Ralph Regula
Encyclopedia
Ralph Straus Regula was a Representative in the United States Congress
from the 16th District
of the State of Ohio
. He retired in January 2009 after 18 consecutive terms. He is a member of the Republican Party
. In the 110th Congress (2007–2009), he was the second longest serving Republican member of the U.S. House (after Bill Young
of Florida).
funding so that poorer and middle class students can obtain two and four year degrees. Regula also increased by millions of dollars the amount of federal money committed to research in fighting cancer, heart disease and birth defects. Regula is a member of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership
and supports stem cell research.
Regula was also a Congressional leader in alternative energy sources. He was an early champion of fuel cell technology and he has directed federal funding back to his home state, Ohio, which is recognized as a national leader in fuel cell research and development. Additionally, Regula was a proponent of clean coal. Ohio and its neighboring states have an abundant supply of coal and Regula believes that it could help alleviate the nation's energy problems because larger energy users, such a large manufacturers, could use clean coal rather than natural gas. Such utilization would help reduce home energy costs and free up the demand for natural gas. Additionally, he was the impetus behind what was to ultimately become the AmericaView Consortium, started in 1998 as OhioView with the goal of supporting the delivery and use of Landsat imagery for civilian applications.
Although the 16th District was competitive in presidential elections, Regula consistently ran 15% to 20% ahead of the Republican candidate for President.
Since 1975, Regula blocked the renaming of Mt. McKinley to Denali. Canton, in Regula's district, was William McKinley
's hometown. (See Denali naming dispute
.)
Regula, a former country lawyer
, U.S. Navy veteran and state legislator, was first elected in 1972. Previously he had served on the Ohio Board of Education and in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate. An alumnus of Mount Union College
, he is married to Mary who he met there, and they have three children and four grandchildren.
Rep. Regula retired from the House of Representatives when his term ended in January 2009. He was succeeded by John Boccieri
, a Democrat
from the Ohio General Assembly
.
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from the 16th District
Ohio's 16th congressional district
The 16th congressional district of Ohio is currently represented by Representative Jim Renacci . The district is based in Stark County and the Canton area and also includes Wayne County and most of Medina and Ashland counties.On Nov...
of the State of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He retired in January 2009 after 18 consecutive terms. He is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. In the 110th Congress (2007–2009), he was the second longest serving Republican member of the U.S. House (after Bill Young
Bill Young
Charles William "Bill" Young is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1971. He is a member of the Republican Party, and is currently the longest-serving Republican member of Congress...
of Florida).
Career
Congressman Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) was ranking minority member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Labor, Health, Human Services and Education funding in the 110th Congress. The subcommittee's budget, the largest discretionary domestic account, was over $140 billion. Regula, a former teacher and principal, was a Congressional leader in pushing for alternative solutions in improving reading skills, developing teacher training and increasing Pell GrantPell Grant
A Pell Grant is money the federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students with financial need, who have not earned their first bachelor's degree or who are not enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, through participating...
funding so that poorer and middle class students can obtain two and four year degrees. Regula also increased by millions of dollars the amount of federal money committed to research in fighting cancer, heart disease and birth defects. Regula is a member of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership
Republican Main Street Partnership
The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderate members of the United States Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards a moderate fiscal conservatism and limited government to a degree. The group is the rough equivalent of...
and supports stem cell research.
Regula was also a Congressional leader in alternative energy sources. He was an early champion of fuel cell technology and he has directed federal funding back to his home state, Ohio, which is recognized as a national leader in fuel cell research and development. Additionally, Regula was a proponent of clean coal. Ohio and its neighboring states have an abundant supply of coal and Regula believes that it could help alleviate the nation's energy problems because larger energy users, such a large manufacturers, could use clean coal rather than natural gas. Such utilization would help reduce home energy costs and free up the demand for natural gas. Additionally, he was the impetus behind what was to ultimately become the AmericaView Consortium, started in 1998 as OhioView with the goal of supporting the delivery and use of Landsat imagery for civilian applications.
Although the 16th District was competitive in presidential elections, Regula consistently ran 15% to 20% ahead of the Republican candidate for President.
Since 1975, Regula blocked the renaming of Mt. McKinley to Denali. Canton, in Regula's district, was William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
's hometown. (See Denali naming dispute
Denali naming dispute
There is a dispute over the name of the mountain listed by the United States Board of Geographic Names as "Mount McKinley" and by the Alaska Board of Geographic Names as "Denali", located in Alaska as the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve...
.)
Regula, a former country lawyer
Country Lawyer
In the United States, a country lawyer, or county-seat lawyer, is an attorney who has completed little or no formal legal training and has become a member of a county bar or a state bar after "reading law"; traditionally, these lawyers practiced general law in a rural setting, or on the frontier...
, U.S. Navy veteran and state legislator, was first elected in 1972. Previously he had served on the Ohio Board of Education and in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate. An alumnus of Mount Union College
Mount Union College
The University of Mount Union is a 4-year private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Alliance, Ohio.Mount Union enrolls 2200 undergraduates. Approximately 50 percent are women and 50 percent are men, representing more than 22 states and 13 countries. Mount Union has an active alumni base of...
, he is married to Mary who he met there, and they have three children and four grandchildren.
Rep. Regula retired from the House of Representatives when his term ended in January 2009. He was succeeded by John Boccieri
John Boccieri
John Boccieri is a one-term U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He was defeated by Republican Jim Renacci on November 2, 2010. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives.-Early life and career:Boccieri...
, a Democrat
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...
from the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
.
See also
- Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 16th District
- List of United States Representatives from Ohio