Summary
Current Position: US Representative of LA District 1 since 2008
Affiliation: Republican
Former Position: State Delegate from 1996 – 2008
Other Positions: House majority leader
District: northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain south to the Mississippi River delta. It covers most of New Orleans’ suburbs, as well as a sliver of New Orleans itself.
Upcoming Election:
Before his election to Congress, Scalise served four months in the Louisiana State Senate and three terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives. On June 14, 2017, during practice for that year’s Congressional Baseball Game, Scalise was shot and seriously wounded by an anti-Trump domestic terrorist[5][6][7] who was targeting Republicans.
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Think about this: If you’re a vaccinated American citizen not wearing a mask in the Capitol, Pelosi will have you arrested. But if you’re a COVID-positive illegal immigrant at the border? Dems welcome you and put you on a plane to an American city. Outrageous double standard.
Newsmax | House Republican Whip Steve Scalise with Eric Bolling
OnAir Post: Steve Scalise LA-01
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About
Source: Government page
Steve Scalise proudly represents the First Congressional District of Louisiana, stretching from the beautiful Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain and the culturally distinct New Orleans suburbs to the vibrant bayous and wetlands abundant in natural resources. He was elected to Congress in 2008 after serving in the Louisiana State Legislature from 1996-2008. He serves his colleagues as the House Republican Whip, the second highest position in House Republican leadership.
Scalise is a strong leader who upholds the Constitution, advocating for the principles of fiscal discipline, lower taxes, a robust national defense, and conservative values.
From the House repeal of Obamacare, to the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program, to the largest pay increase for our troops in nearly a decade, to the historic passage and enactment of the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – Scalise is focused on issues that affect Americans the most.
Scalise knows the importance of energy development to Louisiana, and the necessity to achieve American energy dominance. As a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Scalise fights to enact a national energy strategy that increases the supply of American energy through enhanced production and technological innovation to lower prices at the pump and reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
Scalise is effective at working with Republican and Democrat colleagues to pass legislation on issues important to Louisiana. A steadfast defender of Louisiana’s coast, Scalise led the effort in the House to pass the RESTORE Act, which was signed into law in July 2012. The RESTORE Act dedicated the vast majority of Clean Water Act fines from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to coastal restoration. This legislation is widely regarded as the single most significant action taken to restore Louisiana’s coast. Whip Scalise also is a strong supporter of revenue sharing and leads the fight in Washington to protect Louisiana’s GOMESA funding, ensuring that Louisiana has access to the hundreds of millions of dollars dedicated to restoring our coast.
Critically wounded at a Congressional baseball practice on June 14, 2017, Scalise was saved by a heroic response from U.S. Capitol Police Special Agents and Alexandria Police Officers. Scalise fought for his life and returned to Congress, inspiring the nation with his resilience and optimism. Throughout his recovery, he was moved by the outpouring of prayers and support he and his family received from the American people.
A native of Jefferson Parish, Scalise graduated from Archbishop Rummel High School and Louisiana State University, where he earned a degree in Computer Science and a minor in Political Science. Scalise and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Madison and Harrison
Personal
Full Name: Stephen ‘Steve’ J. Scalise
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Jennifer; 2 Children: Madison, Harrison
Birth Date: 10/06/1965
Birth Place: New Orleans, LA
Home City: Jefferson, LA
Religion: Catholic
Source: BS, Computer Science, Louisiana State University, 1989 Majority Leader, United States House of Representatives, 2023-present Representative, United States House of Representatives, Louisiana, District 1, 2008-present Minority Whip, United States House of Representatives, 2019-2023 Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Louisiana, District 1, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 Majority Whip, United States House of Representatives, 2014-2019 Senator, Louisiana State Senate, District 9, 2008 Representative, Louisiana State House of Representatives, District 82, 1995-2007 Washington, DC Office Hammond Office Houma Office Mandeville Office Metairie Office Email: Government Source: none Source: Open Secrets Learn more about legislation sponsored and co-sponsored by Congressman Scalise. Source: Government page Congressman Scalise strongly A strong supporter of the Second Amendment, Congressman Scalise has sponsored and cosponsored legislation protecting citizens’ right to keep and bear arms. Agriculture was a critical building block in America’s foundation and has played a crucial role in the culture and economy of Louisiana and the First Congressional District. As a former computer programmer, Congressman Scalise recognizes that broadband internet, mobile communications networks, and technological advancements have spur Congressman Scalise is committed to ensuring that students in Louisiana and around the country receive the highest quality education. Congressman Scalise is a proven leader when it comes to protecting Louisiana’s family values. Access to affordable health care is out of reach for too many people. Congressman Scalise believes that Obamacare has failed the American people and our economy. Hurricane Katrina and the numerous natural disasters that have caused destruction to our state since have reminded us how important levee protection is to our area and underscored the critical role The United States was founded on immigration and it was also founded on the rule of law. Inland waterways and harbors are important components of the nation’s transportation system. Congress must protect the security of the United States, both at home and abroad. Congress has a duty to preserve the Social Security program for workers and retirees who have played by the rules and paid into Social Security throughout their careers. For decades, Washington’s spending problem led to a tax code that hurt American families, small businesses, and our nation’s economy. Congressman Scalise believes we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our nation’s veterans. Source: Government page Source: Wikipedia The district is currently represented by Republican House majority leader Steve Scalise. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+22, it is the most Republican district in Louisiana. Stephen Joseph Scalise[1] (/skəˈliːs/ skə-LEESS; born October 6, 1965) is an American politician who has been serving as the House majority leader since 2023 and the U.S. representative for Louisiana’s 1st congressional district since 2008. A member of the Republican Party,[2][3] he served as the House majority whip from 2014 to 2019 and the House minority whip 2019 to 2023. Before his election to Congress, Scalise served four months in the Louisiana State Senate and three terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He was the chair of the House Republican Study Committee from 2013 to 2014.[4] On June 19, 2014, Scalise’s Republican colleagues elected him majority whip of the United States House of Representatives. He assumed office on August 1. He is the first Louisianian to serve as majority whip since Hale Boggs of Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district held the position from 1962 to 1971. In 2017, Scalise became the dean of the Louisiana congressional delegation upon Senator David Vitter‘s retirement. Scalise’s district includes most of New Orleans‘s suburbs, such as Metairie, Kenner, and Slidell, as well as a portion of New Orleans itself. On June 14, 2017, during practice for that year’s Congressional Baseball Game, Scalise was shot and seriously wounded by an anti-Trump domestic terrorist[5][6][7] who was targeting Republicans.[8] Scalise underwent treatment for several months, returning to Congress on September 28. On October 11, Scalise defeated Jim Jordan to win the Republican nomination for the October 2023 Speaker of the House election following the removal of Kevin McCarthy. However, he withdrew a day later after failing to consolidate the necessary votes.[9][10] Scalise was born in New Orleans,[11] one of three children of Alfred Joseph Scalise, a real estate broker who died on October 8, 2015, at the age of 77, and Carol Schilleci. His siblings are Glenn and Tara Scalise.[12] Scalise’s great-grandparents immigrated to the United States from Italy in the late 1800s.[13] He graduated from Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie in Jefferson Parish[14] and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge with a major in computer science and a minor in political science.[15][16] At LSU, Scalise was a member of the Acacia Fraternity.[17] He serves on the board of the American Italian Renaissance Foundation, servicing the American Italian Cultural Center. In 1995, Scalise was recruited by Louisiana Republicans to run for Republican (formerly Democratic) State Representative Quentin Dastugue’s District 82 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives after Dastague made an unsuccessful bid for Governor of Louisiana. Scalise won the seat and was re-elected in 1999 and 2003. He served until 2007.[18][19] On October 20, 2007, Scalise was elected in a nonpartisan blanket primary to the District 9 seat in the Louisiana Senate vacated by the term-limited Ken Hollis of Metairie. Scalise received 19,154 votes (61 percent) in a three-way contest. Fellow Republican Polly Thomas, an education professor at the University of New Orleans who subsequently won a special state House election in 2016, polled 8,948 votes (29 percent). A Democrat, David Gereighty, polled 3,154 votes (10 percent) in the heavily Republican-oriented district.[20] Scalise, who was term-limited out of the House, was succeeded in the state House by his aide, Cameron Henry of Metairie. In the special election on November 4, 2008, to fill the remaining three and one-half years in Scalise’s state Senate term, Conrad Appel defeated Polly Thomas, 21,853 (52.1 percent) to 20,065 (47.9 percent). Thomas had also lost the race for the seat in 2007 to Scalise.[21] In 2004, Scalise announced that he would run for the 1st congressional district, but deferred to the preference of party leaders and supported Bobby Jindal, who won the position vacated by the successful U.S. senatorial candidate, David Vitter. In 2007, when Jindal was elected to the governorship of Louisiana, Scalise announced his intentions to seek the House seat again. This time he received Republican party backing. Scalise was sworn in on May 7, 2008.[22] In the regularly scheduled election, Scalise was reelected over Democrat Jim Harlan, 66 percent to 34 percent.[23] Scalise defeated the Democratic nominee, Myron Katz, and an Independent, Arden Wells, in his 2010 bid for reelection.[24] In his own 2012 congressional race, Scalise prevailed with 193,490 votes (66.6 percent) over four opponents, the strongest of whom was the Democrat M. V. “Vinny” Mendoza, who finished with 61,979 votes (21.3 percent). A second Republican, Gary King, received 24,838 votes (8.6 percent). Independent Arden Wells ran again and received 4,285 votes (1.5 percent) in his second race against Scalise.[25] In 2011, Scalise became a co-sponsor of Bill H.R. 3261, otherwise known as the Stop Online Piracy Act (withdrawn January 23, 2012).[29] As chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Scalise dismissed Derek Khanna, a committee staffer, in December 2012 because of pressure from content industry lobbyists after the study committee published a memo advocating copyright reform.[30] In 2013, Scalise voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.[31] Also in 2013, Scalise sponsored a bill called the FCC Consolidated Reporting Act. The bill makes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) consolidate several of their reports into one report.[32] In December 2017, Scalise voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.[33] Scalise says that the bill will “put more money in the pockets of hard-working families.”[34] Scalise was the ranking Republican on the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis during the May 19, 2021, hearings involving Emergent BioSolutions founder Faud El-Hibiri and its CEO Robert G. Kramer.[35][36][37][38][39][40][41] In the aftermath of Rep. Eric Cantor‘s unexpected defeat by Dave Brat on June 10, 2014, Scalise launched a campaign to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy in the position of Majority Whip of the House; McCarthy himself would replace Cantor as House Majority Leader. Scalise’s ascent to leadership built on his “come-from-behind win in 2012 to become chairman” of the Republican Study Committee.[42] Scalise subsequently won a three-way race for whip, winning on the first ballot despite the efforts of fellow candidates Peter Roskam and Marlin Stutzman.[43][44] He came under fire for using the assistance of a federal lobbyist, John Feehery, when hiring staff for the Majority Leader’s Press Office.[45] On June 14, 2017, at 7:09 am EDT, Scalise and three other people were shot and wounded by James Hodgkinson, a left-wing extremist with a record of domestic violence,[8][46] who opened fire with a rifle during a baseball practice of the Republican team for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. The practice was taking place at the Eugene Simpson Baseball Fields in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia. Scalise, the only member of Congress to be hit, was shot in the hip. Representative Mo Brooks, who was also at the practice, witnessed the attack and said he saw someone with a rifle behind the third base dugout. Brooks then heard Scalise scream from second base. Scalise crawled into right field, bleeding. Senator Jeff Flake and Representative Brad Wenstrup, a former podiatrist, ran to assist Scalise after Hodgkinson was shot.[47][48] Senator Rand Paul, also a witness, said he heard “as many as 50 shots”.[49] Initially conscious, Scalise went into shock while being taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center[50][51] in critical condition, where he underwent immediate surgery. He was hit by a single rifle bullet that “travelled across his pelvis, fracturing bones, injuring internal organs, and causing severe bleeding”.[50] Dr. Jack Sava at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center said that “when he arrived, he was in critical condition with an imminent risk of death”. By June 16, although still in critical condition, Sava said, “We have controlled internal bleeding and his vital signs have stabilized.” On June 17, it was announced that his condition had improved to “serious” and he was responsive enough to talk with his family.[52] On June 21, the hospital issued a press release stating: “Congressman Steve Scalise continues to make good progress. He is now listed in fair condition and is beginning an extended period of healing and rehabilitation.”[53][54] On July 5, 2017, Scalise returned to the intensive care unit after becoming ill with an infection related to the shooting.[55] On July 13, 2017, it was reported that Scalise had undergone additional surgery and that his condition had been upgraded to fair.[56] He was discharged from the hospital on July 26 and went through a period of inpatient rehabilitation.[57] On September 28, to applause and cheers, he returned to the House of Representatives, where he gave a speech about his experience related to the traumatic events.[58] Hodgkinson, 66, was killed by police at the scene. He was married and lived in Belleville, Illinois, where he owned a small business doing home inspections, mold testing, and air-quality testing. He had encounters with police involving violence or firearms in 2006 and 2017; he was registered as a firearms owner in Illinois. In January 2017 he closed down his business. In the months before the shooting he was living in a car near the Alexandria baseball field and regularly visited a nearby YMCA.[59] He was a Bernie Sanders supporter and volunteer, and a fierce critic of Trump and the Republican Party on social media, in letters to the editor, and in phone calls to his representative.[8][46] Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring concluded Hodgkinson was “fueled by rage against Republican legislators” and the shooting was “an act of terrorism.”[60] The Republicans lost their majority in the 2018 House of Representatives elections, and Scalise was elected as House Minority Whip, with Kevin McCarthy of California as Minority Leader. While as Majority Whip he was the third-ranking House Republican behind Speaker Paul Ryan and McCarthy, as Minority Whip he is second in command behind McCarthy.[61] On January 6, 2021, Scalise voted to de-certify President-elect Biden’s victories in Arizona and Pennsylvania.[62][63] Scalise condemned the Capitol attack as terrorism and compared it to the Congressional baseball shooting. “It would … be naive to think the [2017] shooter arrived at his decision in a vacuum”, Scalise said, adding, “It would be equally naive to think that the Capitol rioters arrived at their decisions in a void. Violent rhetoric helps radicalize people. Republicans and Democrats alike must have the moral clarity to call this language out whenever it is spoken, not only when it comes from the other side of the political aisle.”[64] In February 2021, more than a month after Joe Biden’s inauguration, Scalise refused to acknowledge that the election was not stolen or fraudulent.[65] In May 2021, he called for the ouster of Liz Cheney as House Republican Conference Chair due to her vote to impeach Trump for inciting a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol.[66] On May 19, 2021, Scalise and the seven other House Republican leaders voted against establishing a national commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol Complex. Thirty-five House Republicans and all 217 Democrats present voted to establish such a commission.[67][68] In October 2021, Fox News anchor Chris Wallace interviewed Scalise. In the aftermath of controversy surrounding the 2020 presidential election, Scalise refused to acknowledge the loss of president Donald Trump. His refusal to admit Trump’s loss was viewed as fear of Trump’s vindictiveness and willingness to kowtow to Trump in order to avoid being targeted by Trump.[69] The House Republican Conference elected Scalise to serve as Majority Leader during the 118th Congress. Scalise was unopposed for the position.[70][71] On October 3, 2023 Kevin McCarthy was removed as Speaker of the House. Days later, House Republicans chose Scalise over Jim Jordan as their candidate for Speaker of the House, by a margin of 113 to 99.[72][73] After failing to consolidate the necessary 217 Republican votes to become the Speaker of the House, Scalise withdrew his name from consideration as a nominee for the Speakership.[74][9] Scalise supported President Donald Trump‘s 2017 executive order temporarily banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. He stated, “It’s very prudent to say, ‘Let’s be careful about who comes into our country to make sure that they’re not terrorists.'”[75] Scalise opposes the Affordable Care Act. He applauded a Texas district court ruling the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional in its entirety.[76] Scalise has been an opponent of gun control and was given an “A+ rating” and endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund.[77][78][79][80] After being shot, and in the wake of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Scalise said on Meet the Press that he is still a gun rights supporter: “Don’t try to put new laws in place that don’t fix these problems. They only make it harder for law-abiding citizens to own a gun.” Scalise has described the Second Amendment as being “unlimited”.[81] In 2018, Scalise co-sponsored a bill to “strengthen school safety and security”, which required a two-thirds vote for passage given that it was brought up under an expedited process known as Suspension of the Rules. The House voted 407–10 to approve the bill, which would “provide $50 million a year for a new federal grant program to train students, teachers and law enforcement on how to spot and report signs of gun violence”. Entitled the STOP (Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing) School Violence Act, it would “develop anonymous telephone and online systems where people could report threats of violence.” At the same time, it would authorize $25 million for schools to improve and harden their security, such as installing new locks, lights, metal detectors and panic buttons. A separate spending bill would be required to provide money for the grant program.[82] Scalise opposes the legalization of marijuana, which he deems a gateway drug for other drugs. He was given a “D” rating from National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws for his voting history regarding cannabis-related causes.[83] According to the Washington Blade, Scalise has one of “the most anti-LGBT reputations of any lawmaker”. He opposed the repeal of the US military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, stating “military leaders we’ve spoken with feel strongly that this policy should not be repealed”[84] and including sexuality under hate crime legislation, voting against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.[85] He also opposes same-sex marriage, having praised the 2014 Robicheaux v. Caldwell ruling. Scalise condemned the Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage bans violate the constitution.[86] Scalise’s voting record has a zero rating from the LGBT advocacy group Human Rights Campaign.[87] Scalise rejects the scientific consensus on climate change.[88][89] He has on multiple occasions stated that scientists predicted global cooling in the 1970s.[88][90][91] In 2002, Scalise was a speaker at a convention for the European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO), a group which was founded by David Duke. This became known in 2014 after political blogger[92][93] Lamar White, Jr. uncovered anonymous comments from 2002 on Stormfront, a white supremacist website, which made reference to Scalise as a 2002 speaker at the convention.[92][94][95][96][97][98] Scalise confirmed that he had spoken at the EURO conference in 2002 and stated at the time he did not know of the “racist nature of the group”. Scalise said he spoke about state tax legislation and that EURO was “one of the many groups that I spoke to regarding this critical legislation,” further stating that this is a group “whose views I wholeheartedly condemn.” Scalise apologized for speaking to the group, saying, “It was a mistake I regret, and I emphatically oppose the divisive racial and religious views groups like these hold.”[93] After Scalise’s attendance at the conference was publicized in 2014, journalist Stephanie Grace alleged that Scalise had once called himself “David Duke without the baggage”.[99][100] Various Louisiana politicians, including Republican Governor Bobby Jindal and Democratic Congressman Cedric Richmond, defended Scalise’s character.[101] Speaker of the House John Boehner voiced his continued confidence in Scalise as Majority Whip saying that he had “made an error in judgment” and was “a man of high integrity and good character.”[94][102] Several Democratic members of Congress, as well as Mo Elleithee, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), criticized Scalise and challenged his statement that he was not aware of the group’s affiliation with racism and anti-Semitism.[103] Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center called upon Scalise to step down from his leadership position as Majority Whip.[104][105][106] In 2020, Scalise spread a video that was doctored to depict the political activist Ady Barkan, who is disabled and uses a speech-generating device, asking 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden whether he supported defunding police, to which Biden appeared to reply in the affirmative. Barkan asked Scalise to delete the video, which was flagged by Twitter as manipulated media, and apologize. Scalise deleted the video; his spokesperson said that editing the video in this manner was “common practice.”[107][108] NowThis News posted the interview section on Police Reform on YouTube showing in fact Barkan asked Biden about police reform, including defunding them and Biden agreed stating he proposed that kind of reform.[109] A Roman Catholic,[110] Scalise married Jennifer Ann Letulle on March 19, 2005.[111] They have two children.[112] On August 29, 2023, Scalise announced he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He said the cancer was detected early and was “very treatable”.[113] On September 14, Scalise returned to work, having begun chemotherapy, and reported that his treatment was “going well.”[114] Education
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Louisiana’s 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district comprises land from the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain south to the Mississippi River delta. It covers most of New Orleans’ suburbs, as well as a sliver of New Orleans itself.Wikipedia
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