Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour to Speak at 2006 NFIB National Small-Business Summit
Since becoming governor, he has been focused on job creation. Gov. Barbour led the fight against lawsuit abuse in Mississippi and helped pass the Tort Reform Act of 2004—legislation The Wall Street Journal called “one of the most comprehensive legal reform bills in the nation.” He also initiated the largest overhaul of workforce development efforts in state history and significantly increased funding for job training.
Barbour organized “Momentum Mississippi”—the state’s long-range economic-development strategy group which is composed of state business and community leaders. In his first year, Mississippi had the largest increase in net new jobs since 1999, and the largest increase in personal income since 1998.
In keeping with his pledge to clean up state budget problems he inherited, Barbour introduced “Operation: Streamline”—the largest cost-saving plan in state history—and successfully opposed tax increases on Mississippi citizens.
Barbour has also led the fight to save Mississippi’s struggling Medicaid program, encouraging preventive care for recipients and implementing the strongest anti-fraud plan in the history of Mississippi Medicaid.
In the mid-'80s, Barbour advised President Reagan for nearly two years as director of the White House Office of Political Affairs.
From 1993 to January 1997, Barbour served two terms as chairman of the Republican National Committee, including the 1994 elections when Republicans won GOP control of both houses of Congress for the first time in 40 years and increased the number of Republican governors from 17 to 32. Barbour founded and formerly served as chair and CEO of Barbour Griffith and Rogers, which Fortune magazine ranked the nation’s top lobbying firm.
He is a native of Yazoo City where he lives with his wife, Marsha. They have two adult sons.
