Steve Kagen

• Agriculture Committee[3]
  • Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry
  • Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Kagen accepts an award from the Visiting Nurse Associations of America in 2010.

The predominant legislative issue Kagen stressed during his 2006 campaign was an initiative he called "No Patient Left Behind." This proposal provides for open disclosure of all health care-related prices, unitary pricing where every citizen pays the same amount for the same product or service, a single insurance risk pool to leverage down insurance and prescription drug prices, set deductibles at 3% of a household's federal taxable income, and provide coverage to all children and working adults.[4]

Kagen declined to participate in the Congressional health care plan until all Americans had access to affordable health care. In a post on the Daily Kos, Kagen said, "I did not run for this office to get health care benefits."[5]

On May 15, 2008, legislation sponsored by Kagen titled "To amend the Sherman Act to make oil-producing and exporting cartels illegal and for other purposes" (H.R.6074) was introduced before the House. On May 19, 2008, the House overwhelmingly decided in a 324-84 vote to approve this legislation, which allows the Justice Department to sue any foreign state that limits the production/distribution of oil or engages in price fixing.[6]

On September 12, 2006, Kagen, a first time candidate, won the Democratic Party nomination for Wisconsin's 8th District. The seat had been left open by the four-term incumbent Republican, Mark Green, who unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Wisconsin. On November 7, Kagen narrowly defeated Wisconsin Assembly Speaker John Gard of Peshtigo in the most expensive Congressional race in Wisconsin history, a race dominated by attack ads, mainly created by third-party 527 issue ad groups, outside the control of the candidate or parties. Some of the issues where Kagen and Gard disagreed were President George W. Bush's direction in the Iraq War, stem-cell research, and tax policy.

Kagen's campaign advertised that Wisconsin doctors voted him one of the "best doctors in America". He promised to fight to ensure that every American could get affordable health care.

Before Kagen's congressional campaign, his allergy clinic sponsored pollen count and allergy reports on several local television stations which aired after their weather reports during the last few years.

Kagen won the 2006 election 51-49% against Gard and again defeated Gard in Brown County, home to Green Bay, in 2008. Kagen narrowly lost Gard's home county of Marinette.[7] Kagen is the third Democrat to represent the 8th District since World War II.

Kagen faced a rematch against Gard in 2008. CQ Politics forecasted the race as 'Leans Democratic'.[8] Kagen won reelection, defeating Gard with 54% of the vote, becoming only the third Democrat to win a second term in this district in 92 years (it was known as the 9th district before 1933).

Kagen was defeated by Republican nominee Reid Ribble on November 2, 2010.

According to notes taken during a series of union endorsement interviews in January 2012 that were obtained by a local news reporter, Kagen strongly considered a run for the Democratic nomination to face Gov. Scott Walker in a recall election.[10]

Kagen received a letter from the FDA regarding a compliance issue with one of his allergy formulas. News reports stated Kagen was accused of "selling allergy shots without a valid license."[11] The formulation was registered with the FDA during manufacture and distribution, but was re-classified under a new regulation and required a new application.[12] The FDA accepted the allergy clinic's decision to no longer offer that particular formulation and the FDA ended its license question.

After attending a campaign event on the Oneida reservation, and then in Green Bay, Wisconsin on 20 October 2006, Kagen commented, in part:

Appreciate getting here almost on time. Our excuse in Oneida was, well, we're on Injun time. They don't tell time by the clock. Our excuse here is that I am a doctor and that we're never on time.[13]

Kagen later apologized.[14] The apology was accepted by the Oneida and other state tribes within two days.[15]

Kagen came under fire for a rumored comment at a November 13, 2006, White House function, after Appleton-area newspapers picked up on a story printed in an alternative paper, The Scene. According to the paper, Congressman-elect Kagen met presidential adviser Karl Rove in a bathroom and told him : "You recognize me? My name's Dr. Multimillionaire and I kicked your ass." The term "Dr. Multimillionaire" refers to the name "Dr. Millionaire" the Republican campaign used to refer to Kagen during the 2006 campaign. The Scene also said that the Congressman-elect thanked Vice President Cheney and President Bush for campaigning in Wisconsin for his opponent, telling them, "I couldn't have won without your help." It is reported that he then addressed First Lady Laura Bush as Barbara, saying "I learned on the campaign trail that the biggest insult you could do to another man is to call his wife by another name."[16]

The White House officially denied the conversation took place, calling the story "ridiculous."[11] Kagen talked to constituents about the reported verbal insults he delivered to the President and Mrs. Bush six days after the November election.[17][18]