Hon. Barton J. Gordon

Mr. Gordon joined K&L Gates as partner in the Washington, D.C. office after 26 years representing the state of Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives. Mr. Gordon served as Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Gordon was also a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and served on the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Rules, Transatlantic Parliamentary Dialogue, and NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Over the span of his 26-year career in Congress, Bart Gordon worked to find commonsense solutions to the complicated problems that face America. A hallmark of his service has been his ability to work with Members of both parties to build coalitions of support to achieve goals and get results.

As Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, Bart led passage, on a bipartisan basis, of landmark legislation, including the America COMPETES Act and the Energy Independence and Security Act. The Committee has jurisdiction over much of the nation’s non-defense federal research and development portfolio; authority over R&D activities at the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security and others; and exclusive jurisdiction over NASA, National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Under Bart’s leadership, the Committee held 235 hearings on a wide range of topics including health information technology, nanotechnology, the future of NASA, broad-ranging energy technologies, climate science, and next-generation water research. Bart’s aggressive agenda resulted in passage of 151 bills and resolutions through the House. All received bipartisan support, and most passed with large majorities.

Through his Committee leadership, Bart spearheaded an unprecedented dialogue internationally to promote global partnerships and understanding on a range of issues including climate change, energy, aviation, global telecommunications technology and international standards and protocols. He was a member of numerous official Congressional Delegations.

Bart worked to make the Science and Technology Committee the committee of good ideas and consensus, and this spirit of civility did not go unnoticed. Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton said in 2009, “I wish that we ran the whole House like Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall run the Science Committee, where there really is cooperation, there really is bipartisanship, and the result is that bills come to the Floor that both sides can support.”

In addition to chairing the Science and Technology Committee, Bart was a Senior Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, serving on the Sub-Committees on Health; Communication, Technology and the Internet; Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection and Energy and Environment. Previously, he served on the House Committees on the Budget; Rules; and Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs; and the Select Committee on Aging.

Bart was a Member of the Blue Dog Coalition, the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He also served as Chairman of the Consent Calendar and as Deputy Whip.

An experienced and effective manager, Bart led a full-time staff of 70 in his Congressional, District and Committee offices and managed budgets exceeding $8 million.

Prior to his service in Congress, Bart worked as an attorney in his hometown of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee and earned his undergraduate degree at Middle Tennessee State University and served in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Mr. Gordon is a member of the Tennessee bar and has applied for membership in the District of Columbia bar. While that application is pending, his practice is limited to and focuses on assisting clients on government affairs and related public policy matters.