Biography

Congressman Berry poses with his wife, Carolyn Berry.

Family Background
United States Representative Marion Berry has represented the people of Arkansas' First Congressional District since 1997. Berry, born on August 27, 1942, grew up in the Bayou Meto community near DeWitt. He graduated from DeWitt High School in 1960 and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arkansas College of Pharmacy in 1965. He was a pharmacist in North Little Rock at Argenta Drug Company and, later, at Don's Pharmacy from 1965-1967. Berry feels he may have received his most meaningful education listening to older and wiser Arkansans from a seat on the loafer's bench at the One Horse Store in Bayou Meto. From 1968 to 2005, Berry farmed rice and soybeans on the family farm in Gillett, Arkansas.

History of Public Service
Berry has dedicated his life to serving the people of Arkansas. He served on the Gillett City Council from 1977 to 1980. From 1986 to 1994, he was tapped by the governor to serve on the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission and in 1992 was selected by his colleagues to chair the commission. As commissioner, he was instrumental in the development and implementation of progressive programs to meet the needs of Arkansas farmers and sportsmen while protecting the environment, specifically ground and surface water supplies.

Washington, DC
After eight years of service in Arkansas, Berry was asked by the President to travel to Washington, D.C. and serve as the Special Assistant to the President for Agricultural Trade and Food Assistance in 1993. During this time, Berry also advised the President and other Administration officials as a member of the White House Domestic Policy Council. In 1996, Berry decided to run for the Congressional seat representing his hometown in Eastern Arkansas. Berry was elected to U.S. Congress by a strong majority on November 5, 1996. In 2003, Berry was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee and serves on the Homeland Security and Energy and Water subcommittees.

Congressman Berry poses with his family on the steps of the Capitol.

Family
Representative Berry and his wife Carolyn celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in August 2002. The Berrys have two children and four grandchildren. Ann, their first born, is married to Jim Coggin and lives in Jackson, MS. They have two children, James and Caroline. Mitch lives with his wife Aimee in Little Rock. They have a daughter named Lauren and a son named Mitchell. Marion and Carolyn live in Arkansas County and are members of the Gillett United Methodist Church. Marion is an avid hunter and fisherman.

While Congress is in session in Washington, D.C., Congressman Berry is always accessible and encourages anyone from the First Congressional District to call or stop by his office if they are in the nation's capital. Berry returns to Arkansas nearly every weekend, keeping an aggressive schedule to stay in touch with constituents, meet with local leaders and attend community events.

A Leader Who Fights for Arkansas
United States Representative Marion Berry was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1996. Berry, a lifelong resident of Arkansas County, has been recognized for his effective leadership on a range of national issues while fulfilling his commitment to faithfully represent the citizens of the First Congressional District of Arkansas in Washington, D.C.

Working for Farmers
As a member of the House Agriculture committee from 1997-2002, Berry tirelessly fought for the interests of family farmers across the country, and in particular farmers in Arkansas' First Congressional District. He was instrumental in passing the 2002 Farm Bill that gives farmers the safety net they need to continue producing the safest and most bountiful food and fiber supply in history. Citing the enormous economic benefits that the Arkansas farm economy would reap, Berry has also been an outspoken supporter of re-opening trade with Cuba. In 2006, Congressman Berry also received the Harvey W. McGeorge Award from the Pine Bluff Rotary Club for his accomplishments in agriculture.

Congressman Berry meets with the Arkansas National Guard and Reserves on their return from Iraq.

Supporting America's Military
Since coming to Congress in 1997, Berry has placed national security and supporting our military servicemen and women at the top of his legislative agenda. After the tragic events of September 11th, his commitment to these issues has only grown. Congressman Berry continues to work to provide our troops with the equipment and supplies necessary to keep them safe, while at the same time ensuring the funding to provide the benefits they are entitled to and have earned. Berry has also worked to increase funding for the VA and block proposals to increase premiums and prescription drug co-payments for Veterans seeking access to health care. Recently, Veterans' organizations joined Berry and other devoted House Members to end the Survivor Benefit Penalty. He will continue to work to ensure this provision is passed by the Senate, and enacted into law.

Blue Dog Coalition
Berry, a member of the conservative Blue Dog coalition, prioritizes protecting the financial future of our children and grandchildren by paying down the national debt and safeguarding the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. In pursuit of this goal, Berry introduced the Social Security Protection/ Balanced Budget Amendment [SSP/BBA] in March 2002, legislation that would amend the U.S. Constitution and require Congress to balance the federal budget annually without using revenue from the Social Security trust fund.

For more information on the Blue Dog Coalition, visit their home page.

Improving Infrastructure
As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from 1997-2002, Berry has won hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants to modernize Arkansas' transportation infrastructure. He understands the critical role that well-maintained highways and expanded regional airports have in a growing economy.

Congressman Berry works to improve Medicare benefits at a pharmacy in Little Rock.

Lowering Prescription Drug Prices
As the only licensed pharmacist in Congress and a founder and co-chair of the House Prescription Drug Task Force, Representative Berry has earned a reputation as an articulate advocate for seniors by fighting to pass legislation to make prescription drugs more affordable. Emphasizing the fact that U.S. citizens pay more for their prescription drugs than citizens in any other country, Berry originated and introduced a bill that allows for the re-importation of FDA-approved prescription drugs, made in FDA-approved facilities, into the United States from other countries. Berry's legislation passed in October 2000, and he has been joined by a growing number of Members in urging the implementation of the policy ever since. Berry also played an influential role in formulating legislation to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare in 2003 as he served with Democrats Charlie Rangel and John Dingell on the Conference Committee to finalize compromise legislation. Unfortunately, Berry and his Democratic colleagues were excluded from much of the debate, but Berry continues to fight with new legislation to ensure seniors get the full prescription drug coverage they deserve under Medicare. Most recently, Congressman Berry introduced The Prescription Drug Savings Act, which would give Medicare beneficiaries the option to receive their drugs through one Medicare-administered benefit rather than a private plan, using Medicare's power to negotiate directly with drug companies on their behalf to lower prices.

Fighting Meth
Berry also has won millions of dollars in funding for local law enforcement agencies in the First Congressional District and has been at the forefront of the fight to stop the Bush Administration's plan to end federal funding for the Clinton-era program that has helped local departments hire 100,000 new police officers. This source of funding has played a critical role in reducing crime all across the country and particularly in rural communities. As member of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamines, Berry has led the crusade to focus attention and federal resources on this serious and growing problem in Arkansas and around the country. In 2005, Arkansas enacted legislation making solid forms of pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine containing products Schedule V Controlled Substances. However, even with this new law in place, Arkansas continues to struggle with problems relating to the lack of a national plan to help deal with methamphetamine abuse and have encountered difficulty interfacing its law with less restrictive laws in other states. For this reason Berry introduced the Ephedrine Alkaloids Regulation Act of 2005, which would classify these products as Schedule V throughout the nation, limiting meth-cookers access to key ingredients. Berry will continue to press forward with legislation to protect all citizens from the meth plague.

Delta Regional Authority
Since coming to Congress, Berry has made improvement of the Mississippi Delta region one of his top priorities. He introduced and passed the legislation that created the Delta Regional Authority - a federal, state and local partnership that works to improve the Delta region's economy and the lives of those who live and work in the area.

For more information on the Delta Regional Authority, visit their home page.

Congressman Berry meets with civics students from Green County Tech Junior High School.

Education: Key to Our Economic Future
Understanding that long-term prosperity is closely tied to quality education, Congressman Berry has consistently worked to improve education in First Congressional District and throughout Arkansas by securing millions of dollars in federal funds for Head Start, school construction and student loan programs. He supports expanding education opportunities for all children and focusing on the steps necessary to revolutionize the education system in America, specifically smaller class sizes, more and better-trained teachers, and modernized classrooms. He also is dedicated to opening the door to a college education to more people. Finally, Berry feels as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors, we all need to recognize our responsibility to instill our children with the values they need to grow-up happy, healthy and well-educated.

Committees and Caucuses

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security
• Blue Dog Coalition, Health Care Task Force, Co-Chair
• House Democratic Health Care Task Force, Co-Chair
• House Affordable Medicine Task Force, Co-Chair
• Congressional Brain Injury Caucus
• Congressional Delta Caucus
• Congressional Hazards Caucus
• Congressional Methamphetamine Caucus
• Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus
• Congressional Rural Caucus
• Congressional Silk Road Caucus
• Congressional Soybean Caucus, Co-Chair
• Congressional Steel Caucus
• House Biotechnology Caucus
• House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
• New Democrat Coalition
• New Madrid Working Group, Co-Chair
• Rural Health Care Coalition
• Rural Working Group
• Shipbuilders Caucus