View source for Bill Thomas

{{Short description|American politician (born 1941)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Bill Thomas
| image               = Bill Thomas, official photo portrait color.jpg
| office1             = Chair of the [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means|House Ways and Means Committee]]
| term_start1         = January 3, 2001
| term_end1           = January 3, 2007
| predecessor1        = [[Bill Archer]]
| successor1          = [[Charles Rangel]]
| office2             = Chair of the [[United States House Committee on House Administration|House Administration Committee]]
| term_start2         = January 3, 1995
| term_end2           = January 3, 2001
| predecessor2        = [[Charlie Rose (politician)|Charlie Rose]]
| successor2          = [[Bob Ney]]
| state3              = [[California]]
| term_start3         = January 3, 1979
| term_end3           = January 3, 2007
| predecessor3        = [[William M. Ketchum]]
| successor3          = [[Kevin McCarthy]]
| constituency3       = {{ushr|CA|18|C}} (1979–1983)<br>{{ushr|CA|20|C}} (1983–1993)<br>{{ushr|CA|21|C}} (1993–2003)<br>{{ushr|CA|22|C}} (2003–2007)
| state_assembly4     = California
| district4           = [[California's 33rd State Assembly district|33rd]]
| term_start4         = December 2, 1974
| term_end4           = November 30, 1978
| predecessor4        = [[Ernest N. Mobley]]
| successor4          = [[Don Rogers (politician)|Don Rogers]]
| birth_name          = William Marshall Thomas
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1941|12|6}}
| birth_place         = [[Wallace, Idaho]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse              = Sharon Thomas
| children            = 2
| education           = [[Santa Ana College]]<br>[[San Francisco State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Master of Arts|MA]])
| module              = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Rep. Bill Thomas Opens Debate on the Medicare Modernization Act.ogg |title=Thomas's voice |type=speech |description=Thomas opening debate on the [[Medicare Modernization Act]].<br>Recorded June 26, 2003}}
}}
'''William Marshall Thomas''' (born December 6, 1941) is an American politician. He was a [[California Republican Party|Republican]] member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1979 to 2007, finishing his tenure representing [[California's 22nd congressional district]] and as the Chairman of the [[U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means|House Ways and Means Committee]].

==Early life and family==
Thomas was born in [[Wallace, Idaho]], moving with his parents to [[Southern California]]. He graduated from [[Garden Grove High School]], attended [[Santa Ana College]], earning an [[associate's degree]] before transferring to [[San Francisco State University]], where he earned his [[bachelor's degree]] and [[master's degree]] in [[political science]] in 1963 and 1965, respectively. He became an instructor at [[Bakersfield College]] before running for and winning a seat in the [[California State Assembly]] in 1974.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=549622 |title=Our Campaigns - CA State Assembly 33 Race - Nov 05, 1974 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com |access-date=Aug 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=548647 |title=Our Campaigns - CA State Assembly 33 Race - Nov 02, 1976 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com |access-date=August 26, 2019}}</ref> He won election to the House of Representatives in 1978, representing the [[California's 18th congressional district|18th congressional district]].

Thomas married the former Sharon Lynn Hamilton in 1968. They have two grown children. He and his wife are [[Baptists]].{{citation needed|date=May 2010}}

==Career==
[[File:BillThomasOfficialPortrait.jpg|thumb|left|Thomas's official portrait by artist [[Ronald Sherr|Ronald N. Sherr]]]]
When ''[[Washingtonian (magazine)|Washingtonian]]'' magazine polled congressional aides on the "best and worst" of Congress, Thomas was voted #2 for "brainiest", #3 for "workhorse", and #1 for "meanest" and overwhelmingly for "hottest temper" in the House.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtonian.com/inwashington/bwcongress.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518071513/http://www.washingtonian.com/inwashington/bwcongress.html|url-status=dead|title=Calendar of Events (washingtonian.com)<!-- Bot generated title -->|archive-date=May 18, 2008|access-date=Aug 26, 2019}}</ref> Thomas is known for being able to comprehend and communicate the intricacies of obscure legislative matters, studying testimony and research reports himself instead of relying on executive summaries from his aides. Thomas is also known for losing his temper when people are unprepared, earning a reputation for sharp interrogations. "He's revered, but he's also reviled to some degree", fellow representative [[Mark Foley]] told ''[[Congressional Quarterly|CQ Weekly]]''.

Thomas voted against the [[Abandoned Shipwrecks Act|Abandoned Shipwrecks Act of 1987]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND PASS S 858, ABANDONED SHIPWRECK … -- House Vote #532 -- March 29, 1988 |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/h532 |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=GovTrack.us |language=en}}</ref> The Act asserts United States title to certain abandoned shipwrecks located on or embedded in submerged lands under state jurisdiction, and transfers title to the respective state, thereby empowering states to manage these cultural and historical resources more efficiently, with the goal of preventing [[Treasure hunting|treasure hunters]] and salvagers from damaging them. Despite him voting against hit, President [[Ronald Reagan]] signed it into law on April 28, 1988.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Laws - Division of Historical Resources - Florida Department of State |url=https://dos.fl.gov/historical/archaeology/underwater/laws/#:~:text=On%2028%20April%201988,%20President,authority%20over%20those%20abandoned%20shipwrecks. |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=dos.fl.gov}}</ref>

Thomas voted 'yea' on all four articles of [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|impeachment against President Bill Clinton]] in 1998, including both [[perjury]] charges,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-25 |title=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998543 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225210113/https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998543 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2024-12-25 |access-date=2025-03-28 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-03 |title=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998544 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403212421/https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998544 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2023-04-03 |access-date=2025-03-28 }}</ref> [[Obstruction of justice in the United States|obstruction of justice]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-30 |title=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998545 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130000740/https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998545 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2024-11-30 |access-date=2025-03-28 }}</ref> and [[abuse of power]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-13 |title=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998546 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213065928/https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998546 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2025-02-13 |access-date=2025-03-28 }}</ref>

Thomas was a key proponent of several of [[George W. Bush|President George W. Bush's]] agenda items, including three major tax cut bills and the [[Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act]] of 2003 (PL 108–173), and was also instrumental in the passage of the [[Balanced Budget Act of 1997]].

On March 6, 2006, Thomas announced he would not seek reelection, retiring after 28 years in the House. A major influence on his decision was the internal GOP [[Republican Revolution#Ramifications|term limits]] that would require him to relinquish his Ways and Means chairmanship even if he were re-elected.{{citation needed|date=May 2010}} Thomas endorsed a former aide, [[California State Assembly|Assemblyman]] [[Kevin McCarthy]], who was elected to replace him. Following McCarthy's vote to [[Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election#House votes|decertify the 2020 presidential election]], Thomas said that McCarthy was a "hypocrite" and generally lambasted his behavior in regard to that election.<ref>"[https://thebulwark.com/kevin-mccarthy-is-a-disaster/ Kevin McCarthy Is a Disaster]" by A. D. Stoddard. ''The Bulwark''. 1 February 2021. Accessed 1 February 2021.</ref><ref>"[https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-01-22/kevin-mccarthy-trump-riot-capitol House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy backs away from blaming Trump for Capitol insurrection]" by Seema Mehta. ''Los Angeles Times''. 22 January 2021. Accessed 1 February 2021.</ref> Thomas has criticized McCarthy in several interviews since that time.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/12/26/what-kevin-mccarthy-will-do-to-gain-power|title=What Kevin McCarthy Will Do to Gain Power|first=Jonathan|last=Blitzer|date=December 19, 2022|magazine=The New Yorker}}</ref>

In 2007, after leaving the House, Thomas joined the [[American Enterprise Institute]] as a visiting fellow working on tax policy, trade policy, and health care policy.<ref>American Enterprise Institute, "[http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.25619/pub_detail.asp Former Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas Joins AEI]," news release, February 13, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313124703/http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.25619/pub_detail.asp |date=March 13, 2009 }}</ref> Thomas also joined law and lobbying firm [[Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney]].<ref>Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, "[http://www.bipc.com/news.php?NewsID=2101 Former Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas Joins Buchanan]," news release, May 2, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721033529/http://www.bipc.com/news.php?NewsID=2101 |date=July 21, 2009 }}</ref>

On September 8, 2016, Thomas was named to the [[Kern Community College District]] [[Board of Trustees]] for Area 1, filling the seat of Rick Wright.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bakersfield.com/news/education/kccd-poised-to-appoint-longtime-congressman-bill-thomas-to-board/article_6602c2b6-02a7-5417-b28e-a55ce629e1f8.html|title=KCCD poised to appoint longtime congressman Bill Thomas to board|first=HAROLD|last=PIERCE|website=The Bakersfield Californian|date=7 September 2016 |access-date=Aug 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kccd.edu/board-trustees/board-members|title=Board Members &#124; Kern Community College District|website=www.kccd.edu|access-date=Aug 26, 2019}}</ref> He did not run for reelection in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bakersfield.com/news/politics/election-2018/other-school-boards/two-seats-up-for-grabs-in-kern-community-college-district/article_e7e77922-c373-11e8-be1b-7fe4f49be147.html|title=Two seats up for grabs in Kern Community College District race|first=JOSEPH|last=LUIZ|website=The Bakersfield Californian|date=October 2018 |access-date=Aug 26, 2019}}</ref> He was replaced by Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bakersfield.com/news/politics/election-2018/schools-roundup-retired-teachers-win-kern-high-school-district-races/article_d5009634-e242-11e8-aea0-bb990e215424.html|title=SCHOOLS ROUNDUP: Retired teachers win Kern High School District races|first=The Bakersfield|last=Californian|website=The Bakersfield Californian|date=6 November 2018 |access-date=Aug 26, 2019}}</ref>

===Congressional committees===
[[U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means]] – Chairman (2001–2007)

[[United States House Committee on House Administration|U.S. House Committee on Administration]] – Chairman (1995–2001)

===Controversies===

====1992: Congressional banking scandal====

In the 1992 [[Rubbergate]] banking scandal, involving House members writing checks when the funds were not available, Thomas [[Non-sufficient funds|bounced]] 119 checks, the tenth-highest amount for a Republican member of Congress. A brief overdraft of $16,200, occurred in October 1989, as he wrote a $15,300 check to buy a car.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 24, 1992|title=Rep. Thomas Admits He Overdrew House Account 119 Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-24-me-4244-story.html|access-date=July 27, 2021|via=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

===2001: alleged affair with lobbyist===
The ''Bakersfield Californian'' published an article on Thomas about an affair with Deborah Steelman,<ref>{{cite web|title=Patrick Kennedy|url=http://motherjones.com/politics/2002/09/patrick-kennedy.html|access-date=2002-10-01}}{{Dead link|date=October 2014}}</ref> a lobbyist for Cigna, Pfizer, Aetna, United Healthcare Corporation, the Healthcare Leadership Council, and Prudential. Thomas was then chair of the House subcommittee that regulates HMOs. "Any personal failures of commitment or responsibility to my wife, family or friends are just that, personal," the former congressman wrote in an "open letter to friends and neighbors." Neither he nor Steelman explicitly denied the allegations. She was promoted to Vice President of Eli Lilly, a position which she used to steer huge campaign gifts to Thomas's war chest.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-27-mn-45289-story.html House Medicare Activist Denies Conflict of Interest], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', Nick Anderson, June 27, 2000. Retrieved July 27, 2021.</ref>

The [[Medicare Modernization Act|Medicare Modernization Act of 2003]] prohibited Medicare from negotiating prescription prices with the drug industry, for instance.<ref>{{citation |title=108th Congress Public Law 173 Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |number=DOCID: f:publ173.108 |pages=2065–6 |url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-108publ173/html/PLAW-108publ173.htm|access-date=July 27, 2021}}</ref>

=== 2003: controversy involving U.S. Capitol police ===
In July 2003, Thomas called the [[U.S. Capitol Police]] to eject [[U.S. Democratic Party|Democrats]] from a meeting room. A few days later, he tearfully apologized on the House floor for what he called his "just plain stupid" decision to ask the police to eject the Congressmen.<ref>{{cite web|last=Novak|first=Robert|date=2003-07-24|title=Thomas's 'police state'|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/07/24/column.novak.opinion.thomas/index.html|access-date=2006-12-30|publisher=[[Cable News Network|cnn.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2006-07-26|title=Tears From the Gruff Chairman|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30B15FA3B5B0C758EDDAE0894DB404482&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fT%2fThomas%2c%20Bill|access-date=2006-12-30|work=[[The New York Times]]}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

==Election history==
[[File:President George W. Bush Signs Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bill Thomas congratulating [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]] shortly after signing the [[Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003]]]]
[[File:Vice President Dick Cheney and Chairman Bill Thomas' Remarks at a Town Hall Meeting on Social Security.jpg|thumb|right|Bill Thomas with [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Dick Cheney]] at a Town Hall meeting on Social Security in 2005]]
* 1974 – Defeated Raymond Gonzales – 54–46%
* 1976 – Defeated Stephen W. Schilling – 57–43% 
* 1978 – Defeated Bob Sogge – 59–41%
* 1980 – Defeated Mary Pat Timmermans – 71–29%
* 1982 – Defeated Robert J. Bethea – 68–32%
* 1984 – Defeated Michael T. LeSage – 71–29%
* 1986 – Defeated Jules H. Moquin – 73–27%
* 1988 – Defeated Lita Reid – 71–27%
* 1990 – Defeated Michael Thomas – 60–34%
* 1992 – Defeated Deborah Vollmer – 65–35%
* 1994 – Defeated John Evans – 69–28%
* 1996 – Defeated Deborah Vollmer – 66–27%
* 1998 – Defeated John Evans – 79–21%
* 2000 – Defeated Pete Martinez – 72–25%
* 2002 – Defeated Jaime Corvera – 73–24%
* 2004 – Unopposed

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{CongBio|T000188}}
* {{C-SPAN|2599}}
* [http://ontheissues.org/CA/Bill_Thomas.htm OnTheIssues]
* [https://www.nndb.com/people/701/000040581/ Bill Thomas at nndb.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060314212701/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/t000188/ Voting record maintained by the Washington Post]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060615160829/http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=H0340103 Voting record maintained by the Vote-Smart.org]

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[William M. Ketchum]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from California|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[California's 18th congressional district]]|years=1979–1983}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Richard H. Lehman]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Barry Goldwater Jr.]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from California|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[California's 20th congressional district]]|years=1983–1993}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Cal Dooley]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Elton Gallegly]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from California|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[California's 21st congressional district]]|years=1993–2003}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Devin Nunes]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Charlie Rose (politician)|Charlie Rose]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[United States House Committee on House Administration|House Administration Committee]]|years=1995–2001}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Bob Ney]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Bill Archer]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means|House Ways and Means Committee]]|years=2001–2007}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Charles Rangel]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Lois Capps]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from California|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[California's 22nd congressional district]]|years=2003–2007}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Kevin McCarthy]]}}
|-
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Kay Granger]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Former U.S. Representative}}''|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Duncan L. Hunter]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}}
{{s-end}}

{{US House Ways and Means chairs}}
{{US House Administration chairs}}
{{United States representatives from California 11-30}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Bill}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the California State Legislature]]
[[Category:21st-century California politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:American Enterprise Institute]]
[[Category:Baptists from California]]
[[Category:Baptists from Idaho]]
[[Category:California Republicans]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People associated with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney]]
[[Category:People from Morro Bay, California]]
[[Category:People from Shoshone County, Idaho]]
[[Category:People from Wallace, Idaho]]
[[Category:Politicians from Bakersfield, California]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the California State Assembly]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California]]
[[Category:San Francisco State University alumni]]
[[Category:Santa Ana College alumni]]