Fleming, J Rep

<div>House Republicans pushed their attack on the Obama administration's social cost of carbon during a hearing on Wednesday, saying that it "rejects reality" and questioning the underlying science.House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said the measurement — used to calculate the economic benefits of regulations targeting greenhouse emissions — was based on formulas that are "highly speculative.""This administration rejects reality to enforce some kind of dogma," Bishop said.<div id="dfp-ad-mosad_1-wrapper" class="dfp-tag-wrapper wrapper" style="position: relative; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" />Republicans have fought against the metric and its use by federal agencies to develop new energy regulations.“I get the impression that politics is leading science, rather than science is leading policy," Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) added.Scott Segal, founding partner of the Policy Resolution Group, told the Committee that the metric could be easily altered to justify any costly regulations."Give me a low enough discount rate, and a long enough time period, and we can justify government spending on anything you can imagine," Segal said. "This tool can be used to be an incredible waster of money."But Michael Dorsey, interim director of the Energy and Environment Program at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, said the formula is too conservative in estimating the costs of emissions."A higher [discount] rate would accelerate efforts to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere," Dorsey said.The discount rate is one part of calculating the social cost of carbon.Democrats, though, defended the measurement and said it was crucial to helping address climate change.Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) asked the panel of experts whether the government should incorporate any kind of cost benefit analysis into carbon regulations and three of the four witnesses answered "yes."All of us understand that the longer we wait to address climate change, the more it will cost to combat climate change," Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) said.</div><div>
<div>Congressman John Fleming (R-LA) is going to have a rough news cycle after his office <a href="http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/02/congressman-falls-months-old-onion-story-about-planned-parenthood-abortionplex/48344/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">posted a link</a> to an outrageous story about Planned Parenthood’s intentions to build an $8 billion “abortionplex,” complete with shopping mall, movie theater and three-story night club. It’s a laughable commentary on the outrageous charges that anti-choice groups use to attack Planned Parenthood, from one of the finest purveyors of satire, but the joke appears to have been lost on Fleming.“More on Planned Parenthood, abortion by the wholesale,” wrote Rep. Fleming (or more likely an overzealous staffer) before linking to the post. Just hours after the link was posted, Rep. Fleming’s office deleted the post, but not before the blog <a href="http://literallyunbelievable.org/post/17153265749/how-exactly-did-you-get-elected" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Literally Unbelievable</a> grabbed a screenshot:</div><div></div><div>
</div><div>wiki</div><div>
</div><div>John Calvin Fleming, Jr. (born July 5, 1951) is an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">American</a> politician, physician, and businessman who has served as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Representative" title="U.S. Representative" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">U.S. Representative</a> for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana%27s_4th_congressional_district" title="Louisiana's 4th congressional district" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Louisiana's 4th congressional district</a> since 2009. Fleming, a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party(United_States)" title="Republican Party (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Republican Party</a>, is from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minden,Louisiana" title="Minden, Louisiana" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Minden</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana" title="Louisiana" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Louisiana</a>. A member of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_the_American_Revolution" title="Sons of the American Revolution" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Sons of the American Revolution</a> and the Jamestowne Society,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-2" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[2]</a> Fleming is only the second Republican to hold his seat since <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstruction_era_of_the_United_States" title="Reconstruction era of the United States" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Reconstruction</a>.<div id="toc" class="toc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 7px; display: table; zoom: 1; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249);"><div id="toctitle" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><h2 style="color: black; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; display: inline; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Contents</h2>  [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#" class="internal" id="togglelink" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">hide</a>] </div><ul style="line-height: 1.6; list-style-type: none; margin: 0.3em 0px; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#Early_life.2C_education_and_family" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1 Early life, education and family</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#Medical_career" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2 Medical career</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#Business_career" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3 Business career</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#Webster_Parish_coroner" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4 Webster Parish coroner</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#U.S.House_of_Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5 U.S. House of Representatives</a><ul style="line-height: 1.6; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#Elections" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.1 Elections</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#Tenure" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.2 Tenure</a><ul style="line-height: 1.6; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-8" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#2011_tax_plan_comments" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.2.1 2011 tax plan comments</a></li><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-9" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#2013_budget_cuts_statement" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.2.2 2013 budget cuts statement</a></li><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-10" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#2013_work_to_reform_healthcare" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.2.3 2013 work to reform healthcare</a></li><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-11" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#2013_efforts_to_protect_religious_liberties_in_the_military" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.2.4 2013 efforts to protect religious liberties in the military</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#Committee_assignments" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.3 Committee assignments</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#Caucus_memberships" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5.4 Caucus memberships</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#See_also" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">6 See also</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-15" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#References" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7 References</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#External_links" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">8 External links</a></li></ul></div><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Early life, education and family[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=1&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Early life, education and family" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>Fleming was born in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meridian,Mississippi" title="Meridian, Mississippi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Meridian</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauderdale_County,Mississippi" title="Lauderdale County, Mississippi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Lauderdale County</a> in eastern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi" title="Mississippi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Mississippi</a>. He grew up in a working class home in which his mother became disabled and could not work when he was still young. Just prior to his high school graduation, Fleming's father died of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocardial_infarction" title="Myocardial infarction" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">heart attack</a>, and he had to work his way through college. He attended the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Mississippi" title="University of Mississippi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">University of Mississippi</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford,MS" title="Oxford, MS" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Oxford, MS</a> and was awarded his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Science" title="Bachelor of Science" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Bachelor of Science</a> degree in 1973. He went on to attend medical school at the same university, but at the Jackson, MS campus and received his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Medicine" title="Doctor of Medicine" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">M.D.</a> degree in 1976.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-3" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[3]</a> He entered the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">United States </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Navy</a> to continue his medical training in 1976 and served until 1982 after completing his residency in 1979.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-4" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[4]</a> Fleming and his wife, Cindy, married in 1978. The couple has four children.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-MeridianStar_Brown_20070627-5" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[5]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Medical career[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=2&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Medical career" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>After earning his medical degree, Fleming was chief resident in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_medicine" title="Family medicine" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">family medicine</a> at the Naval Regional Medical Center in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Pendleton,California" title="Camp Pendleton, California" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Camp Pendleton</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" title="California" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">California</a>. He also trained at the drug and alcohol treatment unit at the Navy Regional Medical Center in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach,California" title="Long Beach, California" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Long Beach</a>, California.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-MeridianStar_Brown_20070627-5" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[5]</a> Serving in the Navy after his residency, Fleming practiced family medicine on the island of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guam" title="Guam" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Guam</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-6" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[6]</a> From 1979 to 1981, he was the director of drug and alcohol treatment and chairman of the Navy Family Advocacy Committee. He subsequently performed similar duties in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston,South_Carolina" title="Charleston, South Carolina" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Charleston</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina" title="South Carolina" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">South Carolina</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-MeridianStar_Brown_20070627-5" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[5]</a>After leaving the Navy, Fleming established his practice in Minden in August 1982. His first clinic was on Pearl Street across from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Post_Office" title="United States Post Office" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">United States Post Office</a>. He chose Minden for his city of residence because, in his words, it "has small-town charm, warm essence of life, long, lazy summer days with watermelon cuts and family reunions."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-7" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[7]</a>To attract patients to his new practice, Fleming announced evening and Saturday morning hours to accommodate working people and students.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-8" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[8]</a>Fleming received a certification from the American Board of Family Practice<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-MeridianStar_Brown_20070627-5" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[5]</a> and joined the staff of the Minden Medical Center.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-MindenHospital_Staff-9" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[9]</a> Fleming also joined the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians (LAFP). In 2007, he was chosen as the LAFP "Louisiana Family Practice Physician of the Year."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-MeridianStar_Brown_20070627-5" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[5]</a>Fleming previously worked with chemically dependent persons through the program called "New Beginnings" at the Minden Medical Center.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-10" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[10]</a> His book, Preventing Addiction: What Parents Must Know to Immunize Their Kids Against Drug And Alcohol Addiction was published in 2006.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-11" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[11]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Business career[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=3&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Business career" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>Fleming is a businessman who owns thirty-six <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subway(restaurant)" title="Subway (restaurant)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Subway sandwich shops</a> in North Louisiana<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-mph-12" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-Politico_Kraushaar_20081117-13" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[13]</a> and Fleming Expansions, LLC, a regional developer for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Parcel_Service" title="United Parcel Service" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The UPS Store</a>, with outlets in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-mph-12" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Webster Parish coroner[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=4&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Webster Parish coroner" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>In 1987, Fleming entered the race for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coroner" title="Coroner" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">coroner</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster_Parish,Louisiana" title="Webster Parish, Louisiana" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Webster Parish</a> against the incumbent, the late Dr. Charles Hancock, but withdrew after learning the position would take too much time from his regular medical duties.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-14" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[14]</a>In 1995, he ran for coroner again. He defeated the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonpartisan" title="Nonpartisan" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">nonpartisan</a> candidate, Dr. Carlos A. Irizarry, 7,842 votes and 60.6%, to 5,143 votes with 39.6%. Fleming succeeded <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Democratic</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incumbent" title="Incumbent" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">incumbent</a> Dr. Carl A. Hines, from Minden, who did not seek re-election.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-Politico_Kraushaar_20081117-13" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[13]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-ElectionResults_19951021-15" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[15]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">U.S. House of Representatives[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=5&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: U.S. House of Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Elections<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=6&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Elections" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><dl style="margin-top: 0.2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><dt style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.1em;">2008</dt></dl>Fleming entered the race for the District 4 House seat after the 21-year incumbent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_McCrery" title="Jim McCrery" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jim McCrery</a> announced his retirement from the House. Fleming received political support from the LAFP and the American Academy of Family Physicians' (AAFP) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_action_committee" title="Political action committee" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">political action committee</a> for his campaign.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-LAFP_support-16" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[16]</a>Fleming supported the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FairTax" title="FairTax" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">FairTax</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-mph-12" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[12]</a> which would replace the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_tax" title="Income tax" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">income tax</a> with a flat rate on consumption, as defined in the legislation, of 23 percent of the total payment on personal consumption.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-Money_Regnier_20060907-17" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[17]</a>The primary and subsequent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runoff_election" title="Runoff election" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">runoff election</a> were delayed because of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gustav" title="Hurricane Gustav" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hurricane Gustav</a>.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] In the October 4, 2008, Republican <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_primary" title="Closed primary" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">closed primary</a>, Fleming ran against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_R.Thompson" title="Jeff R. Thompson" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jeff R. Thompson</a>, a lawyer from Bossier City, and Chris Gorman.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] In the election, no candidate received a majority of the votes. Fleming led with 14,500 votes (35.1 percent), followed by Gorman with 14,072 votes (34.1 percent), and Thompson with 12,693 votes (30.8 percent).<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-ElectionResults_20081004-18" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[18]</a> This established a primary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runoff_election" title="Runoff election" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">runoff</a> between Fleming and Gorman which was held on November 4, along with the national presidential election.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]In the runoff, Fleming defeated Gorman, 43,012 votes (55.6 percent) to 34,405 (44.4 percent) and carried all but one of the thirteen parishes in the district.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-Election_Results_20081104-19" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[19]</a>In the 2006 race against McCrery, "Catfish" Kelley ran as a Republican and drew 12 percent of the vote under the old primary format.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-ElectionResults_20061107-20" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[20]</a> In 2008, his 3 percent was far more than the margin between Fleming and Carmouche. A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plurality(voting)" title="Plurality (voting)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">plurality</a> is sufficient to win the general election—which, along with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana%27s_2nd_congressional_district" title="Louisiana's 2nd congressional district" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">District 2</a> race, were the last congressional races in the nation in 2008.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-CQPolitics_20081111-21" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[21]</a>Outgoing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_President_of_the_United_States" title="Vice President of the United States" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Vice President</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Cheney" title="Dick Cheney" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Dick Cheney</a> appeared in Shreveport on November 21 to speak at a fundraiser for Fleming.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-ShreveportTimes_Prine_20081122-22" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[22]</a> Politico.com indicated that McCrery supports Fleming but had made no official endorsement and had not appeared at any of Fleming's campaign events.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-Politico_Kraushaar_20081117-13" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[13]</a> On December 2, McCrery spoke on Fleming's behalf in an appearance on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_Griffon" title="Moon Griffon" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The Moon Griffon Show</a> radio program, which is syndicated in most Louisiana media markets. He used the argument that Carmouche, if successful, would cast his first vote for Speaker <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi" title="Nancy Pelosi" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Nancy Pelosi</a> of California.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-23" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[23]</a>On December 10, 2008, Paul Carmouche formally conceded the election to Fleming.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-24" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[24]</a>Political consultant <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Fletcher" title="Lee Fletcher" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Lee Fletcher</a> managed Fleming's campaign for Congress and served for the first few months in the term as Fleming's chief of staff.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Fletcher died at the age of forty-three on September 30, 2009.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] He had been the chief of staff to U.S. Representative <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cooksey" title="John Cooksey" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">John Cooksey</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana%27s_5th_congressional_district" title="Louisiana's 5th congressional district" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Louisiana's 5th congressional district</a>.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] In 2002, Fletcher lost the 5th District race to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Alexander" title="Rodney Alexander" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Rodney Alexander</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Parish,Louisiana" title="Jackson Parish, Louisiana" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jackson Parish</a>, then a Democrat who later became a Republican in August 2004.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>]<dl style="margin-top: 0.2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><dt style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.1em;">2010</dt></dl><div class="hatnote boilerplate seealso" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">See also: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Louisiana,2010#District_4" title="United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana, 2010" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana, 2010 § District 4</a></div>Fleming was unopposed in the Republican primary in 2010 but was challenged by the Democratic nominee, David R. Melville, a United Methodist minister from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bossier_City" title="Bossier City" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bossier City</a> and the brother-in-law of former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Louisiana" title="Governor of Louisiana" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Governor</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Roemer" title="Buddy Roemer" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Buddy Roemer</a>.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Artis Cash, a Shreveport community organizer, ran as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent(politics)" title="Independent (politics)" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Independent</a> in the general election.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Buddy Roemer, then still a Republican and later a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, supported David Melville in the general election.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-25" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[25]</a>Fleming was reelected with 62.3% of the vote. Melville received 32.4% of the popular vote, and Independent candidate Dr. Artis Cash, an African American minister, trailed with 5.3%.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Fleming presented himself as an anti-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Obama</a> Republican who would work to repeal the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act" title="Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act</a>.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">citation needed</a>] Fleming said that Democratic policies were out of step with his district and most of America.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-26" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[26]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-27" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[27]</a><dl style="margin-top: 0.2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><dt style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.1em;">2012</dt></dl>Fleming was unopposed by a Democratic candidate in his 2012 re-election bid in his district that is 2 to 1 Democratic registration but has a Cook PVI of R +11.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[28]</a> In the November 6, 2012 general election, Fleming instead faced opposition from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party(United_States)" title="Libertarian Party (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Libertarian</a> candidate, Randall Lord of Shreveport, a former chiropractor studying psychology at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_State_University_in_Shreveport" title="Louisiana State University in Shreveport" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Louisiana State University in Shreveport</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[29]</a> Fleming defeated Lord, 187,790 (75.3 percent) to 61,587 (24.7 percent).<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-30" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a><dl style="margin-top: 0.2em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><dt style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.1em;">2014</dt></dl>On April 4, 2013, Fleming announced that he would not in 2014 seek the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">United States Senate</a> held since 1997 by the Democratic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Landrieu" title="Mary Landrieu" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Mary Landrieu</a>. Instead his colleague, U.S. Representative <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Cassidy" title="Bill Cassidy" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bill Cassidy</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baton_Rouge,Louisiana" title="Baton Rouge, Louisiana" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Baton Rouge</a>, had announced on April 3 that he would challenge Landrieu. In his statement, Fleming said: "For me to enter the race now would risk a contest between two experienced Republican congressmen, potentially offering Senator Landrieu a path back to Washington. I can't let that happen."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-31" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[31]</a>In August 2013, Fleming endorsed Republican <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_State_Senate" title="Louisiana State Senate" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">State Senator</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Riser" title="Neil Riser" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Neil Riser</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,Louisiana" title="Columbia, Louisiana" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Columbia</a> as his choice to succeed his retiring colleague Rodney Alexander of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Parish,Louisiana" title="Jackson Parish, Louisiana" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jackson Parish</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana%27s_5th_congressional_district" title="Louisiana's 5th congressional district" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Louisiana's 5th congressional district</a>. The<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_election" title="Special election" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">special election</a> to choose a successor to Alexander will be held on October 19.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-32" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[32]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tenure<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=7&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Tenure" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">2011 tax plan comments<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=8&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2011 tax plan comments" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In a September 19, 2011 interview on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSNBC" title="MSNBC" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">MSNBC</a>, in which Fleming criticized President Obama's proposed plan to increase taxes on the wealthy, Fleming told host <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Jansing" title="Chris Jansing" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Chris Jansing</a>, "The amount that I have to invest in my business and feed my family is more like $600,000 of that $6.3 million.... So by the time I feed my family I have, maybe, $400,000 left over to invest in new locations, upgrade my locations, buy more equipment." When Jansing asked Fleming if he thought the "average person" might be unsympathetic to Fleming's position, Fleming responded, "Class warfare never created a job...This is not about attacking people who make certain incomes. You know in this country, most people feel that being successful in their business is a virtue, not a vice, and once we begin to identify it as a vice, this country is going down."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-alpert-33" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[33]</a>Fleming's remarks were widely reported and resulted in considerable commentary. Bruce Alpert, of Louisiana newspaper <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Times-Picayune" title="The Times-Picayune" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The Times-Picayune</a>, reported that "on liberal blogs, Fleming was portrayed as insensitive to millions of working Americans who are struggling to meet expenses in the face of high unemployment and stagnant wages." <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-alpert-33" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[33]</a> Conservative sources including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_O%27Reilly(political_commentator)" title="Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bill O'Reilly</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drudge_Report" title="Drudge Report" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Drudge Report</a> defended Fleming's remarks; Josh Beavers, publisher of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minden_Press-Herald" title="Minden Press-Herald" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Minden Press-Herald</a> in Fleming's hometown, wrote an editorial which stated, "[Fleming's] sentiment was only that the more taxes he pays the fewer people he can employ. High taxes on business owners thwart economic activity."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-alpert-33" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[33]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[34]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-35" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[35]</a><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">2013 budget cuts statement<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=9&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2013 budget cuts statement" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In 2013, Fleming was quoted in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes" title="Forbes" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Forbes</a> as saying:"Republicans in general, we desperately want a reduction in spending to get government back into balance. We would rather take some cuts in areas that we are not comfortable with than have no cuts at all."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-Forbes-36" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[36]</a> Forbes noted that Fleming's district includes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barksdale_Air_Force_Base" title="Barksdale Air Force Base" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Barksdale Air Force Base</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Polk" title="Fort Polk" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Fort Polk</a>, both major employers.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-Forbes-36" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[36]</a> At a discussion in February 2013 in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeRidder,Louisiana" title="DeRidder, Louisiana" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">DeRidder</a>, Fleming stated he would not vote to allow the government to cut $600 million from the defense plan.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-37" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[37]</a> Fleming voted against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_Control_Act_of_2011" title="Budget Control Act of 2011" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Budget Control Act of 2011</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[38]</a> the act which caused the automatic budget sequestration in March 2013.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-39" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[39]</a> In this November 21, 2011 statement Fleming criticized the Budget Control Act because of what he called "devastating cuts to military spending." <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-40" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[40]</a><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">2013 work to reform healthcare<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=10&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2013 work to reform healthcare" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In September 2013, Fleming cosponsored and introduced the Republican Study Committee’s American Health Care Reform Act, as an alternative to the soon-to-be-implemented Affordable Care Act, which Fleming said was “not fixable or repairable.” <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-National_Journal-41" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[41]</a>Also in September 2013, Fleming was among several conservative House Republicans who worked to defund and/or delay Obamacare in connection with government funding and debt ceiling legislation.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-Daily_Caller-42" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[42]</a><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">2013 efforts to protect religious liberties in the military<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=11&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2013 efforts to protect religious liberties in the military" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In June 2013, Fleming sponsored an amendment to a Defense spending bill requiring the military to accommodate, except in cases of military necessity, "actions and speech" reflecting the "conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs of the member." The amendment drew objections from President Obama, who said "commanders need discretion "to address potentially problematic speech and actions within their units." The amendment was approved by the House Armed Services Committee, and a companion measure passed in the Senate.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-www.NOLA.com-43" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[43]</a>In July 2013, the U.S. House passed a measure — sponsored by Fleming—that bars the Defense Department from appointing atheist chaplains. Fleming said ""The notion of an atheist chaplain is nonsensical; it's an oxymoron."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleming(U.S.politician)#cite_note-www.NOLA.com-43" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[43]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Committee assignments<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=12&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Committee assignments" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>Upon his election to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">United States House of Representatives</a>, Fleming was assigned to these committees:<ul style="line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); color: rgb(37, 37, 37);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_Armed_Services" title="United States House Committee on Armed Services" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Committee on Armed Services</a>,<ul style="line-height: 1.6; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Tactical_Air_and_Land_Forces" title="United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Armed_Services_Subcommittee_on_Strategic_Forces" title="United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Subcommittee on Strategic Forces</a>;</li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_Natural_Resources" title="United States House Committee on Natural Resources" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee on Natural Resources</a>,<ul style="line-height: 1.6; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Natural_Resources_Subcommittee_on_Energy_and_Mineral_Resources" title="United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Natural_Resources_Subcommittee_on_Fisheries,Wildlife,Oceans_and_Insular_Affairs" title="United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs</a> (Chairman)</li></ul></li></ul><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Caucus memberships<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=13&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Caucus memberships" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><ul style="line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); color: rgb(37, 37, 37);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Study_Committee" title="Republican Study Committee" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Republican Study Committee</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_Caucus" title="Tea Party Caucus" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Tea Party Caucus</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Co-chair of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addiction,Treatment_and_Recovery_Caucus" title="Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus</a></li></ul><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">See also[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Fleming(U.S.politician)&action=edit&section=14&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: See also" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><ul style="line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physicians_in_US_Congress" title="Physicians in US Congress" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Physicians in US Congress</a></li></ul></div><div>=</div></div>