Howard Coble: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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{{shortShort description|American politician (1931–2015)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Howard Coble
|image = Howiecoble.jpegHoward Coble (1).jpg
|state1 = [[North Carolina]]
|district1 = {{ushr|North Carolina|6|6th}}
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|successor1 = [[Mark Walker (North Carolina politician)|Mark Walker]]
|state_house2 = North Carolina
|district2 = 27th<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/1900s/nc_1900s_house_1983-1984.html|title=North Carolina State House of Representatives - 1983-1984|website=www.carolana.com|accessdate=Apr 4, 2021}}</ref>
|term_start2 = 1983
|term_end2 = 1985
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|successor2 = Albert S. Lineberry<br>Frank Julian Sizemore, III
|state_house3 = North Carolina
|district3 = 23rd<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/1900s/nc_1900s_house_1979-1980.html|title=North Carolina State House of Representatives - 1979-1980|website=www.carolana.com|accessdate=Apr 4, 2021}}</ref>
|term_start3 = 1979
|term_end3 = 1983
|predecessor3 = Henry E. Frye<br>[[Thomas Odell Gilmore]]<br>Thomas B. Sawyer<br>William Marcus Short<br>Charles Edward Webb<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/1900s/nc_1900s_house_1977-1978.html|title=North Carolina State House of Representatives - 1977-1978|website=www.carolana.com|accessdate=Apr 4, 2021}}</ref>
|successor3 = [[George W. Miller, Jr.]]<br>William Paul Pulley, Jr.<br>Kenneth Bridgeforth Spaulding
|office4 = Secretary of the [[North Carolina Department of Revenue]]
|governor4 = [[James Holshouser]]
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|successor4 = Mark G. Lynch
|state_house6 = North Carolina
|district6 = 26th<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/1900s/nc_1900s_house_1969.html|title=North Carolina State House of Representatives - 1969|website=www.carolana.com|accessdate=Apr 4, 2021}}</ref>
|term_start6 = 1969
|term_end6 = 1971
|predecessor6 = [[Skipper Bowles|Hargrove Skipper Bowles, Jr.]]<br>Elton Edwards<br>James Gooden Exum, Jr.<br>Charles Wesley Phillips<br>Daniel P. Whitley, Jr.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/1900s/nc_1900s_house_1967.html|title=North Carolina State House of Representatives - 1967|website=www.carolana.com|accessdate=Apr 4, 2021}}</ref>
|successor6 = Clifton Tredway Hunt, Jr.<br>John McNeill Smith, Jr.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/1900s/nc_1900s_house_1971.html|title=North Carolina State House of Representatives - 1971|website=www.carolana.com|accessdate=Apr 4, 2021}}</ref>
|birth_name = John Howard Coble
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|3|18}}
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|rank = [[File:US-O6 insignia.svg|18px]] [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]]
|battles = [[Korean War]]
|module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Rep. Howard Coble Speaks in Support of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).oga|title=Howard Coble's voice|type=speech|description=Coble speaks in support of the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]], which he sponsored<br/>Recorded August 4, 1998}}
}}
'''John Howard Coble''' (March 18, 1931 – November 3, 2015) was aan American politician who was the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representativerepresentative]] for {{ushr|NC|6}}, serving from 1985 to 2015. He was a member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. The district includes all or portions of ten counties in the northern-central part of the state, including portions of [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]] and [[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]].
==Early life, education, and pre-political career==
Coble was born in [[Greensboro, North Carolina]], the son of Johnnie E. (Holt) and Joseph Howard Coble.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/coble.htm|title=coble|work=ancestry.com|access-date=5 November 2015}}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> After high school, he initially attended [[Appalachian State University]], but after a year joined the [[United States Coast Guard]], serving for over 5 years and staying on as a reservist for an additional 18 years. Upon discharging from military service, he attended [[Guilford College]], from which he received a history degree. He was a member of the Epsilon Iota chapter of [[Pi Kappa Phi]] fraternity at the [[The University of North Carolina at Greensboro]]. Coble then moved on to the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]] and earned a degree in law.
After graduating from college, Coble first worked as an insurance agent. He then spent nearly 20 years as a practicing attorney, and he was also Secretary of Revenue under North Carolina Governor [[James Holshouser]]. In 1979, Coble was elected to the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]], serving until his election to Congress.
==U.S. House of Representatives==
[[File:Howard Coble.jpg|thumb|right|Coble during the [[111th United States Congress|111th Congress]]]]
===Elections===
{{See also|2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina#District 6}}
Coble was first elected to Congress in 1984, narrowly defeating Walter Cockerham in the primary 51%–49%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=66122|title=Our Campaigns – NC District 6 – R Primary Race – May 08, 1984|work=ourcampaigns.com|access-date=31 August 2015}}</ref> In the general election, he defeated one-term [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] incumbent [[Robin Britt]] 51%–49%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=52123|title=Our Campaigns – NC District 6 Race – Nov 06, 1984|work=ourcampaigns.com|access-date=31 August 2015}}</ref> Coble was likely the beneficiary of long coattails from [[Ronald Reagan]], who carried the district by a nearly 2-to-1 margin. In 1986, he defeated Britt in a rematch, which was an even closer 50.03%–49.97% and Coble won by only 79 votes (closest margin of victory that year). He would never face another contest nearly that close, and would be reelected 13 more times with 61% or more of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=1404|title=Our Campaigns – Candidate – J. Howard Coble|work=ourcampaigns.com|access-date=31 August 2015}}</ref> In July 2008, Coble won the Republican primary unopposed and became North Carolina's longest-serving Republican U.S. congressman, surpassing former U.S. Congressman [[Jim Broyhill]] (who was also elected to 12 terms but left the House in July 1986 to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat). Coble announced in 2013 that he would not run for another term in [[United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2014|2014]], and would retire after 30 years in Congress.<ref>{{cite webnews|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/11/07/rep-howard-coble-r-n-c-to-retire/|title=Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.) to retire|author=Aaron Blake|date=7 November 2013|worknewspaper=Washington Post|access-date=31 August 2015}}</ref>
===Tenure===
In the [[105th Congress|105th United States Congress]] Coble moved to suspend the rules and pass the [[NET Act]] on November 4, 1997, which removed the requirement of financial gain for criminal prosecution of copyright violation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?r105:2:./temp/~r105t9SOlO:e46:|title=Weekend Maintenance – Library of Congress|work=loc.gov|access-date=31 August 2015}}{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The NET Act was passed only after the House suspended the rules.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d105:HR02265:@@@Z|title=Weekend Maintenance – Library of Congress|work=loc.gov|access-date=31 August 2015|archive-date=19 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019042149/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d105:HR02265:@@@Z|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Coble was a strong supporter of agriculture and had voted in favor of bills to protect agriculture. Coble opposed further regulation of [[tobacco]] because he believed it would hurt North Carolina tobacco planters.
Coble took a hard-line position on illegal drugs, and co-sponsored a resolution to oppose the legalization and use of [[medical marijuana]].<ref name="Govtrack">{{cite web|url=http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hj105-117|title=Expressing the sense of Congress that marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug and should not be legalized for medicinal use. (1998; 105th Congress H.J.Res. 117) – GovTrack.us|work=GovTrack.us|access-date=31 August 2015}}</ref> He also voted for an amendment to authorize [[drug testing]] on federal employees.<ref name="Govtrack" /> However, he authored a resolution to celebrate the passage of the [[Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution|Twenty-first Amendment]], which repealed the Prohibition of [[alcoholic beverages]] in the United States.<ref name="Govtrack" /> Coble was also a member of the [[Tea Party Caucus]], joining [[Sue Myrick]] and [[Walter B. Jones]] as the sole members of the North Carolina Congressional delegation to join the group.
In June 2013, Coble announced introduction of new legislation to reform the [[congressional pension]] program. He stated that reforming congressional pensions was long overdue and that the bill would lengthen the time of service required before a member would be eligible for participation in the pension program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://coble.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=339584 |title=High Point Enterprise praises Coble pension bill |date=June 18, 2013 |website=house.gov |publisher=U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=16 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221204512/http://coble.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=339584 |archive-date=21 February 2014 }}</ref> Coble himself pledged not to receive any pension from the [[United States government]]. He told [[CBS]] ''[[Up to the Minute]]'', "I figured taxpayers pay my salary – not a bad salary, and I figure that's sufficient. Let me fend for myself after the salary's collected." He also stated to CBS, "I've pledged my assurance I won't take the pension. That's between my constituents and me. As far as convicted felons, I guess that's between their constituents and themselves." He was one of two Congressmencongressmen, with [[Ron Paul]], to have pledged to decline his pension.<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.cbsnews.com/storiesnews/2009pensions-follow-ex-lawmakers-to-prison/12/22/eveningnews/main6011719.shtml |title=Pensions Follow Ex-Lawmakers to Prison |work=CBS News |date=December 22, 2009}}</ref>
However, during the government shutdown in October 2013. , Coble said that although 800,000 federal workers are furloughed and not receiving a paycheck, he willwould still collect his salary due toas a requirement of law.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/03/cnn-keeps-count-congress-gets-paid-but-whos-keeping-their-paycheck/?hpt=hp_t1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004234529/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/03/cnn-keeps-count-congress-gets-paid-but-whos-keeping-their-paycheck/?hpt=hp_t1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |title=CNN Keeps Count... |work=CNN |date=October 3, 2013}}</ref> Coble was one of the 87 Republicans who voted for the bill to end the shutdown on October 16.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/congress-votes-to-end-shutdown/house.html |title=Votes to end the government shutdown |lastlast1=Cameron |firstfirst1=Darla |date=2013-10-16 |worknewspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=2019-03-04 |last2=Andrews |first2=Wilson |language=en}}</ref>
In June 2013, Coble announced introduction of new legislation to reform the [[congressional pension]] program. Coble refused to participate in the congressional pension program, stating that reforming congressional pensions was long overdue and that the bill would lengthen the time of service required before a member would be eligible for participation in the pension program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://coble.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=339584 |title=High Point Enterprise praises Coble pension bill |date=June 18, 2013 |website=house.gov |publisher=U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=16 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221204512/http://coble.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=339584 |archive-date=21 February 2014 }}</ref>
===Legislation sponsored===
TheA bill [[Toto extend the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 for 10 years (H.R. 3626; 113th Congress)]] was introduced in the House on December 2, 2013, by Coble.<ref name=3626allactions>{{cite web|title=H.R. 3626 – All Actions|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/3626/all-actions/|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=5 December 2013}}</ref> The bill would extend the [[Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988]] for an additional 10 years, but would not expand any of its provisions (related to plastic guns).<ref name=foxnewsHousevotes>{{cite news|title=House votes to renew ban on plastic firearms|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/12/03/house-to-vote-on-banning-plastic-firearms/?intcmp=latestnews|access-date=5 December 2013|newspaper=Foxnews.com|date=3 December 2013}}</ref> The billIt passed the House on December 3, 2013.
Coble also sponsored the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]] (DMCA),<ref>{{Cite web|last=Coble|first=Howard|date=1998-10-28|title=H.R.2281 - 105th Congress (1997-1998): Digital Millennium Copyright Act|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/2281|access-date=2021-02-23|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref> in 1997, a bill fundamental to the foundation of internet law. It would come into effect in the year 2000.
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===Committee assignments===
* '''[[United States House Committee on the Judiciary|Committee on the Judiciary]]'''
** [[United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law|Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law]] (Chairmanchairman)
** [[United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet|Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet]]
* '''[[United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure|Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure]]'''
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==Personal life==
As a young man, Coble frequently enjoyed eating a breakfast of Rose brand pork brains in milk gravy and eggs. According to a quote from Coble appearing alongside his family recipe for "Breakfast Brains N' Eggs," the breakfast was "fairly regular" and "not at all unusual".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Coble|first1=Howard|title=Favorite Breakfast "Brains N' Eggs"|url=http://virtualcities.com/ons/nc/gov/ncgvhc1.htm|website=Congress Cooks!|access-date=30 January 2016|archive-date=26 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126020318/http://virtualcities.com/ons/nc/gov/ncgvhc1.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Coble was a member of the [[Guilford College]] Board of Visitors and of the [[U.S. Coast Guard Academy]] Board of Visitors.
He was a [[Freemasonry|Freemason]] and member of Guilford Lodge number 656 in [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Carter | first1 = Ric |date=July–August 2012 | title = Masonic Hero Gets Rites at Reburial | journal = The North Carolina Mason | volume = 137 | number = 4 | pages = Page 5, 8 | location = Raleigh, NC, USA | publisher = Grand Lodge of A.F.&A.M. of North Carolina | format = PDF |access-date=September 11, 2012 | url = http://www.epageflip.net/title/5206}}</ref>
Coble had skin cancer for many years among other ailments. He was admitted to intensive care in a Greensboro hospital in September 2015 after complications from skin cancer surgery., Heand died in the hospital from those complications on November 3, 2015, in Greensboro, North Carolina at the age of 84 from complications of the surgery.<ref name="WNCN 2015">{{cite news|title=Former NC Congressman Howard Coble dies at 84|url=http://wncn.com/2015/11/04/former-nc-congressman-howard-coble-dies-at-84/|access-date=4 November 2015|publisher=WNCN|date=4 November 2015|archive-date=8 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408231745/http://wncn.com/2015/11/04/former-nc-congressman-howard-coble-dies-at-84/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/11/04/former-nc-congressman-howard-coble-dies/75149712/|title=Former U.S. Rep. Howard Coble dies at 84, served for 30 years|publisher=USA Today.com|access-date=November 4, 2015}}</ref>
Coble's death was followed one week later by the passing of a Democratic former colleague, [[Tim Valentine]] of [[North Carolina's 2nd congressional district]].
==Electoral history==
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|{{party shading/Republican}} |62%
|
|{{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Tom Gilmore (U.S.North Carolina politician)|Tom Gilmore]]
|{{party shading/Democratic}} |70,008
|{{party shading/Democratic}} |38%
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* [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gIQAJvUQAP_topic.html Collected news and commentary] at ''[[The Washington Post]]''
* -->
* {{C-SPAN|Howard Coble6961}}
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Howard_Coble Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060818063227/http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Howard_Coble |date=2006-08-18 }} at [[SourceWatch]]
* {{find a Grave|154599754}}
{{s-start}}
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{{s-bef|before=Theodore C. Conrad}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[North Carolina State Treasurer]]|years=1976}}
{{s-vac|next=Nancy L. Coward}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Charles Robin Britt|Robin Britt]]}}
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[[Category:Appalachian State University alumni]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Deaths from skin cancer in the United States]]
[[Category:Guilford College alumni]]
[[Category:MembersRepublican Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina]]
[[Category:North Carolina lawyers]]
[[Category:North Carolina Republicans]]
[[Category:Politicians from Greensboro, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina]]
[[Category:State cabinet secretaries of North Carolina]]
[[Category:Tea Party movement activists]]
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[[Category:United States Coast Guard personnel of the Korean War]]
[[Category:20th-century American lawyers]]
[[Category:United States Coast Guard reservists]]