats.[8][9] Hill served as the Blue Dogs' co-chair for communications[10] and later as co-chair for policy.[11]

In 2001, Hill voted for the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).[12] In 2008, Hill said that the law needed to be revamped, saying that he did not object to accountability for schools, but that the act infringed too much on local control and unrealistically required special needs children to meet standardized testing requirements.[13] Hill also said that the federal government had failed to provide an increase in federal school funding, as had been promised when NCLB was passed.[13]

Hill voted in 2002 to authorize the use of the military force against Iraq in 2002,[14] but criticized the George W. Bush administration's conduct of the reconstruction of Iraq.[15][16] In October 2003, Hill said that the 2003 invasion had been well-planned but the subsequent reconstruction had not: "The president did not plan well for winning the peace and for rebuilding the nation."[15][16] Hill blasted Bush's "go-it-alone" strategy and said that Bush had failed to obtain support from the international community, leading to huge U.S. expenditures that sapped away funding that could otherwise go to domestic priorities such as "homeland security, health care, education and debt reduction."[15][16]

In 2007, Hill—along with Representative Lee Terry of Nebraska, a Republican—introduced a measure seeking to increase Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to between 32 mpg (7.4 L/100 km) and 35 mpg (6.7 L/100 km) by 2022.[17] The Hill-Terry proposal was more limited than a competing proposal introduced by Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Representative Todd Russell Platts, Republican of Pennsylvania, which sought to raise CAFE standards for combined car-truck fleets to 35 mpg by 2018.[17] The Hill-Terry proposal was supported by the United Auto Workers.[17] and by industry groups such as the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and National Association of Manufacturers,[18] while the Markey-Platts proposal was backed by the Sierra Club and other environmentalist groups.[17] The final energy bill was a compromise that mandated a 35 mpg CAFE standard by 2020.[19]

In 2008, ahead of the Indiana presidential primary, Hill endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton.[7]

Hill voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which created the Troubled Asset Relief Program ("Wall Street bailout").[7] Hill supported the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (Waxman-Markey), a cap-and-trade bill which ultimately did not pass.[7] Hill also voted for the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (an economic stimulus package championed by President Obama)[7] and the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, landmark health care reform legislation.[7][20]

During his last years in the House, Hill earned a 70 percent rating from the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT rights advocacy group. Hill supported the repeal of don't ask, don't tell, voted for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2010, and opposed a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.[21] Hill did not campaign for same-sex marriage, however, and did not cosponsor legislation brought by 121 Democrats to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which barred federal recognition of same-sex marriage.[21] As public attitudes changed, Hill's position shifted, and in 2015, while running for Senate, Hill said: "Marriage equality is especially close to my own heart. I’m proud of Hoosiers who are fighting to make sure our friends and neighbors are guaranteed equal rights."[21]

• 107th Congress (1999–2001): Agriculture; Armed Services; Veterans' Affairs.[22]
• 107th Congress (2001–2003): Agriculture; Armed Services; Veterans' Affairs.[23]
• 108th Congress (2003–2005): Agriculture; Armed Services.[24]
• 110th Congress (2007–2009): Energy and Commerce; Science and Technology.[25]
• 111th Congress (2009–2011): Energy and Commerce; Science and Technology.[26]

Hill was elected to the House in November 1998. He defeated Republican Jean Leising, 51% to 48% and Libertarian Diane Merriam, 1%, winning the seat vacated by retiring 34-year incumbent Lee H. Hamilton.

Hill was reelected in 2000, with 54 percent of the vote.

Mike Sodrel, Hill‘s four-time Republican opponent

In 2002, Hill defeated Republican Mike Sodrel with 51 percent of the vote. Sodrel, a New Albany trucking company owner, had 46 percent.

In November 2004, in a rematch, Hill lost to Sodrel by a razor-thin margin of about 1,500 votes (about a half of a percentage point). There was a recount following reports of voting irregularities, namely malfunctioning voting machines in at least three counties.[27][28] Hill gained only about two dozen votes in the recount, however, and conceded the election in early December 2004.[29]

Hill won the Democratic nomination in the 9th district in 2006. He was included in the "First Wave" of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red-to-Blue" program.[30]

Texas millionaire Bob J. Perry gave more than $5 million to the Economic Freedom Fund, a 527 group, which included Hill as one of its targets for removal. The group paid for automated "push poll" calls attacking Hill. Such calls were stopped after action by the Indiana Attorney General.[31] Cook Political Report rated the race as a toss-up.[32]

Hill won the 2006 election with 50% of the vote; Sodrel received 46% and Libertarian Eric Schansberg 4 percent.[33]

As is the custom for returning members of Congress, the Democrats gave Hill back his seniority.[34] He was named to the Energy and Commerce and Science and Technology committees.

In 2008 Hill and Sodrel again fought for the 9th district. The race moved between Likely D to Lean D on the Cook Political Report.[35] Fund raising in 2008 had become more one-sided than in 2006, with Hill far ahead in the numbers game, according to reported income.[36]

Hill defeated Sodrel in the election, 58% to 39%.[37]

Hill ran unsuccessfully for reelection, losing to Republican nominee Todd Young on November 2, 2010.