Rush D. Holt Jr.
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Rush Dew Holt Jr. (born October 15, 1948) is an American scientist and politician who served as the
U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
for from 1999 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party and son of former
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
U.S. Senator Rush D. Holt Sr. He worked as a professor of public policy and physics, and during his tenure in Congress he was one of two
physicists A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate caus ...
and the only Quaker there. Holt sought the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in the 2013 special primary election to fill the seat of U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, who died in office on June 3, 2013. He lost the nomination to Newark Mayor
Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the junior United States senator from New Jersey since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Booker is the first African-American U.S. se ...
. Holt announced on February 18, 2014 that he would not seek re-election in
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
. In February 2015, Holt became chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and executive publisher of the ''Science'' family of journals. He served in that role until his retirement in September 2019.


Early life and education

Holt was born in Weston, West Virginia, to Rush Holt Sr. (1905–1955), who served as a
United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...
from
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
(1935–1941), and his wife, Helen Froelich Holt (1913–2015), the first woman to be appointed
Secretary of State of West Virginia The Secretary of State of West Virginia is an elected office within the U.S. state of West Virginia state government. The secretary of state is responsible for overseeing the state's election process, including voter registration and election re ...
(1957–1959). Holt Sr. was the youngest person ever to be popularly elected to the U.S. Senate, at age 29. He died of
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
when Rush was six years old. Holt graduated from the
Landon School Landon School is a private, college preparatory school for boys in grades 3–12, with an enrollment of approximately 680 students, in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Background Paul Landon Banfield and his wife, Mary Lee, fo ...
in
Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...
, in 1966, then later graduated
Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...
with a BS in
physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
from Carleton College in 1970, and later received his MS and PhD degrees in physics from
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
in 1981. The title of his doctoral dissertation was "Calcium absorption lines and solar activity: a systematic program of observations."


Academic career

Holt was a faculty member at Swarthmore College from 1980 to 1988 where he taught physics, public policy, and religion courses. During that time, he also worked as a Congressional Science Fellow for U.S. Representative
Bob Edgar Robert William "Bob" Edgar (May 29, 1943 – April 23, 2013) was an American politician and administrator from Pennsylvania, and a member of the Democratic Party. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1 ...
of Pennsylvania. From 1987 until 1989, Holt headed the Nuclear and Scientific Division of the Office of Strategic Forces at the
U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other ...
. Holt was the Assistant Director of the
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory for plasma physics and nuclear fusion science. Its primary mission is research into and development of fusion as an energy source. It is known ...
at
Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...
, the University's largest research facility and the largest center for energy research in New Jersey.


Scientific journal articles

* * *


Patent


4,249,518
Method for maintaining a correct density gradient in a non-convecting solar pond


U.S. House of Representatives (1999–2015)


Elections

;1996 Holt first ran for Congress in 1996 in
New Jersey's 12th congressional district New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman, who has served in Congress since 2015. The district is known for its research centers and educational institutions such as Princeton University, Rider ...
after incumbent Republican congressman
Dick Zimmer Richard Alan Zimmer (born August 16, 1944) is an American Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and in the United States House of Representatives. H ...
decided to run for the U.S. Senate. On June 4, 1996, Holt lost the Democratic party primary, receiving 24% of the vote and finishing last of the three candidates. Lambertville Mayor David DelVecchio won the primary with 45% of the vote and Carl Mayer finished second with 31% of the vote. Holt received the most votes in Mercer County, while losing the other four counties in the district to DelVecchio and Mayer: DelVecchio won Monmouth, Hunterdon, and Somerset Counties while Mayer won Middlesex County. DelVecchio went on to lose the general election to Republican Michael Pappas. ;1998 Holt decided to run again in 1998. On June 2, 1998, Holt won the Democratic primary, defeating Carl Mayer 64% to 36%. Holt challenged one-term Congressman Michael Pappas. The incumbent's campaign experienced a setback after he read a poem, set to the tune of "
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is a popular English lullaby. The lyrics are from an early-19th-century English poem written by Jane Taylor, "The Star". The poem, which is in couplet form, was first published in 1806 in '' Rhymes for the Nursery ...
", praising
Kenneth Starr Kenneth Winston Starr (July 21, 1946 – September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge who authored the Starr Report, which led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. He headed an investigation of members of the Clinton administration, know ...
on the floor of the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
. Holt defeated Pappas by 4 percentage points, 51% to 47%, becoming the first Democrat to represent the district in two decades. Holt won Mercer (61%) and Middlesex (60%) while losing Monmouth (48%), Hunterdon (37%), and Somerset (40%). ;2000 Holt was challenged by former Republican Congressman
Dick Zimmer Richard Alan Zimmer (born August 16, 1944) is an American Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and in the United States House of Representatives. H ...
in the 2000 election. Holt's prior win was thought by Republicans to be a fluke, and the race attracted considerable money and advertising. The election was hotly contested and the winner was not known on election day. Zimmer was ahead on election night by just a few votes, but Holt was ahead the next day. Ten days after the election, Holt declared himself the winner by 481 votes. Zimmer challenged the results, but conceded after the count began to go against him. Holt ultimately won the election by a margin of 651 votes: 146,162 votes for Holt (48.730%) compared to Zimmer's 145,511 (48.513%), making it the only general election where Holt has not received a majority of the votes in the election. Holt won Mercer (61%) and Middlesex (56%) while losing Monmouth (48%), Hunterdon (35%), and Somerset (37%). ;2002 Redistricting after the 2000 census made Holt's district more Democratic. It added much of Trenton while losing conservative-leaning territory in Somerset and Hunterdon counties. While Holt faced a fairly well-funded challenge from Republican
Secretary of State of New Jersey The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as w ...
Buster Soaries, Holt easily won a third term, taking 61% to Soaries' 38%. He won all five counties: Mercer (68%), Middlesex (63%), Somerset (54%), Hunterdon (54%), and Monmouth (52%). ;2004 Holt won re-election to a fourth term, defeating Republican Bill Spadea 59% to 40%. He won four of five counties: Mercer (72%), Somerset (62%), Middlesex (59%), and Hunterdon (52%). He lost Monmouth (48%). ;2006 He won re-election to a fifth term, defeating former Helmetta, New Jersey Council President Joseph Sinagra, 66% to 34%. He won all five counties: Mercer (77%), Somerset (67%), Middlesex (65%), Hunterdon (61%), and Monmouth (56%). ;2008 He won re-election to a sixth term, defeating
Holmdel, New Jersey Holmdel Township (usually shortened to Holmdel) is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The township is centrally located in the Raritan Valley region, being within the regional and cultural influence of the Raritan Baysh ...
Deputy Mayor Alan Bateman, 63% to 35%. He won all five counties: Mercer (77%), Somerset (66%), Middlesex (64%), Hunterdon (55%), and Monmouth (50%). ;2010 Holt raised $2,229,432 in the 2010 election cycle and spent $1,891,463. 72% came from individual donations, and 26% from PAC donations. Holt's former employer, Princeton University, was his single biggest donor, giving $56,863. Holt's opponent, Scott Sipprelle, raised $1,541,776 and spent $1,327,946. 65% of Sipprelle's funds came from self-financing. Independent Kenneth Cody refused to accept any donations.opensecrets.org
Campaign finance data on Rush Holt and Scott Sipprelle, retrieved 11/23/10.
Holt won re-election to a seventh term, defeating Sipprelle, 53% to 46%. He won three of five counties: Mercer (70%), Somerset (60%), and Middlesex (52%). He lost Hunterdon (43%) and Monmouth (38%). ;2012 After redistricting in 2011, the 12th District became even more Democratic. All of the Republican-leaning portions of Hunterdon County and Monmouth County were taken out of the 12th district while the Democratic-leaning towns of Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Fanwood,
Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...
, Dunellen, Bound Brook, South Bound Brook, Manville, East Windsor Township, and
Hightstown Hightstown is a borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 5,494,Trenton, Franklin Township & Old Bridge Township which were formerly located in the 4th and 6th Congressional districts, respectively, were also added to the 12th district. Only four counties remained: Mercer, Somerset, Middlesex, and now Union. Holt won re-election to an 8th term, defeating Republican businessman Eric Beck 69% to 29%. He won all four counties Mercer (77%), Union (73%), Somerset (69%), and Middlesex (62%). On February 18, 2014, Rush Holt announced that he would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in 2014.


Tenure

Holt was also only the second research physicist to be elected to Congress, and the first physicist to be elected as a Democrat; he joined
Vern Ehlers Vernon James Ehlers (February 6, 1934 – August 15, 2017) was an American physicist and politician who represented Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 until his retirement in 2011. A Republican, he also served eight years ...
( R- MI) and was later joined by Bill Foster ( D- IL). Foster is currently the only research physicist in the U.S. House of Representatives with the retirement of Ehlers, and Foster defeating
Judy Biggert Judith Biggert (née Borg; born August 15, 1937) is an American politician and attorney. She is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1999 to 2013. She is a member of the Republican Party. Biggert was defeated in her 2012 re-electi ...
in 2012 to reenter the House. Holt's supporters produced green bumper stickers reading "My Congressman IS a rocket scientist!", reflecting his scientific background. Holt is one of two members of Congress to have participated on the American television game show ''
Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given gene ...
'', the other being Senator John McCain of Arizona. Both appeared on the Fleming era of the television series with Holt winning five games. Holt's official Congressional website mentioned his being a five-time winner, as did some of his campaign materials. On February 28, 2011, Holt participated in a non-televised exhibition ''Jeopardy!'' match against the IBM computer Watson along with four other members of Congress (
Jim Himes James Andrew Himes (born July 5, 1966) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he chaired the New Democrat Coalition in the 115th Congress (2017–2019). H ...
,
Nan Hayworth Nan Alison Hayworth (née Sutter; born December 14, 1959) is an American ophthalmologist and former Congresswoman for . A Republican, she was elected in 2010. In 2012, after redistricting, Hayworth ran for reelection in the new 18th district ...
,
Jared Polis Jared Schutz Polis (; born May 12, 1975) is an American politician, entrepreneur, businessman, and philanthropist, serving as the 43rd governor of Colorado since January 2019. He served one term on the Colorado State Board of Education from 20 ...
and Bill Cassidy). Holt bested the computer $8,600 to $6,200 in a single-round match. As a Congressman, Holt maintained liberal viewpoints on several major issues, and consistently voted accordingly. For example, he supported abortion rights, opposed the privatization of Social Security, and supported a public health care option. Several of his legislative priorities included tax credits for small businesses, increasing access to a college education for middle-class families, maintaining Medicare and Social Security, and preserving the environment. In 2009, the National Journal rated him as one of the eight most liberal members of the House of Representatives.National Journal's Vote Rankings: The Top 10 - Hotline On Call
. Hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com. Retrieved on 2010-07-12.
Holt's rankings released by various interest groups reflect his liberal views. Since 2009, he has been rated 100 percent in accordance with the interests of the following interest groups, among others: American Public Health Association, Americans for Democratic America, and NARAL Pro-Choice America.votesmart.org
, Data on interest group ratings, voting record, and issue positions, retrieved 11/23/10.
Holt was a member of the
New Democrat Coalition The New Democrat Coalition is a caucus in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress made up of Democrats, primarily centrists, who take a pro-business stance and a moderate-to-conservative approach to fiscal matters. As of ...
and the
Congressional Progressive Caucus The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is a congressional caucus affiliated with the Democratic Party in the United States Congress. The CPC represents the most left-leaning faction of the Democratic Party. " e Congressional Progressive Cau ...
. In the 113th Congress, he served as co-chair of the Energy Task Force in the
New Democrat Coalition The New Democrat Coalition is a caucus in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress made up of Democrats, primarily centrists, who take a pro-business stance and a moderate-to-conservative approach to fiscal matters. As of ...
. He received a grade of 100% on the progressive
Drum Major Institute The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy (DMI) is a non-profit American progressive think tank and community action group. The group was founded in 1961 in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. It later became defunct until it was relaunched ...
's 2005 and 2007 Congressional Scorecards on middle-class issues, and he was consistently scored well by that organization. ;Environment As a member of the
House Committee on Natural Resources The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources or Natural Resources Committee (often referred to as simply Resources) is a Congressional committee of the United States House of Representatives. Originally called the Committee on Interior and Ins ...
, Holt supported legislation to clean up the environment and cap greenhouse gas emissions, and he promoted the development and use of alternative energy sources. He reintroduced the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act in 2011, co-sponsored the No New Drilling Act in 2012 to prevent new oil drilling on the
Outer Continental Shelf The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is a feature of the geography of the United States. The OCS is the part of the internationally recognized continental shelf of the United States which does not fall under the jurisdictions of the individual U. ...
, co-sponsored the Oceans Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 21), founded the Children's Environmental Health Caucus to raise awareness about environmental issues pertaining to children's health, and secured funding to preserve open space and recreation areas. On September 21, 2012, Holt voted against the Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 (H.R. 3409), a bill passed in the House (233 - 175). On July 30, 2010, he voted for the Offshore Drilling Regulations and Other Energy Law Amendments Bill (H.R. 3534), which passed in the House. On June 26, 2009, Holt voted for the Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade") Bill (H.R. 2454), which passed in the House by a narrow margin of 219 to 212. He also voted for the Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits Bill (H.R. 7060) to extend energy efficiency tax credits, as well as various individual and business tax credits. Holt maintained a 100 percent lifetime rating from the
League of Conservation Voters The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environmen ...
since 1999, in addition to a 100 percent rating by
Environment America Environment America is a federation of state-based environmental advocacy organizations in the United States. The organization researches and advocates for environmental policies through lobbying, litigation, and the mobilization of public suppor ...
in 2008, 2009, and 2011, and a 100 percent rating by
Defenders of Wildlife Defenders of Wildlife is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization based in the United States. It works to protect all native animals and plants throughout North America in their natural communities. Background Defenders of Wildlife is a n ...
Action Fund from 2003 to 2008. On November 12, 2012, the New Jersey Sierra Club awarded Holt the Outstanding Achievement Award for his environmental conservation efforts. A September 2012 ''
Nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...
'' article featured Holt and his rare background as a research scientist: "
olt Olt or OLT may refer to: People: * Károly Olt (1904–1985), Hungarian politician * Mike Olt (born 1988), American baseball player Places: * Olt County, a county (județ) of Romania * Olt (river), a river in Romania ** Olt Defile, a defile that ...
thinks what is equally important is having more scientific thinking, even among the non-scientists in government ... olt states 'I'm more interested in the way that scientists are trained to deal with uncertainty, to deal with evidence and statistical reasoning, things that are lacking in the political debate.' When it comes to global warming, for instance, Representative Holt says we don't need people in Congress who understand atmospheric pressure, or glaciation. We simply need them to be open to the idea that evidence might disprove what they think they know. And that, he says, is thinking like a scientist." Discussing science's role in policy and government, Holt points out a fallacy in the way people think about science: "The ethic in the profession is that you stick to your science, and if you're interested in how science affects public policy or public questions, just let the facts speak for themselves. Of course, there's a fallacy there, too. Facts are, by themselves, voiceless." ;Education Holt is a strong supporter of educational initiatives, but questions the ways in which science is taught. "Our real problem is not that we're failing to produce excellent scientists, because we are roducing them but rather that we have failed to maintain an appreciation for and understanding of science in the general population." He is concerned that science education since 1958 may have created a population that is largely disconnected from scientific thinking. "We left behind about 80% of the population because we teach science in the schools primarily for future scientists." Holt emphasizes the importance to all citizens of empirically-based thinking: While co-chair of the Research and Development Caucus, a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, and serving on the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, Holt worked on crafting several comprehensive education policies. He helped write the College Cost Reduction Act - the largest college aid expansion bill since the GI bill - which drastically reduced student loan interest rates and included Holt's provision to provide upfront tuition assistance for math, science, and foreign language teachers. He also helped establish the "American Opportunity" tax credit to alleviate the burden of college tuition for low- and moderate-income students. Furthermore, Holt helped enact the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, which provides states with funding to reduce budget shortfalls and keep teachers in their classrooms. For his significant legislative work on and support for all education initiatives, but also for legislation to strengthen national security through expansion and improvement of foreign language study, and to increase foreign language capacity in the U.S. intelligence community and throughout the federal government by expanding education in critical need foreign languages, Holt received the Foreign Language Advocacy Award from the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in 2005. On May 28, 2010, Holt voted in support of the Science and Technology Funding Bill (H.R. 5116), a bill passed in the House that provided funding for science and technology research and development purposes. Formerly the Assistant Director at
Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...
's
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory for plasma physics and nuclear fusion science. Its primary mission is research into and development of fusion as an energy source. It is known ...
, Holt sought to promote involvement in programs of
STEM fields Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is an umbrella term used to group together the distinct but related technical disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The term is typically used in the context of ...
. He successfully defended funding for the Department of Education's Mathematics and Science Partnerships programs. As a result of his efforts, he was repeatedly given an "A" rating by the
National Education Association The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the United States. It represents public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college stud ...
after 2007, along with a 100 percent approval rating by the
National Association for College Admission Counseling The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 25,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students transitioning from secondary to postsecondary education. ...
in 2006 and 2009–2011. On January 22, 2013, Holt introduced a resolution designating February 12, 2013 (
Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...
's 204th birthday), as " Darwin Day" in order to recognize "the importance of sciences in the betterment of
human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
ity". ;Social issues On his website, Holt stated, "Since coming to Congress, I have fought for fairness in health care coverage, worked to protect victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, supported equal pay for equal work, and sought gender equity in schools." While a Congressman, he strongly believed in women's right to make decisions about their health care, without interference by the government, and supported
Roe v. Wade ''Roe v. Wade'', 410 U.S. 113 (1973),. was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States conferred the right to have an abortion. The decision struck down many federal and s ...
. Holt successfully opposed legislation that would have prevented access to birth control, eliminated funding for
Title X The Title X Family Planning Program is the only federal grant program dedicated to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. It was enacted under President Richard Nixon in 1970 as part of th ...
(the national family planning program), and denied federal funding to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood and the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association consistently issued an approval rating of 100 percent for Holt beginning in 1995, while the
NARAL Pro-Choice America NARAL Pro-Choice America, commonly known as simply NARAL ( ), is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization in the United States that engages in lobbying, political action, and advocacy efforts to oppose restrictions on abortion, to expand access to ...
rated Holt 100 percent beginning in 1999. Holt also sponsored the Helping Seniors Choose their Medicare Drug Plan Act (H.R. 3152), which increased the access that low-income healthcare recipients have to prescription drugs under Medicare and Medicaid. With the Protection Against Wrongful Voter Purges Act (H.R. 3835), Holt attempted to regulate the removal of voters' names from eligibility lists to ensure the validity of those lists. With the Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools in Counterterrorism Efforts (JUSTICE) Act of 2009 (H.R. 4005), Holt increased limits on governmental power with respect to counterterrorism efforts.


Committee assignments

*
Committee on Education and the Workforce The Committee on Education and Labor is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. There are 50 members in this committee. Since 2019, the chair of the Education and Labor committee is Robert Cortez Scott of Virginia. Hi ...
** Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training ** Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions * Committee on Natural Resources ** Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (Ranking Member) ** Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation


Caucus memberships

*Research and Development Caucus (Founder, Co-Chair) *Historic Preservation Caucus (Co-Chair) *Biomedical Research Caucus (Co-Chair) *Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (Vice Chair) *Alzheimer's Caucus *Children's Environmental Health Caucus *Diabetes Caucus * International Conservation Caucus *Renewable Energy Caucus *Sustainable Development Caucus *Congressional Arts Caucus


2013 U.S. Senate election

On June 6, 2013, Holt became the first Democrat to become a candidate in the
special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...
to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of
Frank Lautenberg Frank Raleigh Lautenberg (; January 23, 1924 June 3, 2013) was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician who served as United States Senator from New Jersey from 1982 to 2001, and again from 2003 until his death in 2013. He was ori ...
. He lost the August 13, 2013, primary to
Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the junior United States senator from New Jersey since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Booker is the first African-American U.S. se ...
. Booker was subsequently elected to the Senate in 2013, and re-elected in 2014.


Post-congressional career

As Holt's final term in Congress was ending, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) announced that he would become its
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especial ...
and executive publisher of the ''Science'' family of journals, succeeding Alan I. Leshner. Upon accepting the position, Holt praised the AAAS mission statement and said, "Fostering science and public engagement and advancing science in international affairs is what I've been doing for decades in one way or another." He serves on the Advisory Board of the '' Journal of Science Policy & Governance''. He retired from AAAS in September, 2019. Holt is currently a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.


References


External links

* *
Profile
at
SourceWatch The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) is a progressive nonprofit watchdog and advocacy organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. CMD publishes ExposedbyCMD.org, SourceWatch.org, and ALECexposed.org. History CMD was founded in 1993 by prog ...
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Holt, Rush D. Jr. 1948 births American astrophysicists 21st-century American physicists American Quakers Carleton College alumni Living people Jeopardy! contestants New York University alumni People from Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey People from Weston, West Virginia Princeton University faculty Swarthmore College faculty 21st-century American politicians Fellows of the American Physical Society