People in the news

Frank M. Kratovil Jr.

Former U.S. Representative

(Frank M. Kratovil, Jr.)

Why He Matters

In his freshman term, Kratovil didn't toe the national Democratic line. He Made waves almost immediately as one of only 11 House Democrats to vote against the first version of the February 2009 economic stimulus package. He did vote for the second $787-billion version.

A member of the fiscally-conservative Blue Dog Democrats, Kravotil voted against Democrats' health-care reform. He drew national attention on the issue when a protester carried an effigy of him hung by a noose outside of his district office in summer 2009.

Read more

Background

At a Glance

Career History: State's attorney, Queen Anne's County, 2003-2008; assistant state's attorney, Queen Anne's County, 1997-2001; public defender; law clerk, Prince George's County Circuit Court
Birthday: May 29, 1968
Hometown: Lanham, Md.
Alma Mater: Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), bachelor's, 1990; University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 1994
Spouse: Kimberly

Committees: Agriculture; Armed Services; Natural Resources
DC Office: 314 Cannon House Office Building, 202-225-5311
State/District Office: Centreville, 443-262-9136; Salisbury, 410-334-3072; Bel Air, 410-420-8822
Email
Web site

Path to Power

Born in 1968 in Lanham, Md., Kratovil is the son of Frank Kratovil Sr., who served as a judge in Prince George's County and who was nicknamed "The Hammer" because of tough sentencing and presence in court.

A graduate of Western Maryland College, the younger Kratovil worked in the public defender's office while attending the University of Baltimore School of Law. After receiving his law degree in 1994, Kratovil became an Assistant State's Attorney in his native Prince George's County. In 1997, he moved to Queen Anne's County and served as the Eastern Shore county's only prosecutor through 2001.

Read more

The Issues

As of October 2009, Kratovil voted with fellow House Democrats 85 percent of the time during the 111th Congress.

Kratovil voted for the June 2009 energy bill that sought to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Kratovil added his support to the bill after amendments were passed ensuring Maryland farmers, who deal with tough in-state environmental standards, would receive the same benefits for adhering to the bill as farmers in states with laxer rules.

Read more

Health-Care Reform

Voicing criticism in summer 2009 over early incarnations of health-care reform, Kratovil said such legislation should not be rushed. His objection to initial versions of the bill was its potential impact on the national deficit.

Kratovil repeatedly said health-care access in rural areas must be protected, and contends that Medicare payment formulas are "skewed against rural areas."

Kratovil never ruled out support for a public option. "Anything that allows for more competition with the insurance companies is a good thing," he said. "How that is ultimately laid out, I am not quite as concerned about. For me, not having a public option would not mean that I wouldn't support it."

The Economy

A self-described fiscal conservative, Kratovil was one of only 11 House Democrats to vote against the initial version of the 2009 economic stimulus package, which cost $819 billion. He did vote for the second, $787-billion version of the bill, saying "Although this bill is still far from perfect, in a crisis of this magnitude we can't afford to let the perfect be the enemy of the necessary." The Democrat was one of 20 party members to vote against the $410 billion 2009 omnibus appropriations bill.

In June 2009, Kratovil and Rep. Dan Maffei (D-N.Y.) introduced a bill that would force General Motors and Chrysler to keep hundreds of dealerships open, despite a decision by both companies to close them as a part of their respective bankruptcy restructuring plans. The bill had 277 co-sponsors as of October 2009, but hadn't reached the House floor.

Immigration

Kratovil made his opposition to illegal immigration a hallmark of his 2008 campaign, explaining that the issue is a major problem in his district and the federal government needs to do more to enforce its laws on the books.

Kratovil successfully lobbied the Department of Homeland Security to increase the number of temporary work visas, a move that was intended to benefit the large crab-processing industryHou in his district.

The Network

Then-House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) was a prominent supporter and fundraiser for Kratovil's 2008 campaign. Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Md.), who attended Kratovil's campaign kick off, was also a key supporter.

Additional Resources