Jason Altmire
Encyclopedia
Jason Altmire is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party
.
, but grew up in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
, where he was a record-breaking two-sport letterman at Burrell High School
. 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. 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 as a walk on. He graduated in 1990 with a B.S.
in Political Science and worked in the Tallahassee campaign office of Douglas "Pete" Peterson, then a candidate for Congress in Florida's Second Congressional District. He later earned a Master's in Health Administration from George Washington University
in Washington, DC.
to work for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
(UPMC), a 20-hospital health care system with 45,000 employees and more than $7 billion in annual revenue. By 2005, he was the acting Vice President for Government Relations and Community Health Services. His duties at UPMC included oversight of UPMC’s Office of Charitable Giving, which has primary discretion over UPMC’s then $6 million in annual charitable donations. He also represented UPMC in discussions with government officials and local community organizations.
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", and in 2005 he was awarded the Arcadia Award by Northern Allegheny Chamber of Commerce. The Arcadia Award is presented annually to the local business leader who most exemplifies dedication to community service.
voting record and is regularly identified as a centrist in Congress by non-partisan publications. Altmire has introduced 41 bills or amendments that have passed the House, 24 of which have been signed into law. He gained national attention with his effort to guarantee enlistment bonuses of combat-wounded veterans and was the principal author of the law that expands the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover military guard and reserve families. Altmire was actively involved in the 2008 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 2007 College Cost Reduction Act and the 2007 Defense Authorization bills, each of which became law. From 2007 to 2010, he served as chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, during which time he took the lead in passing through the House his legislation to help small businesses acquire private capital investment. As Chairman, he convened a number of congressional hearings to study the impact of federal laws and regulations on American small businesses.
In 2007, Altmire played a leadership role in stopping the use of Chinese-made steel in the construction of the U.S.- Mexico border fence. In 2009, he authored the successful amendment that broke a long-running congressional stalemate that had for years delayed passage of an omnibus land conservation bill that combined dozens of different bills and covered millions of acres of public land. Following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Altmire helped lead a high-profile rescue of two constituents and the 54 orphans under their care. In March 2010, Altmire received national attention during the congressional debate on health care reform. As a former health care executive, his vote was sought after by both sides and he withstood heavy pressure from the White House and Democratic party leaders before voting against the bill on March 21, 2010.
Altmire has never missed a House vote since taking office in 2007, a span of more than 4000 consecutive votes. He is the only member of the House to have made every vote cast during the past three sessions of Congress. He is a frequent guest on national political and cable news programs and has been profiled in a variety of publications and media outlets, including Time Magazine, Good Morning America
and Comedy Central's popular political satire program The Colbert Report.
After again defeating Hart with 56 percent of the vote in their 2008 rematch, Altmire was challenged in the 2010 election by Republican nominee Keith Rothfus
, an attorney from Edgeworth, Pennsylvania
. In an historic wave election that saw Democrats lose 63 seats in the U.S. House, including 5 in Pennsylvania, Altmire was able win re-election to a third term with 51 percent of the vote.
, and is the father of two school-aged daughters.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Early life and education
Altmire was born in Kittanning, PennsylvaniaKittanning, Pennsylvania
Kittanning is a borough and the county seat of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The name means "at the great stream" in the Delaware language...
, but grew up in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
Lower Burrell is a city in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located approximately 18 miles northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, Lower Burrell is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area...
, where he was a record-breaking two-sport letterman at Burrell High School
Burrell High School
Burrell High School is a public secondary school in Lower Burrell in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Part of the Burrell School District, the building houses grades 9 through 12.-External links:*...
. 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. A serious knee injury kept him off the athletic field as a high school senior, and in 1986 he matriculated at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, in Tallahassee
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
. Following a lengthy rehabilitation of his knee injury, he tried out for and made the Seminole football team as a walk on. He graduated in 1990 with a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Political Science and worked in the Tallahassee campaign office of Douglas "Pete" Peterson, then a candidate for Congress in Florida's Second Congressional District. He later earned a Master's in Health Administration from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in Washington, DC.
Washington, DC
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. In 1996, when Peterson was named U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Altmire continued his work in health care policy by taking a job with the Federation of American Hospitals.Western Pennsylvania
In 1998, Altmire returned to Western PennsylvaniaWestern Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
to work for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is an $9 billion integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 54,000 employees, 20 hospitals, 4,200 licensed beds, 400 outpatient sites and doctors’ offices, a 1.5 million-member health insurance division, as well as commercial and...
(UPMC), a 20-hospital health care system with 45,000 employees and more than $7 billion in annual revenue. By 2005, he was the acting Vice President for Government Relations and Community Health Services. His duties at UPMC included oversight of UPMC’s Office of Charitable Giving, which has primary discretion over UPMC’s then $6 million in annual charitable donations. He also represented UPMC in discussions with government officials and local community organizations.
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", and in 2005 he was awarded the Arcadia Award by Northern Allegheny Chamber of Commerce. The Arcadia Award is presented annually to the local business leader who most exemplifies dedication to community service.
Tenure
Altmire has a moderateModerate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
voting record and is regularly identified as a centrist in Congress by non-partisan publications. Altmire has introduced 41 bills or amendments that have passed the House, 24 of which have been signed into law. He gained national attention with his effort to guarantee enlistment bonuses of combat-wounded veterans and was the principal author of the law that expands the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover military guard and reserve families. Altmire was actively involved in the 2008 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
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for his signature. Altmire was also named to the conference committees for the 2007 College Cost Reduction Act and the 2007 Defense Authorization bills, each of which became law. From 2007 to 2010, he served as chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, during which time he took the lead in passing through the House his legislation to help small businesses acquire private capital investment. As Chairman, he convened a number of congressional hearings to study the impact of federal laws and regulations on American small businesses.
In 2007, Altmire played a leadership role in stopping the use of Chinese-made steel in the construction of the U.S.- Mexico border fence. In 2009, he authored the successful amendment that broke a long-running congressional stalemate that had for years delayed passage of an omnibus land conservation bill that combined dozens of different bills and covered millions of acres of public land. Following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Altmire helped lead a high-profile rescue of two constituents and the 54 orphans under their care. In March 2010, Altmire received national attention during the congressional debate on health care reform. As a former health care executive, his vote was sought after by both sides and he withstood heavy pressure from the White House and Democratic party leaders before voting against the bill on March 21, 2010.
Altmire has never missed a House vote since taking office in 2007, a span of more than 4000 consecutive votes. He is the only member of the House to have made every vote cast during the past three sessions of Congress. He is a frequent guest on national political and cable news programs and has been profiled in a variety of publications and media outlets, including Time Magazine, Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
and Comedy Central's popular political satire program The Colbert Report.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
- Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training
- Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions SubcommiteeUnited States House Education Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and PensionsThe House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions is a standing subcommittee within the United States House Committee on Education and the Workforce...
(HELP)
- Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- Subcommittee on Highways and TransitUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and TransitThe House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee oversees highway, transit, and highway safety programs in the United States, as well as policy governing how highway and transit projects...
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsThe Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee...
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and EnvironmentUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and EnvironmentThe Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over water conservation, pollution control, infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup, the civil works programs of the U.S. Army...
- Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
Political campaigns
Altmire had never before been a candidate for public office when he left UPMC on June 30, 2005, to run against three-term incumbent Republican Congresswoman Melissa Hart, who was considered by most observers to be invulnerable. On May 17, 2006 Altmire 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. Altmire campaigned relentlessly and raised over $1 million to help fund his race against a well-known incumbent. 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.After again defeating Hart with 56 percent of the vote in their 2008 rematch, Altmire was challenged in the 2010 election by Republican nominee Keith Rothfus
Keith Rothfus
Keith Rothfus is an American attorney who ran as a Republican for the United States House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District for the 2010 election. He won the nomination by defeating Mary Beth Buchanan in the primary. He lost to incumbent Democrat Jason Altmire,...
, an attorney from Edgeworth, Pennsylvania
Edgeworth, Pennsylvania
Edgeworth is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,680 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Edgeworth is located at ....
. In an historic wave election that saw Democrats lose 63 seats in the U.S. House, including 5 in Pennsylvania, Altmire was able win re-election to a third term with 51 percent of the vote.
Personal life
Altmire is married to the former Kelly Lynn Fagan of Winter Haven, FloridaWinter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
, and is the father of two school-aged daughters.
External links
- U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire official U.S. House site
- Altmire for Congress official campaign site
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- KBR questioned over fatal accidents in Iraq David Ivanovich, March 20, 2008, Jason Altmire helps mother of soldier killed by electrocution