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John Boehner      

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (2011-2015)

John A. Boehner served as speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Elected to represent the Eighth Congressional District of Ohio for a 12th term in November 2012, John is a national leader in the drive for a smaller, less costly and more accountable federal government.

The second oldest of 12 brothers and sisters, John has lived in southwest Ohio his entire life. He grew up mopping floors and waiting tables at his family tavern, Andy's Cafe, and played football for legendary coach Gerry Faust at Cincinnati's Moeller High School where he graduated in 1968. After high school, John worked several jobs to pay his way through Xavier University.

John went on to run a small business in the plastics and packaging industry. His experience in the private sector-- meeting a payroll, paying taxes, dealing with government red tape-- prepared him well to be a reformer in the public sector. John's first run for public office was for a spot on his neighborhood homeowners association, followed by a seat on his township board of trustees. He was elected to the Ohio General Assembly in 1984 where he served until the voters of southwest Ohio sent him to Congress.

Elected to Congress in 1990, John quickly became a voice for reform. First, he adopted a "no earmarks" policy that he carries with him to this day. In 1994, John was instrumental in crafting the landmark Contract with America. One of the Contract's cornerstones - the Congressional Accountability Act, which required lawmakers to live under the same rules and regulations as the rest of the nation – bears the unmistakable print of his drive to change the way Congress works. After Republicans won their first Congressional majority in several decades, John's colleagues elected him to serve as House GOP Conference Chairman in the 104th and 105th Congress.

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, John authored the Freedom to Farm Act, legislation reforming the Soviet-style farm subsidy programs that punish farmers and taxpayers alike. And in 1999, as Vice-Chairman of the House Administration Committee, John joined House leaders to announce the first-ever "clean" independent audit of the House, a reform he first called for as a member of the Gang of Seven in 1992.

From 2001 to 2006, John served as chairman of the House Committee on Education & the Workforce. There he co-wrote the bill establishing the first private school choice program in the District of Columbia, and worked with other reformers to ensure parental choice provisions were included in the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act to reinforce its goal of bringing greater accountability to taxpayer-funded education programs.

In 2006, John was elected by his colleagues to serve as House Majority Leader. In 2007, John began his tenure as House Republican Leader. Under John's leadership, Republicans launched several efforts to develop better, principled solutions to the challenges facing families and small businesses.

On November 17, 2010 – his 61st birthday – Boehner was elected by his colleagues to serve as Speaker-designate, and on January 5, 2011 he swore in the 112th Congress as the 53rd Speaker of the House. John was re-elected by the House on January 3, 2013 to serve a second term as Speaker for the 113th Congress.

Boehner focused on removing government barriers to private-sector job creation and economic growth, cutting government spending, reforming Congress, and rebuilding the bonds of trust between the American people and their representatives in Washington.

News


John Boehner, House Speaker, Will Resign From Congress - The ...
Speaker John A. Boehner announced on Friday that he will resign his ... an announcement tomorrow,' ” Mr. Boehner said at a news conference in the Capitol .
John Boehner: 'We Just Didn't Win'
WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Wednesday that he would not block a bipartisan Senate compromise to reopen the government, ...
John Boehner Tells GOP Moderates to 'Trust Me' - ABC News
The White House session tonight was important, but perhaps an even more critical meeting for Speaker John Boehner took place earlier today in his Capitol  ...
Where does John Boehner go from here?
It's a rough Wednesday morning for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). On Tuesday he was confronted — again — with a very uncomfortable political ...

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