Changes

{{Officeholder/senator

{{Officeholder/senator

|state=Montana

|state=Montana

|terms=December 15, 1978-present

|terms=December 15, 1978 – January 6, 2015

|preceded=Paul G. Hatfield

|preceded=Paul G. Hatfield

|former=n

|former=y

|succeeded=

|succeeded=[[Steve Daines]]

}}

}}

{{Officeholder/representative

{{Officeholder/representative

}}

}}

'''Max Baucus''' is the senior [[United States Senator]] from [[Montana]]. A Democrat, he has been a Senator since 1978, winning easy reelections ever since.   A moderate, he chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over taxes, trade, Medicare, Social Security and the central issue of 2009, health care reform.  

'''Max Baucus''' is a former [[United States Senator]] from [[Montana]]. A Democrat, he was elected Senator in 1978, winning easy reelections until his retirement in 2015. A moderate, he chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over taxes, trade, Medicare, Social Security and the central issue of 2009, health care reform.  

==Background==

==Background==

Baucus is a fifth generation Montanan, from a prominent ranching family. He took undergraduate and law degrees at Stanford in 1964 and 1967, hitch-hiked around the world, then held junior staff positions in Washington. Returning to Montana in 1971, he helped draft a new state constitution.  He was elected to the Montana State Legislator in 1973 and served until 1974, when he was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]]. Baucus was elected to the [[United States Senate]] in 1978.

Baucus is a fifth generation Montanan, from a prominent ranching family. He took undergraduate and law degrees at Stanford in 1964 and 1967, hitch-hiked around the world, then held junior staff positions in Washington. Returning to Montana in 1971, he helped draft a new state constitution.  He was elected to the Montana State Legislature in 1973 and served until 1974, when he was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]]. Baucus was elected to the [[United States Senate]] in 1978.

==U.S. Senate==

==U.S. Senate==

Senator Baucus is the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, which he last chaired from 2001 to 2003. Baucus is also a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the Senate Agriculture Committee, and the Joint Committee on Taxation.

Senator Baucus is the former Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, which he chaired previously from 2001 to 2003. Baucus was also a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the Senate Agriculture Committee, and the Joint Committee on Taxation.

As chairman of Finance, Baucus controls the agenda for the two most visible issues of 2009, health care reform and cap-and-trade.

As chairman of Finance, Baucus controlled the agenda for the two most visible issues of 2009, health care reform and cap-and-trade.

==Moderate views==

==Moderate views==

Baucus was a member of the bipartisan "gang of six" (three Democrats and three Republicans), tried, without success, to craft a bipartisan health care bill. <ref>http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/18/health.care.definitions/</ref>

Baucus was a member of the bipartisan "gang of six" (three Democrats and three Republicans), tried, without success, to craft a bipartisan health care bill. <ref>http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/18/health.care.definitions/</ref>

Baucus is a strong supporter of [[Israel]]. In the Senate, he is one of the largest career recipients of pro-Israel Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions, $319,348 up to 2006.

Baucus was a strong supporter of [[Israel]]. In the Senate, he was one of the largest career recipients of pro-Israel Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions, $319,348 up to 2006.

==Controversies==

==Controversies==

In 2006, Baucus returned $18,892 in contributions from groups connected to [[Jack Abramoff]].  

In 2006, Baucus returned $18,892 in contributions from groups connected to [[Jack Abramoff]].  

Baucus faced criticisms of being unethical when he recommended to the [[Obama administration]] that his girlfriend, Melodee Hanes, be nominated as a federal U.S. Attorney. <ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30228.html</ref>. The nomination was withdrawn. Baucus and Hanes--both divorced--are currently living together in Washington, where she works for the Justice Department in a job that matches her expertise.

Baucus faced criticisms of being unethical when he recommended to the [[Obama administration]] that his girlfriend, Melodee Hanes, be nominated as a federal U.S. Attorney. <ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30228.html</ref>. The nomination was withdrawn. Baucus and Hanes–both divorced–lived together in Washington, where she worked for the Justice Department in a job that matches her expertise.

==External Links==

==External Links==

{{reflist|}}

{{reflist|}}

[[Category: United States Senators]]

[[Category:Former United States Senators]]

[[Category: 110th United States Congress]]

[[Category:110th United States Congress]]

[[Category:111th United States Congress]]

[[Category:111th United States Congress]]

[[Category:112th United States Congress]]

[[Category:112th United States Congress]]