Jay Dickey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's4th district | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Beryl Anthony Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Mike Ross |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jay Woodson Dickey Jr. (1939-12-14)December 14, 1939 Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | April 20, 2017(2017-04-20) (aged 77) Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Betty Clark (divorced 1987) |
| Children | John, Laura, Ted, and Rachel |
| Education | Pine Bluff High School |
| Alma mater | Hendrix College University of Arkansas at Fayetteville University of Arkansas School of Law |
Jay Woodson Dickey Jr. (December 14, 1939 – April 20, 2017) was an American politician. A member of theRepublican Party, he wasU.S. Representative forArkansas's 4th congressional district from 1993 to 2001. The amendment known as theDickey Amendment (1996) blocks theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention from funding injury prevention research that might promotegun control, and theDickey–Wicker Amendment (1995) prohibits federal funds to be spent on research that involves the destruction of a humanembryo.
Born inPine Bluff,Arkansas, Dickey graduated fromPine Bluff High School in 1957; after attendingHendrix College inConway, Arkansas, he obtained hisBachelor of Arts in 1961 from theUniversity of Arkansas at Fayetteville. In 1963, he received hisJuris Doctor from theUniversity of Arkansas School of Law.[1] He began his career in law inprivate practice, and later served ascity attorney of Pine Bluff from 1968 to 1970.[1]
In 1988 then-GovernorBill Clinton appointed Dickey as a special justice for a case before theArkansas Supreme Court.[1]
On November 3, 1992, the same day as Clinton's election asU.S. President, Dickey defeated Arkansas Secretary of State William J. "Bill" McCuen, described as a "scandal-plagued Democratic nominee".[2] The first Republican to hold this House seat, he was re-elected three times. He served on theU.S. House Committee on Appropriations, and five of its subcommittees:[citation needed]Agriculture,National Security,Energy and Water,Transportation andLabor, Health and Human Services, and Education.[citation needed]
ASecond Amendment rights advocate, in 1996 Dickey responded to a supposed bias[3] on the part of theNational Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose research on firearm injuries and fatalities was deemed motivated by pro gun-control politics, rather than science.[4] Dickey successfully passedan amendment to eliminate $2.6 million from the CDC budget, reflecting the amount the CDC had previously spent on gun research.[4]
The outspoken, controversial, and conservative Dickey saw his popularity decline in his overall moderate district. In 2000, he lost in his reelection campaign to the Democratic candidateMike Ross in a close race. ThenHouse SpeakerDennis Hastert ofIllinois came into the district in a bid to save Dickey's seat, while President Clinton poured massive resources on behalf of Ross.[citation needed]
Dickey opposed Ross in 2002 in an attempt to return to his seat, but he was defeated, 60-40 percent.[5]
After leaving office, Dickey operated JD Consulting,[6] primarily a federal governmentlobbying firm, which represents clients' interest in children's health care, navigation and water, tax matters, homeland security, and roads.[7]
Following themass shooting inAurora,Colorado, Dickey publicly reversed his position on gun violence research. He said that he should not have become "theNRA's point person in Congress" to suppress valid and valuable work. He called for new scientific research in the field.[8]
Dickey died on April 20, 2017, after a long battle withParkinson's disease.[9]
The following are the electoral results from theArkansas's 4th congressional district for 1992–2002.[10]
| Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | W. J. "Bill" McCuen | 102,918 | 48% | Jay Dickey | 113,009 | 52% | ||
| 1994 | Jay Bradford | 81,370 | 48% | Jay Dickey | 87,469 | 52% | ||
| 1996 | Vincent Tolliver | 72,391 | 36% | Jay Dickey | 125,956 | 64% | ||
| 1998 | Judy Smith | 68,194 | 42% | Jay Dickey | 92,346 | 58% | ||
| 2000 | Mike Ross | 108,143 | 51% | Jay Dickey | 104,017 | 49% | ||
| 2002 | Mike Ross | 119,633 | 61% | Jay Dickey | 77,904 | 39% |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's 4th congressional district January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2001 | Succeeded by |
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