Ray LaHood
16th United States Secretary of Transportation
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
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office May 1982 – January 4, 1983
Personal details
Born	Raymond H. LaHood (1945-12-06) December 6, 1945 (age 66) Peoria, Illinois, United States
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Kathy LaHood
Alma mater	Bradley University
Profession	Teacher[1]
Religion	Maronite Catholicism

Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood (born December 6, 1945) is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms (1995–2009).

Early life and education[link]

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

Early career[link]

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 was director of the Rock Island County Youth Services Bureau and then district administrative assistant for U.S. congressman Tom Railsback, a Moline, Illinois Republican, from 1977 to 1982.^[5] He was appointed in 1982 to fill a vacant seat in the Illinois House of Representatives, serving for nine months, and running for the seat in November 1982, but losing to Democrat Bob DeJaegher.^[5] LaHood then became administrative assistant and ultimately the chief of staff to U.S. House minority leader Robert Michel, serving from 1982 until 1994.^[5]

U.S. Representative[link]

When Michel announced his retirement in 1994, LaHood ran and won his seat in the House, representing Illinois's 18th congressional district.^[2] LaHood was one of only three Republicans elected to the House that year who did not sign on to the Contract with America, Newt Gingrich's manifesto for a Republican majority,^[5][6] and was a member of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership. In 1997, in an effort to promote bipartisan cooperation, LaHood organized bipartisan retreats for members of Congress.^[5]

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, in 1998 he presided over the contentious debate over the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.^[5][7]

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.

LaHood served on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from 1995 until 2000,^[8] the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence beginning in 1998, and the House Appropriations Committee beginning in 2000.^[5] In 2005 he voted against renewing the PATRIOT Act, saying he opposed extending its intrusive police powers.^[5]

LaHood was said to be considering a challenge to Governor Rod Blagojevich's re-election bid in 2006, but chose to run for another term in Congress instead.^[5] He won the 2006 race against Steve Waterworth^[9] by a margin of 147,108 (67%) to 71,106 (33%).^[10] On July 26, 2007, LaHood stated he would not seek re-election in 2008.^[11]

In August 2007, LaHood received a 0% rating from the conservative and anti-earmark Club for Growth 2007 RePORK Card.^[12] 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.^[13]

In 2007 LaHood considered, but later decided against, applying for the post of president of Bradley University.^[5]

During the 2008 presidential election, LaHood supported John McCain, but criticized the rallies being held by McCain's vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, saying she should put a stop to the name calling, and that the tactic could backfire. "This doesn't befit the office that she's running for. And frankly, people don't like it," he said.^[14][15]

Secretary of Transportation[link]

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LaHood works on a Habitat for Humanity project in Brooklyn, New York City, June 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 on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.^[8] 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.^[16] 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.^[17]

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

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."^[22]

Ray LaHood is a supporter of airline passenger rights to facilities, food and water during lengthy on-aircraft delays.^[23] He is also a strong proponent of high-speed rail, saying "This is what the American people want. If you build it, they will come."^[24]

LaHood plans to step down as transportation secretary at the end of Obama's first term in 2013. He will not seek any public office after that, and instead enter the private sector.^[25]

On December 6, 2011, Secretary LaHood accepted the resignation of FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, who was charged with drunk driving near his Washington home.

Egypt[link]

On January 21, 2012, LaHood's son, Sam LaHood, was detained by the Egyptian government and not allowed to leave the country as part of a politically charged criminal investigation by the Egyptian government into the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) monitoring local elections in Egypt. LaHood's son is the Egypt director of the International Republican Institute. The Egyptian government has detained twelve NGO representatives from leaving Egypt.^[26]

On February 5, 2012, Egyptian authorities charged LaHood's son and 42 other individuals with "spending money from organizations that were operating in Egypt without a license." Nineteen Americans are part of the 42 charged. The U.S. government has made it clear that $1.5 billion in U.S. aid to Egypt could be withheld if the investigation is not finished quickly. Faiza Abu Naga, Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation, is seen as the person pushing the investigation forward.^[27][28]

Electoral history[link]

Ray LaHood's congressional seat, Illinois's 18th congressional district, has been Republican since 1939.

LaHood did not to seek re-election in 2008, and Barack Obama nominated him to be U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Illinois State Representative Aaron Schock of Peoria won the seat for the Republicans in the 2008 election.^[30]

Personal life[link]

LaHood and his wife Kathy have a residence in East Peoria, Illinois. Ray and Kathy have four children--Darin, Amy, Sam, Sara. Their son, Darin LaHood, is a current member of the Illinois Senate. Their other son, Sam LaHood, is currently Director of the International Republican Institute office in Egypt, a nongovernmental organization assisting democratization efforts, which has come under investigation by the Egyptian government; he was denied permission to leave the country because he was told he was on a “no-fly list”^[31].

See also[link]

• List of U.S. political appointments that crossed party lines

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ray LaHood

• Secretary Ray LaHood at the United States Department of Transportation
• Ray LaHood on the Daily Show, December 15, 2009
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Current Bills Sponsored at StateSurge.com
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• C-SPAN Q&A interview with LaHood, September 2, 2007
• Profile at SourceWatch
• Works by or about Ray LaHood in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Articles

• LaHood tapped for Obama Cabinet Karen McDonald, Peoria Journal Star, December 17, 2008
• The GOP Goes South David S. Broder, "Washington Post," December 28, 2008, on Ray LaHood's selection for the Obama cabinet and what that means for the Republican Party
• Ray LaHood: A driving force in White House

v t e United States Secretaries of Transportation Boyd Volpe Brinegar Coleman Adams Goldschmidt Lewis Dole Burnley Skinner Card Peña Slater Mineta Peters LaHood

v t e Current members of the Cabinet of the United States Obama Biden Bryson Chu Clinton Donovan Duncan Geithner Holder Jacksonc Kirkc Kruegerc LaHood Lewc Millsc Napolitano Panetta Ricec Salazar Sebelius Solis Shinseki Vilsack Zientsca c - cabinet-level; a - acting

v t e Cabinet of President Barack Obama (since 2009)   Cabinet Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (2009–present) Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner (2009–present) Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (2009–2011) Leon Panetta (2011–present) Attorney General Eric Holder (2009–present) Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar (2009–present) Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack (2009–present) Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke (2009–2011) John Bryson (2011–present) Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis (2009–present) Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius (2009–present) Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (2009–present) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan (2009–present) Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood (2009–present) Secretary of Energy Steven Chu (2009–present) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki (2009–present) Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano (2009–present)   Cabinet-level Vice President Joe Biden (2009–present) White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (2009–2010) William Daley (2011–2012) Jacob Lew (2012–present) Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Lisa Jackson (2009–present) Director of the Office of Management and Budget Peter Orszag (2009–2010) Jacob Lew (2010–2012) Trade Representative Ron Kirk (2009–present) Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice (2009–present) Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer (2009–2010) Austan Goolsbee (2010–2011) Alan Krueger (2011–present) Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Leon Panetta (2009–2011) David Petraeus (2011–present) Administrator of the Small Business Administration Karen Mills (2012–present)* * took office in 2009, raised to cabinet-rank in 2012 See also: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet