-Caveat Lector-
http://speakernews.house.gov/library/denny/990204bio.asp
Biography of House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert
After having taught government and history for 16 years at
Yorkville High School in northern Illinois, J. Dennis Hastert is now
doing both as a member of the 106th Congress. Elected to the United
States House of Representatives in 1986, Hastert, who turned 57 on
January 2, 1999, represents Illinois' 14th Congressional District -- a
suburban landscape of high tech firms, small and large industrial
complexes and expansive farm land west of Chicago.
"In short, I believe all of us - regardless of party - can respect one
another, even as we fiercely disagree on particular issues." On
January 6, 1999, Hastert had the high honor of being elected Speaker of
the House. In his acceptance speech, Hastert emphasized his commitment
to bipartisanship saying, "Solutions to problems cannot be found in a
pool of bitterness. They can be found in an environment in which we
trust one another's word; where we generate heat and passion, but where
we recognize that each member is equally important to our overall
mission of improving the life of the American people.
In short, I believe all of us - regardless of party - can respect
one another, even as we fiercely disagree on particular issues." He
also expressed his desire to accomplish the people's business on time
by issuing a challenge to both Republicans and Democrats to either
finish the budget process as scheduled or stay in session until they
do.
Prior to his election as Speaker, Hastert served as Chief Deputy
Majority Whip, a leadership position he held since the 104th Congress.
In that capacity, Hastert was responsible for advancing common sense
ideas on the House floor by working with members in laying out an
achievable policy strategy, lining up support, and counting Members'
votes to ensure passage. His reputation is one of reaching across the
aisle to develop bipartisan legislation.
He also served as Chairman of the House Government Reform and
Oversight Committee's National Security, International Affairs and
Criminal Justice Subcommittee. Hastert's subcommittee had broad
oversight responsibilities for the Departments of State, Defense and
Justice; it also oversaw the nation's War on Drugs effort. He also
served as a member of the House Commerce Committee, whose jurisdiction
includes energy policy, interstate and foreign commerce, broadcast and
telecommunications policy, food, health and drug issues.
Hastert had been the House Republican point person on health care
reform since 1992. In that capacity, he served as the only House
Republican on Hillary Clinton's Health Care Task Force in 1993, and
then chaired the Speaker's Steering Committee on Health and the
Resource Group on Health. He helped author the health care reform bill
signed into law by President Clinton in 1996 in order to expand health
care coverage to the uninsured. In the 105th Congress, Hastert again
was tapped by the House Leadership to chair the House Working Group on
Health Care Quality. Under Hastert's leadership, the Working Group
authored the Patient Protection Act, which passed the House on July 24,
1998. The legislation protected patients and guaranteed choices so
Americans would continue having access to affordable, high-quality
health care.
During his years in Congress, Hastert championed legislation to
reform the budget process, balance the federal budget and cut
government waste. He also led a nationwide fight to repeal the unfair
Social Security Earnings Test levied on senior citizens. He worked on
and passed legislation to reduce big government regulations in areas
such as telecommunications and trucking in order to increase
competition and consumer choice.
Hastert is cited as a leader in cleaning up the environment, most
notably in trying to preserve groundwater standards. He successfully
worked for the removal and proper disposal of 21 million cubic feet of
low level thorium waste currently sitting in West Chicago, Illinois and
to block a proposed garbage dump that would threaten the Fox Valley's
groundwater supply.
Hastert enjoys a strong editorial support from the newspapers in
his district and has received the "Outstanding Legislator" award by
numerous groups. He is particularly proud to have been named repeatedly
a Friend of Agriculture, Guardian of Senior Rights, and to have won in
each of his years in Congress the Golden Bulldog Award for fighting
against waste in government.
In addition, Hastert's leadership has caught the attention of
national media outlets. In the November 21, 1998 edition of
Congressional Quarterly, the magazine cites Hastert as one of the "12
Who Made a Difference" in the 105th Congress. From health care reform
to the War on Drugs to other important initiatives, CQ wrote: "When
House Republicans needed something done, they often turned to Dennis
Hastert of Illinois
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