Jason Altmire

Infobox_Congressman
name = Jason Altmire


date of birth = birth date and age|1968|03|07
place of birth = Kittanning, Pennsylvania
state = Pennsylvania
district = 4th
term_start = January 4, 2007
preceded = Melissa Hart
succeeded = Incumbent
party = Democratic
alma_mater= Florida State University, George Washington University
occupation= political assistant, health care executive
spouse = Kelly Altmire
residence= McCandless, Pennsylvania
religion = Roman Catholic

Jason Altmire (born March 7, 1968) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing Pennsylvania's Fourth Congressional district.

Early years and education

Altmire was born in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, where he was a record-breaking two-sport letterman at Burrell High School. During his junior year, he set a school record in track and field that stood for many years and was recognized as an all-star wide receiver in football ["Pittsburgh Press, December 9, 1984"] . A serious knee injury kept him off the athletic field as a high school senior, and in 1986 he matriculated at Florida State University, in Tallahassee. Following a lengthy rehabilitation of his knee injury, he tried out for and made the Seminole football team. ["Florida State Times, Feb/March 2007 http://www.fsu.edu/~fstime/FS-Times/Feb07.pdf] He graduated in 1990 with a B.S. in Political Science, completing his academic requirements with an internship in the Tallahassee campaign office of Douglas "Pete" Peterson, then a candidate for Congress in Florida's Second Congressional District. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000259 PETERSON, Douglas Brian (Pete) - Biographical Information ] ] He later earned a Master's in Health Administration from George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Career prior to election to the House

Legislative assistant

After Peterson won the 1990 congressional race against incumbent Republican Congressman Bill Grant, he hired Altmire to work in his Capitol Hill office. Altmire worked as a legislative assistant during Peterson's three terms in office (1991-1996), specializing in domestic policy issues. He gained an expertise in health care issues and helped Peterson draft several major health care proposals. In 1993, Altmire was appointed to a working group for President Clinton's Task Force on National Health Care Reform. ["Washington Post, March 30, 1993"]

Legislative relations

In 1998, Altmire returned to Western Pennsylvania to work for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). By 2005, he was the acting Vice President for Government Relations and Community Health Service. His duties at UPMC included oversight of UPMC’s Office of Charitable Giving, which has primary discretion over UPMC’s $6 million in annual charitable donations. He also represented UPMC in discussions with government officials and local community organizations. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 29, 2005 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05149/511086-54.stm] Also, during this time, Altmire was a frequent volunteer and community activist, serving on the boards of more than a dozen community and civic organizations. In recognition of his community service, in 2003 he was named by "Pittsburgh Magazine" as one of Pittsburgh's "40 under 40" [2003 Pittsburgh Magazine http://www.wqed.org/mag/40/2003/winners.shtml] , and in 2005 he was awarded the Arcadia Award by Northern Allegheny Camber of Commerce. The Arcadia Award is presented annually to the local business leader who most exemplifies dedication to community service. ["Pgh Tribune-Review, May 1, 2005." http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_329737.html]

U.S. House of Representatives

Altmire has a moderate to conservative voting record and has been identified as a centrist in Congress by non-partisan publications. [http://www3.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/pdf/08centrists.pdf] During his first term in office, he quickly established himself as a successful and active legislator. More than 24 legislative initiatives Altmire has led have passed the House, and 13 have been signed into law. [http://www.altmire.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view&id=258&Itemid=54] Although he has been involved in a wide variety of issues, he has been particularly successful in championing veterans issues. [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07347/841475-366.stm;http://www.altmire.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=202&Itemid=58;http://www.butlereagle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080266/NEWS01/466755413&SearchID=73326555053727] He gained national attention with his effort to guarantee the enlistment bonuses of combat-wounded veterans, and was the principle author of the law that expands the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover military guard and reserve families, for which he was recognized by the National Military Families Association. [http://www.altmire.house.gov/indexphp?option=com_content&task=view&id=201&Itemid=58;http://www.thebostonchannel.com/newsarchive/14882804/detail.html] As a member of the Higher Education Subcommittee, Altmire was actively involved in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and served on the House-Senate conference committee that finalized the bill before it was sent to President George W. Bush for his signature. Altmire was also named to the conference committees for the College Cost Reduction Act [http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/mostreads/s_575371.html] and the 2007 Defense Authorization bills, each of which has become law.Along with veterans' issues, small business and health care issues have been focal points of Altmire's early legislative career. He was named to chair a congressional task force on health care reform [http://www.altmire.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=219&Itemid=58] , and his work in drafting and passing through the House legislation to recogition from Biotechnology Industries Organization. [http://www.bio.org/new/newsitem.asp?id=2008_0415_06] Altmire has perfect voting attendance and is one of only two members of Congress to have not missed any of the nearly 2000 votes cast during the 110th Congress. [http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/house/perfect-voters/] He has been profiled in a variety of national publications and media outlets, and has appeared on Comedy Central's popular political satire program "The Colbert Report". [http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=81290]

Committee Assignments

*House Committee on Small Business
**Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight (Chairman)
**Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare and Trade
*Committee on Education and Labor
**Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness
*Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
**Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
**Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

2006 election

Altmire left UPMC on June 30 2005, to run for Congress against three-term incumbent Rebublican Congresswoman Melissa Hart, who was considered by most observers to be invulnerable. On May 17, 2006 he won the Democratic nomination in a hard-fought primary against millionaire businesswoman Georgia Berner, then set his sights on Hart in what was widely considered to be a long-shot campaign. ["Pgh Trib-Review, June 18, 2006" http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_458419.html]

Altmire campaign relentlessly raised more than $1 million. [ [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?ID=PA04&Cycle=2006 Congressional Races ] ] After polling well behind Hart early in the race, he eventually closed the gap heading into the final weeks before the election. On November 7, 2006, Altmire defeated Hart with 52 percent of the vote.

2008 election

Altmire will again face Hart in the 2008 election. [ [http://www.dos.state.pa.us/bcel/lib/bcel/elections/petition_filers.pdf Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Unofficial List of Candidates] ]

Personal

Altmire is married to the former Kelly Lynn Fagan of Winter Haven, Florida, and is the father of two school-aged daughters. He is a Roman Catholic.

References

External links

* [http://altmire.house.gov/ U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire] official government website
**Committees: [http://edlabor.house.gov/ Education and Labor]
* [http://www.jasonaltmire.com Altmire for Congress] official campaign website
* [http://www.house.gov/smbiz/ Small Business] [http://transportation.house.gov/ Transportation and Infrastructure]
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jason_Altmire Profile] at SourceWatch Congresspedia
* [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2008_4534653 KBR questioned over fatal accidents in Iraq] David Ivanovich, March 20, 2008, Jason Altmire helps mother of soldier killed by electrocution

USRepSuccession box
state=Pennsylvania
district=4
before=Melissa Hart
years=2007–
after=Incumbent