Ray LaHood

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Ray LaHood

Incumbent
Assumed office 
January 22, 2009
President Barack Obama
Deputy John Porcari
Preceded by Mary Peters
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 18th district
In office
January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by Bob Michel
Succeeded by Aaron Schock
In office
1982–1983
Born December 6, 1945 (1945-12-06) (age 64)
Peoria, Illinois
Ethnicity Lebanese
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Kathy LaHood
Alma mater Bradley University
Profession Politician, Teacher[1]
Religion Maronite Catholic

Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood (born December 6, 1945) is the current United States Secretary of Transportation and a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives.

During his service in Congress, he became well-known among C-SPAN viewers, as the presiding officer of more debates than any other member.[2] Most notably, he presided over the impeachment vote against President Bill Clinton.

Contents

[edit] Life and career

LaHood was born in Peoria, Illinois, to Mary A. (née Vogel), who was of German ancestry, and Edward M. LaHood, a Lebanese American who managed a restaurant.[2] He has a residence in East Peoria, Illinois.[3][4]

He graduated from Spalding Institute, worked his way through Canton Junior College and Bradley University in Peoria, earning a bachelors of science in education and sociology in 1971.[2]

Following graduation, he taught junior high school social studies at public and Catholic schools,[2] and has said that "teaching kids ... about the constitution and government" stirred his interest in politics.[1]

LaHood worked as director of the Rock Island County Youth Services Bureau and then became an administrative assistant for U.S. congressman Tom Railsback. He was appointed to fill a vacant seat in the Illinois House of Representatives in 1982 serving for nine months, but losing the election that fall.[5] LaHood then became an administrative assistant and ultimately the chief of staff to U.S. House minority leader, Robert Michel. When Michel announced his retirement in 1994, LaHood ran and won his seat in the House.[2]

He was one of only three Republican candidates who did not sign on to the Contract with America, Newt Gingrich's manifesto for a Republican majority,[6], and was a member of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership.

LaHood was said to be considering a challenge to Governor Rod Blagojevich's re-election bid in 2006, but on August 18, 2005 he ruled out a run, choosing to run for another term in Congress instead.[5] He won the 2006 race against Steve Waterworth[7] by a margin of 147,108 (67%) to 71,106 (33%).[8] On July 26, 2007, LaHood stated he would not seek re-election in 2008 and would retire when his current term expired in January 2009.[9]

In August 2007, LaHood received a 0% rating from the conservative and anti-earmark Club for Growth 2007 RePORK Card.[10] He received an 11% rating from the conservative lobbying group Citizens Against Government Waste in August 2007, and holds a lifetime 49% rating from the group.[11]

In 2007 LaHood was considered for the post of president of his alma mater, Bradley University,[12] however, he decided against applying for the position.[13]

A strong advocate for preserving the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, LaHood authored a law that established the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, which laid the groundwork for celebrating the 16th President's 200th birthday in 2009. He has also been a lead Capitol Hill supporter for the Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois, and is one of 15 members on the ALBC.

[edit] Secretary of Transportation

LaHood during an Obama press conference.
LaHood works on a Habitat for Humanity project in Brooklyn, New York June 22, 2009

On December 19, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced that he would nominate Ray LaHood to be the next Transportation Secretary. LaHood's résumé on transport matters was considered thin by some critics, including the Wall Street Journal despite the fact that he served for 14 years on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.[14] As a member of the House Appropriations Committee he won praise for his "skills as an arbiter" in being able to bridge sometimes bitter partisan divides in the Congress, something the position would require.[15] Some critics alleged a reputation for pork barrel spending, including in support of campaign contributors. The Washington Post reported that of the $60 million in earmarks LaHood secured for his district in 2008, $9 million went to campaign donors.[16]

His nomination was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote on January 21, 2009.[17] He is, with Robert Gates,[18][19] one of two Republican members of the Obama Cabinet.[20]

[edit] Toyota Sudden Acceleration issue

On February 3, 2010, LaHood was criticized for advice he was asked to give while testifying before a congressional committee regarding Toyota's recall of 2.3 million vehicles due to sudden acceleration, wherein he suggested Toyota owners stop driving their cars. LaHood qualified his statement within an hour and a half of his testimony, spelling out that he meant "owners of any recalled Toyota models (should) contact their local dealer and get their vehicles fixed as soon as possible."[21]

[edit] Airline passenger rights

Ray LaHood is a supporter of airline passenger rights to facilities, food and water during lengthy on-aircraft delays.[22]

[edit] Electoral history

Illinois's 18th congressional district: Results 1994–2006[23]
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct
1994 G. Douglas Stephens 78,332 39% Ray LaHood 119,838 60% *
1996 Mike Curran 98,413 41% Ray LaHood 143,110 59%
1998 (no candidate) Ray LaHood 158,175 100% *
2000 Joyce Harant 85,317 33% Ray LaHood 173,706 67%
2002 (no candidate) Ray LaHood 192,567 100%
2004 Steve Waterworth 91,548 30% Ray LaHood 216,047 70%
2006 Steve Waterworth 73,052 33% Ray LaHood 150,194 67%
*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1994, write-ins received 955 votes. In 1998, write-ins received 2 votes.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Rep. LaHood Talks History at Holy Family School". Peoria, Illinois: WEEK-TV. October 8, 2008. http://www.week.com/news/local/30629004.html. 
  2. ^ a b c d e U.S. Congressman Ray LaHood (Archived version from 2003)
  3. ^ "Ancestries of Miscellaneous Celebrities, Ray LaHood". Ancestry.com. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/celeb/lahood.htm. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Famous Arab Americans - Political". Arab American Institute. http://www.aaiusa.org/arab-americans/23/famous-arab-americans/. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
  5. ^ a b "Ray H. LaHood - Republican Candidate for Illinois". Fox News. July 2007. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/candidate/ray-h-lahood/. 
  6. ^ Fletcher, Michael A.; Rucker, Philip (December 18, 2008). "Obama to Add GOP's LaHood to Cabinet". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/17/AR2008121703483.html?hpid=topnews. 
  7. ^ Waterworth for Congress
  8. ^ "Race finder, Illinois' 18th Congressional District". Elections 2006" (CNN). http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/IL/H/18/district.html. 
  9. ^ Tankersley, Jim; Pearson, Rick (July 26, 2007). "LaHood will not seek re-election". The Swamp (Chicago Tribune). http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/07/lahood_will_not_seek_reelectio.html. 
  10. ^ The 2007 Club for Growth RePORK Card "The Club For Growth", August 9, 2007
  11. ^ Citizens Against Government Waste 2007 House Scorecard "Citizens Against Government Waste", August 27, 2008
  12. ^ LaHood Ponders Post The Peoria Star, June 2, 2007[dead link]
  13. ^ LaHood stays put The Hill, July 10, 2007[dead link]
  14. ^ http://www.dot.gov/bios/lahood.htm
  15. ^ Weisman, Jonathan; Conkey, Christopher (2008-12-18). "LaHood to Get Transportation Post". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122955244259215675.html. Retrieved 2008-12-18. 
  16. ^ Leonnig, Carol D. (January 14, 2009). "Last Year, LaHood Sponsored Millions in Earmarks; Some Funding Went to Campaign Donors". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/13/AR2009011302860.html. Retrieved May 22, 2010. 
  17. ^ Matthew L. Wald (January 22, 2009). "Panel Approves Transportation Nominee". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/22lahood.html. 
  18. ^ Gates is not registered with any political party, but considers himself Republican. "Gates: Military looks to accelerate Iraq pullout". Associated Press (Associated Press). December 1, 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28022197/. Retrieved May 5, 2009. 
  19. ^ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122955244259215675.html Wall Street Journal "bipartisan"
  20. ^ Wald, Matthew L. (January 22, 2009). "Panel Approves Transportation Nominee". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/22lahood.html. Retrieved May 22, 2010. 
  21. ^ "Toyota recall:DOT Secretary LaHood pulls back from telling owners not to drive their cars". USA Today. February 3, 2010. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/02/toyota-recall-transportation-secretary-ray-lahood-advises-owners-not-to-drive-their-cars/1. 
  22. ^ http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/05/dot-secretary-lahood-names-avi.html
  23. ^ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10. 

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