Steny Hoyer

Infobox Officeholder
name = Steny Hoyer


imagesize =
small

caption =
order = 26^th Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives
term_start = January 4, 2007
term_end =
vicepresident =
viceprimeminister =
deputy =
president =
primeminister =
predecessor = John Boehner
successor =
order2 = 21^st Minority Whip of the United States House of Representatives
term_start2 = January 3, 2003
term_end2 = January 3, 2007
vicepresident2 =
viceprimeminister2 =
deputy2 =
president2 =
primeminister2 =
predecessor2 = Nancy Pelosi
successor2 = Roy Blunt
order3 = Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 5th District
term_start3 = May 19, 1981
term_end3 =
vicepresident3 =
viceprimeminister3 =
deputy3 =
president3 =
primeminister3 =
predecessor3 = Gladys Spellman
successor3 =
birth_date = birth date and age|1939|06|14
birth_place = New York City, New York
death_date =
death_place =
constituency =
party = Democrat
spouse = Judith Hoyer (widowed)
children = Susan Hoyer
Stefany Hoyer
Anne Hoyer
profession = attorney
religion = Baptist


alma_mater = University of Maryland, College Park, Georgetown University
residence = Mechanicsville, Maryland
footnotes =

Steny Hamilton Hoyer (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.cite news
url=http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&symbol=&storyID=2006-11-16T165944Z_01_N16319060_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-CONGRESS-LEADERS-HOYER.xml&WTmodLoc=InvArt-C2-NextArticle-1
title=Democrats defy Pelosi, elect Hoyer House leader
publisher=Reuters
date=November 16, 2006
accessdate=2006-11-16] [cite news
url=http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/11/hoyer-beats-out-murtha-for-majority.html
title=Hoyer beats out Murtha for majority leader
author=Alexander Mooney
work=CNN Political Ticker
publisher=CNN.com
date=November 16, 2006
accessdate=2006-11-16] He is the first Marylander to become Majority Leader. [ [http://democraticleader.house.gov/about_the_whip/about_steny_hoyer/bio.cfm About the Majority Leader] , office of the House Democratic Leader.]

Early life and family

Hoyer was born in New York City but grew up in Mitchellville, Maryland. His heritage is Danish; "Steny" is a variant of his father's name, "Steen" [Jessica Valdez. [http://democraticwhip.house.gov/in_the_news/articles/index.cfm?pressReleaseID=838 "For Hoyer, a Balancing of Roles"] . "The Washington Post". August 28, 2004.] , 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. He later earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. in 1966." [http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/39fed/06ushse/html/msa01618.html Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat), U.S. Representative] . Maryland Archives. Accessed November 18, 2006] In the 1960s, Hoyer interned for Senator Daniel Brewster (D-Maryland), along with current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. [cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/15/AR2006111501521.html
title=Pelosi Splits Democrats With Push For Murtha
author=Jonathan Weisman and Lois Romano|publisher=Washington Post
date=November 16, 2006
accessdate=2006-11-16]

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"). [cite web|url=http://www.judycenter.com/ |title=The Judy Center website|accessdate=2006-11-18] She also suffered from epilepsy, and the Epilepsy Foundation of America sponsors an annual public lecture in her name. [cite web
url=http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/epilepsyusa/appropriations.cfm?renderforprint=1&
title=Epilepsy Foundation announcement of Judith Hoyer lectureship program
date=January 28, 2002|accessdate=2006-11-18] Hoyer, too, has been an advocate for research in this area, and the Epilepsy Foundation presented him in 2002 with their Congressional Leadership Award. [cite web|url=http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/aboutus/pressroom/n031502a.cfm
title=Epilepsy Foundation Recognizes the Honorable Steny H. Hoyer For Longstanding Support
date=March 26, 2002 |publisher=Epilepsy Foundation |accessdate=2006-11-18]

Hoyer also serves on the Board of Trustees for St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Maryland Senate career

In 1966, Hoyer won a seat in the Maryland State Senate, representing Prince George's County, Maryland. In 1975, Hoyer was elected President of the Maryland State Senate, the youngest in state history. [http://www.hoyer.house.gov/about/ Biography of Congressman Steny Hoyer] . From the official website of Steny Hoyer. Accessed November 18, 2006] 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.

Career in the House of Representatives

Ascent to Majority Leader

In 1981, Maryland Representative Gladys Spellman fell into a coma and her seat was declared vacant. 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". [Shailagh Murray [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/16/AR2006111601524.html "Political Pragmatism Carried Hoyer to the Top"] . "The Washington Post", page A6. Friday, November 17, 2006.]

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. 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. 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.

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 margin of 149-86 within the caucus. [ cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/08/congress.new.leader/
title=CNN: Scramble is on to replace Congressional leaders
date=November 9, 2006
publisher=CNN.com
accessdate=2006-11-09]

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 14th, 2008, according to CQ Moneyline. [cite news
title = Hoyer Is a Giver
publisher = Congressional Quartly
date = July 14 2008
language = English
url = http://www.cq.com/document/display.do?dockey=/cqonline/prod/data/docs/html/news/110/news110-000002916307.html@allnews&pub=news&print=true]

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. [cite news
last = Bergo
first = Sandy
title = Passing The Buck: House majority leader exploited campaign cash loophole
publisher = Center for Public Integrity
date = March 27 2007
language = English
url = http://www.publicintegrity.org/report.aspx?aid=819]

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. [cite news
last = MURRET
first = PATRICIA
title = Hoyer Exploited Campaign Finance Law Loophole, Report Says
publisher = Capital News Service
date = March 21 2007
language = English
url = http://somd.com/news/headlines/2007/5612.shtml]

2008 election

Hoyer will face anti-war Republican Collins Bailey in the November 2008 election. [cite news
title = Ron Paul endorses Hoyer challenger
publisher = Politicker
date = July 3 2008
language = English
url = http://politicker.com/ron-paul-endorses-hoyer-challenger]

Position on domestic issues

*Abortion: Hoyer is pro-choice. [cite web |url=http://ontheissues.org/House/Steny_Hoyer.htm |title=Steny Hoyer on the Issues |publisher=On The Issues |accessdate=2008-06-17]
*Social Issues: He voted against the Partial-Abortion ban bill in 2003. Hoyer supports affirmative action and gay rights.
*Gun Rights: Hoyer opposes unrestricted gun ownership.Clarifyme
*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 [Hess, Pamela, Associated Press [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hJKgeE0Z-SivATjok-utYBdh9wDwD91DJPS80] June 20, 2008] that had been told by the Bush administration that their actions were legal. [cite web| url=http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2007/10/steny_hoyer_says_some_strong_words_against_telecom_immunity.php |title=Steny Hoyer Says Some Strong Words Against Telecom Immunity |author =Greg Sargent |publisher=TPM Election Central |accessdate=2008-06-18] [cite web| url=http://democrats.com/wiretapping-impeachment-not-immunity |title=Wiretapping: Impeachment Not Immunity |author=Bob Fertik |publisher=Democrats.com |accessdate=2008-06-17] [ cite web| url=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/18/133218/573/108/537903 |title=Hoyer: I've lost all control |author=Kagro X |publisher=DailyKos |accessdate=2008-06-18 ] [ cite web| url=http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/06/17/hoyer/index.html|title=Targeting Steny Hoyer for his contempt for the rule of law |author=Glenn Greenwald |publisher=Salon.com |accessdate=2008-06-19] “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.” [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/washington/20fisacnd.html?hp NY Times Advertisement ] ]
*Taxes: Hoyer favors progressive taxation.Clarifyme

Position on international affairs

*India: Hoyer supports civilian nuclear cooperation with India. [http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll541.xml]
*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". [ [http://hoyer.house.gov/newsroom/index.asp?ID=943 Rep. Steny Hoyer :: newsroom ] ] 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. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/07/AR2007120702550_2.html?hpid=topnews Hill Close To Deal on War Funds - washingtonpost.com ] ]
*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." [ cite news|url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/hoyer-takes-aim-at-morans-aipac-comment-2007-09-18.html
title=Hoyer takes aim at Moran’s AIPAC comment
publisher=thehill.com
accessdate=2007-09-19] .
*Iran: Hoyer has stated that a nuclear Iran is "unacceptable" and that the use of force remains an option. [ cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467674368&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
title=Democrats: Nuclear Iran unacceptable
publisher=jpost.com
accessdate=2007-01-08]
*Human Rights: Hoyer is a former chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a vocal supporter of human rights around the worldFact|date=June 2008.

Election history

Election history of Steny Hoyer: [ [http://library.cqpress.com Congressional Quarterly Voting and Elections Collection] ]

References

External links

* [http://hoyer.house.gov/ Congressman Steny Hoyer] official U.S. House website
* [http://www.majorityleader.gov/ Office of the Majority Leader Steny Hoyer] official website
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Steny_Hoyer Profile] at SourceWatch Congresspedia
* [http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2006/0611.roth.html "The Establishmentarian"] by Zachary Roth, "Washington Monthly", November 2006

Persondata
NAME= Hoyer, Steny
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Hoyer, Steny Hamilton
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives
DATE OF BIRTH= 1939-06-14
PLACE OF BIRTH= New York City, New York
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=