20 Facts About Billy Tauzin

Wilbert Joseph Tauzin II is an American lobbyist and politician.

Billy Tauzin served as the President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a pharmaceutical company lobby group, from 2005 to 2010.

Billy Tauzin was consistently re-elected as a Democrat representing Louisiana's 3rd congressional district until 1995, when he joined the Republican Party and continued to be re-elected to his seat for another decade.

Billy Tauzin graduated from Nicholls State University in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, and earned a JD degree from Louisiana State University in 1967.

Wilbert Joseph Billy Tauzin II is married to Cecile Billy Tauzin and has five children from a previous marriage.

Billy Tauzin began his elective career in 1972 when he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives, serving four full terms as a Democratic Rep.

Billy Tauzin had served as the first Republican representative from Louisiana since Reconstruction.

Billy Tauzin won the congressional race by seven points, defeating Democratic State Senator Anthony Guarisco Jr.

Billy Tauzin won a full term in November 1980, with 85 percent of the vote against minimal opposition.

In 1987, Billy Tauzin ran for governor of Louisiana but lost to colleague Buddy Roemer, a Congressman.

Finally on August 8,1995, Billy Tauzin himself became a Republican, claiming that conservatives were no longer welcome in the Democratic Party.

Billy Tauzin was the first representative to have been part of the leadership of each party in the House.

Billy Tauzin served as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee from 2001 to February 4,2004, when he announced that he would not run for a 13th full term.

Billy Tauzin has five children from his first marriage and backed his son, Billy Tauzin III, as his replacement.

Billy Tauzin appeared in ads that were criticized for blurring the lines on which man was actually running for Congress.

In spite of his father's support, the younger Billy Tauzin was defeated by 569 votes by a Democrat, Charlie Melancon.

Billy Tauzin was hired at a salary outsiders estimated at $2 million a year.

Two months before resigning as chair of the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which oversees the drug industry, Billy Tauzin had played a key role in shepherding through Congress the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill.

Billy Tauzin received $11.6 million from PhRMA in 2010, making him the highest-paid health law lobbyist.

Since 2005, Billy Tauzin has been on the Board of Directors at LHC Group.