Steny Hoyer: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 21:27, 12 September 2010
Steny Hoyer | |
---|---|
26th Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives | |
Assumed office January 3, 2007 | |
Speaker | Nancy Pelosi |
Whip | Jim Clyburn |
Preceded by | John Boehner |
21st Minority Whip of the United States House of Representatives | |
In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 | |
Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
Preceded by | Nancy Pelosi |
Succeeded by | Roy Blunt |
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland's 5th district | |
Assumed office May 19, 1981 | |
Preceded by | Gladys Spellman |
82nd President of the Maryland Senate | |
In office 1975–1978 | |
Governor | Marvin Mandel Blair Lee, III (acting) |
Preceded by | William S. James |
Succeeded by | James A. Clark, Jr. |
Maryland State Senator | |
In office 1966–1979 | |
Personal details | |
Born | New York City, New York | June 14, 1939
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Judith Hoyer (deceased) |
Children | Susan Hoyer Stefany Hoyer Anne Hoyer |
Residence(s) | Mechanicsville, Maryland |
Alma mater | University of Maryland, College Park Georgetown University Law Center |
Profession | Attorney |
Steny Hamilton Hoyer (pronounced /ˈstɛni ˈhɔɪ.ər/; born June 14, 1939) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Maryland's 5th congressional district since 1981. On November 16, 2006, Hoyer was elected as House Majority Leader over John Murtha of Pennsylvania.[1][2] He is the first Marylander to become Majority Leader.[3]
Early life and family
Hoyer was born in New York City but grew up in Mitchellville, Maryland. His mother, Jean (née Baldwin), was American, and his father, Steen Theilgaard Høyer, was Danish and a native of Copenhagen; "Steny" is a variant of his father's name, "Steen",[4] and Hoyer is an anglicized form of the fairly common Danish surname "Høyer". He graduated from Suitland High School in Suitland, Maryland. In 1963, he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he also became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.[5] He earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. in 1966.[5] In the 1960s, Hoyer interned for Senator Daniel Brewster (D-Maryland), along with current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.[6]
Hoyer has three daughters: Susan, Stefany, and Anne from his marriage to his wife, Judy Pickett Hoyer, who died in 1997. Hoyer also has two granddaughters, one grandson and a great-granddaughter (born on November 2, 2006). His wife was an advocate of early childhood education, and child development learning centers in Maryland have been named in her honor ("Judy Centers").[7] She also suffered from epilepsy, and the Epilepsy Foundation of America sponsors an annual public lecture in her name.[8] Hoyer, too, has been an advocate for research in this area, and the Epilepsy Foundation presented him in 2002 with their Congressional Leadership Award.[9]
Non-political career
Hoyer also serves on the Board of Trustees for St. Mary's College of Maryland[5] and is a member of the board of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a non profit that supports international elections.[10]
Maryland Senate career
In 1966, Hoyer won a seat in the Maryland State Senate, representing Prince George's County, Maryland.[5] In 1975, Hoyer was elected President of the Maryland State Senate, the youngest in state history.[11] In 1978, Hoyer sought the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland but lost out to Samuel Bogley. In the same year Hoyer was appointed to the Maryland Board of Higher Education, a position he served in until 1981.[5]
Career in the House of Representatives
Ascent to Majority Leader
After Maryland Representative Gladys Spellman fell into a coma, her seat was declared vacant in 1981. Hoyer defeated Spellman's husband in the primary election, and then defeated a better funded Republican candidate in the general election, earning himself the nickname of "boy wonder".[12]
Hoyer has served as chair of the Democratic Caucus, the fourth-ranking position among House of Representatives Democrats, from 1989 to 1994; the former co-chair (and a current member) of the Democratic Steering Committee; and as the chief candidate recruiter for House Democrats from 1995 to 2000. He also served as Deputy Majority Whip from 1987 to 1989.[5] On November 14, 2002, Hoyer was unanimously elected by his colleagues in the Democratic Caucus to serve as the House Democratic Minority Whip, the second-highest-ranking position among House Democrats.[11] Now as the Democratic Majority Leader he is the highest-ranking member of Congress in Maryland history, and the longest-serving House member from southern Maryland in history.[11]
Nancy Pelosi became the Speaker of the House in January 2007. Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat in the House, was elected by his colleagues to be House Majority Leader for the 110th Congress. He was successful in his bid for the leadership position against fellow Democrat John Murtha of Pennsylvania by a vote of 149-86 within the caucus.[1][13]
Campaign fundraising
Hoyer is a prolific fundraiser for House Democrats. He is the top giver to fellow party members in the House. He has given over $1 million to the party and individual candidates over the current election cycle as of July 14, 2008, according to CQ Moneyline.[14]
In March 2007, the Center for Public Integrity reported that Hoyer's political action committee "raised nearly $1 million for congressional candidates [in the 2006 election cycle] by exploiting what experts call a legal loophole." The Center reported:
Campaign finance disclosure records show that the Maryland Democrat used his leadership political action committee — AmeriPAC — as a conduit to collect bundles of checks from individuals, and from business and union interests. He then passed more than $960,000 along to 53 House candidates and another quarter of a million to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, data compiled from the Center for Responsive Politics Web site show. Federal law generally prohibits political action committees, including leadership PACs, which are run by politicians, from receiving more than $5,000 each year from a single donor or giving more than $10,000 to a single candidate ($5,000 each for the primary and the general election). But Hoyer collected as much as $136,000 from one labor union committee and distributed more than $86,000 to a single Congressional race.[15]
The only media to cover the report, the Capital News Service (Maryland), quickly pointed out how common and legal the practice is:
"That's like saying somebody who deducts mortgage interest on their taxes is exploiting a tax loophole," said Nathaniel Persily, a campaign finance expert and University of Pennsylvania Law School professor. "What exactly is the problem?"
"Bundling is very common," said Steve Weisman, of the George Washington University's Campaign Finance Institute.
What Hoyer, a lawyer, did was perfectly legal, the Federal Election Commission said, too. In fact, his insistence on detailed reporting made tracking the funds easier.[16]
Massa controversy
In March 2010, Rep. Eric Massa resigned from Congress against allegations of sexual harassment of his staff members. The House Ethics Committee is actively investigating at what point Hoyer found out about the allegations surrounding Rep. Massa, as Hoyer never reported the allegations. In the course of the investigation, several Hoyer aides were interviewed by the House Ethics Committee.[17][18]
2008 election
Hoyer won re-election against Republican Collins Bailey in November 2008 by a 74%-26% vote.[19]
In June 2010, Hoyer brought up the idea that Congress would only temporarily extend middle-class tax cuts that were set to expire at the end of the year. He suggested that making them permanent would cost too much. President Obama wants to permanently extend them for individuals making less than $200,000 a year and families making less than $250,000.[20]
Positions
Domestic issues
- Social Issues: Hoyer is pro-choice.[21] He voted against the Partial-Abortion ban bill in 2003. Hoyer supports affirmative action and gay rights.
- Gun Rights: Hoyer opposes unrestricted gun ownership.[clarification needed] He is rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record
- Privacy: Hoyer claimed to oppose providing immunity to telecom companies but has come under fire for negotiating a bill, described by Senators Patrick Leahy and Russ Feingold as a "capitulation", that would provide immunity to any telecom company[22] that had been told by the Bush administration that their actions were legal.[23][24][25][26] “No matter how they spin it, this is still immunity,” said Kevin Bankston, a senior lawyer for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a privacy rights group that has sued over President Bush's wiretapping program. “It’s not compromise, it’s pure theater.” [27]
- In a USA Today opinion piece regarding health care reform that was published August 10, 2009, Steny Hoyer wrote that "Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American."[28]
Position on international affairs
- India: Hoyer supports civilian nuclear cooperation with India.[29]
- Iraq: Hoyer initially supported the Iraq War and was even recognized by the DLC for his vocal leadership on this issue. After the war became publicly unpopular, Hoyer said he favored a "responsible redeployment".[30] However, he has repeatedly supported legislation to continue funding for the war without deadlines for troop withdrawal, most recently in return for increased funding of domestic projects.[31]
- Israel: Hoyer is a supporter of Israel, and has often been allied with American Israel Public Affairs Committee. In September 2007, he criticized Rep. Jim Moran for suggesting that AIPAC "has pushed (the Iraq) war from the beginning," calling the comment "factually inaccurate."[32]
- Iran: Hoyer has stated that a nuclear Iran is "unacceptable" and that the use of force remains an option.[33]
- Human Rights: Hoyer is a former chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
References
- ^ a b "Democrats defy Pelosi, elect Hoyer House leader". Reuters. November 16, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
- ^ Alexander Mooney (November 16, 2006). "Hoyer beats out Murtha for majority leader". CNN Political Ticker. CNN.com. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
- ^ About the Majority Leader, Office of the House Democratic Majority Leader.
- ^ Jessica Valdez. "For Hoyer, a Balancing of Roles". The Washington Post. August 28, 2004.
- ^ a b c d e f "Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat), U.S. Representative. Maryland Archives. Retrieved November 18, 2006.
- ^ Jonathan Weisman and Lois Romano (November 16, 2006). "Pelosi Splits Democrats With Push For Murtha". Washington Post. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
- ^ "The Judy Center website". Retrieved 2006-11-18.
- ^ "Epilepsy Foundation announcement of Judith Hoyer lectureship program". January 28, 2002. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
- ^ "Epilepsy Foundation Recognizes the Honorable Steny H. Hoyer For Longstanding Support". Epilepsy Foundation. March 26, 2002. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
- ^ "Board". IFES. 2009. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2009.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ a b c Biography of Congressman Steny Hoyer. From the official website of Steny Hoyer. Retrieved November 18, 2006.
- ^ Shailagh Murray "Political Pragmatism Carried Hoyer to the Top". The Washington Post, page A6. Friday, November 17, 2006.
- ^ "CNN: Scramble is on to replace Congressional leaders". CNN.com. November 9, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
- ^
"Hoyer Is a Giver" (in English). Congressional Quarterly. July 14, 2008.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^
Bergo, Sandy (March 27, 2007). "Passing The Buck: House majority leader exploited campaign cash loophole" (in English). Center for Public Integrity.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^
MURRET, Patricia (March 21, 2007). "Hoyer Exploited Campaign Finance Law Loophole, Report Says" (in English). Capital News Service.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "Pelosi's Office in the Loop on Massa Months Ago". Fox News. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
- ^ "Ethics panel interviewing Democratic aides on Massa". Politico. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
- ^
"Ron Paul endorses Hoyer challenger" (in English). Politicker. July 3, 2008.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Associated Press (2010-06-22). "Hoyer: Permanent middle class tax cuts too costly". WEAR-TV. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
- ^ "Steny Hoyer on the Issues". On The Issues. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ Hess, Pamela, Associated Press[1] June 20, 2008
- ^ Greg Sargent. "Steny Hoyer Says Some Strong Words Against Telecom Immunity". TPM Election Central. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ Bob Fertik. "Wiretapping: Impeachment Not Immunity". Democrats.com. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ Kagro X. "Hoyer: I've lost all control". DailyKos. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ Glenn Greenwald. "Targeting Steny Hoyer for his contempt for the rule of law". Salon.com. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- ^ Lichtblau, Eric (June 20, 2008). "Deal Reached in Congress to Rewrite Rules on Wiretapping". The New York Times. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
- ^ Abrams, Rhonda. "Editorials, Debates, and Opinions - USATODAY.com". Blogs.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll541.xml
- ^ Rep. Steny Hoyer :: newsroom
- ^ Weisman, Jonathan; Kane, Paul (December 8, 2007). "Hill Close To Deal on War Funds". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
- ^ "Hoyer takes aim at Moran's AIPAC comment". thehill.com. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
- ^ "Democrats: Nuclear Iran unacceptable". jpost.com. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
- ^ Congressional Quarterly Voting and Elections Collection
- ^ "MD - District 5 - Special Election Race - May 19, 1981". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
External links
- Congressman Steny Hoyer official U.S. House site
- Office of the Majority Leader Steny Hoyer official site
- Majority Leader Steny Hoyer AmericPAC
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Profile at Vote Smart
- 1939 births
- Baptists from the United States
- American people of Danish descent
- Georgetown University Law Center alumni
- Living people
- Maryland Democrats
- Maryland lawyers
- Maryland State Senators
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland
- People from New York City
- People from St. Mary's County, Maryland
- Presidents of the Maryland State Senate
- St. Mary's College of Maryland
- University of Maryland, College Park alumni