Jim Banks

James Edward Banks (born July 16, 1979) is an American military veteran and politician who is the U.S. Representative for Indiana's 3rd congressional district. A Republican, he previously served as a member of the Indiana Senate. Banks was first elected to serve in the state senate for the 17th district in 2010, and upon military deployment to Afghanistan, he took a leave of absence from the state senate since September 2014.[1] Invoking an Indiana state law which allows state and local officeholders to take leaves of absence during active duty military service, Banks was temporarily replaced by his wife, Amanda Banks, who held the office for the senate's 2015 legislative session.[2][3] He returned to Indiana from overseas duty on April 14, 2015[4] and resumed his duties as state senator on May 8, 2015.[5] On May 3, 2016 he won the primary election for the Republican nomination for Indiana's 3rd congressional district.

Banks speaking at CPAC 2014.
Jim Banks
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 3rd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Preceded byMarlin Stutzman
Member of the Indiana Senate
from the 17th district
In office
November 16, 2010 – November 9, 2016
Preceded byDoc Dillon
Succeeded byAndy Zay
Personal details
Born
James Edward Banks

(1979-07-16) July 16, 1979
Columbia City, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Amanda Banks
Children3
EducationIndiana University Bloomington (BA)
Grace College and Seminary (MBA)
WebsiteHouse website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service2012–present
Rank Lieutenant
UnitUnited States Navy Reserve
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsDefense Meritorious Service Medal

Early life and career

Jim Banks was born in Columbia City, Indiana. He earned his undergraduate from Indiana University where he was a initiated as a member of Delta Chi and his MBA from Grace College. He worked in the real estate and construction industry in Fort Wayne, Indiana prior to his role in elected office.[6]

Military career

Banks serves in the Navy Reserve as a Supply Corps officer. From 2014 to 2015, he took a leave of absence from the Indiana State Senate to serve in Afghanistan.[6]

Political career

From 2008 to 2010, Banks served on the Whitley County Council from the At Large district.[7] He won the primary after defeating incumbent County Councilman, Scott Darley.[8] He was succeeded by Paula Reimers on the County Council.[9] Banks also served as Chair of the Whitley County Republican Party from 2007-2011.[10] He was succeeded by Matt Boyd as Party Chair.[11]

With assistance from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) he has supported right-to-work legislation in Indiana.[12]

Banks addressed the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., on March 9, 2014, after he was selected as one of their Top 10 Conservatives Under 40.[13]

Contributing to the anthology Our American Story (2019), Banks addressed the possibility of a shared American narrative and focused on society and service, writing, "If we are to hope for a future amid the loss of trust in our political system, it is civic participation in and out of government, by the people, that must remain and be reinvigorated. This critically includes the role that people with regular backgrounds like my own play in serving others throughout all of society: in the military, faith communities, businesses, social groups, and elsewhere. Civic participation can mend our political and societal wounds in these pressing times."[14]

U.S. House of Representatives

2016 campaign
See also: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana § District 3

On May 12, 2015, Banks announced his intention to run for Indiana's Third Congressional District.[15] The incumbent, Congressman Marlin Stutzman announced he would not run for reelection and would instead campaign for the Republican nomination to succeed retiring Indiana Senator Dan Coats.[16] Banks' congressional campaign was endorsed by the Club for Growth.[17]

Banks won the primary election, separating himself from five other like-minded conservative opponents for the open seat, with 34 percent of the vote. Spending in the campaign exceeded $2 million as Banks raised $850,000 prior to the primary election and the candidate who finished in second place, businessman Kip Tom, raised $950,000 including $150,000 he loaded from his personal funds.[18]

Tenure
Banks with Vice President Mike Pence in 2018

Rep. Banks was sworn in on January 3, 2017. He is a member of the Republican Study Committee.

In December 2017, Banks joined three other Republican representatives, Ron DeSantis, Scott Perry, and Robert Pittenger, in co-signing a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson requesting Tillerson to release a classified counterterrorism agreement with Qatar.[19]

In January 2020, Banks faced backlash after saying that remarks by Representative Ilhan Omar about her own experiences with PTSD were "offensive to our nation’s veterans." As a child, Omar fled civil war in Somalia and spent four years in a Kenyan refugee camp.[20]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political positions

Health care

Banks supports repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare").[22] Banks voted in favor of the American Health Care Act of 2017 on May 4, 2017.[23] He opposes single-payer healthcare, which he believes if implemented would cost taxpayers $32 trillion.[24]

Economy

In December 2017, Banks voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[25] Upon the passing of the bill, Banks said it was "a good day for the future of the American dream." Banks believes the new tax bill "will provide middle-class tax relief while promoting investment, job creation and sustained economic growth. It will lead to bigger paychecks for workers across our country and restore America's global competitiveness."[26]

Technology

Banks supports allowing internet companies to release customer information with the federal government.[22]

Abortion

Banks supports ending federal funding of abortions, including defunding Planned Parenthood.[22]

LGBT rights

Banks calls banning transgender people from serving in the military as an "emotional issue." He opposes the military paying for sex reassignment surgery saying that "I don't think taxpayers should be on the hook for that."[24]

Banks with his wife and children being sworn in by Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the 116th Congress
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References
  1. Hannah Troyer; Indianapolis Star (December 8, 2014). "Amanda Banks fills husband's Senate seat while he's in Afghanistan". indystar.com.
  2. Dan Carden; The Times of Northwest Indiana (July 9, 2014). "State senator deploying to Afghanistan" (PDF). nwitimes.com.
  3. Brandon Smith (December 16, 2014). "Amanda Banks Sworn In As New State Senator". wfyi.org.
  4. "State Senator returns from deployment in Afghanistan". WANE.com. April 21, 2015.
  5. Niki Kelly; Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (May 9, 2015). "Banks rejoins state Senate after military deployment". journalgazette.net.
  6. "About". Congressman Jim Banks. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  7. "Whitley County, Indiana / County Council". 2010-09-21. Archived from the original on 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  8. "Talk of the Town - Whitley County: May 2008 Archives". talkofthetownwc.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  9. "Reimers wins Council seat | Busco News". busconews.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  10. "Jim Banks (Indiana) - Ballotpedia". Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  11. "Talk of the Town - Whitley County: Matt Boyd named new Whitley County GOP chairman, caucus chooses Paul Zilz for secretary". talkofthetownwc.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  12. "National Group Pushes Indiana 'Right-To-Work' Law: American Legislative Exchange Council Backs Bill". WRTV Indianapolis. December 7, 2011.
  13. "Sen. Banks to speak at CPAC". Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. March 5, 2014. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  14. Claybourn, Joshua, ed. (2019). Our American Story: The Search for a Shared National Narrative. Lincoln, NE: Potomac Books. pp. 74–90. ISBN 1640121706.
  15. Brian Francisco; Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (May 12, 2015). "Banks announces candidacy for Congress". journalgazette.net.
  16. Brian Francisco; Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (May 10, 2015). "Stutzman enters Senate race". journalgazette.net.
  17. Groppe, Maureen (September 18, 2015). "Club for Growth endorses Jim Banks for congress". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  18. Brian Francisco; Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (May 4, 2016). "Banks' support in key counties puts him over top". journalgazette.net.
  19. Kheel, Rebecca (20 December 2017). "Lawmakers urge Tillerson to declassify Qatar counterterrorism agreement". The Hill. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  20. North, Anna (2020-01-10). "Controversy over Rep. Ilhan Omar's PTSD comments reveals how the disorder is misunderstood". Vox. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  21. "Members". Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  22. Francisco, Brian. "Crowd gets heated at Banks' town hall". Journal Gazette. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  23. FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 256
  24. Bernard, Zach (2 August 2017). "Congressman Jim Banks Touches On Health Care, Defense In Auburn Town Hall". Indiana Public Radio. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  25. Almukhtar, Sarah (19 December 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  26. Francisco, Brian. "State delegates vote with party". Journal Gazette. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Marlin Stutzman		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 3rd congressional district
2017–present		 Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Don Bacon		 United States Representatives by seniority
287th		 Succeeded by
Nanette Barragán
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