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Steve Austria

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For other people with the surname Austria, seeAustria (surname).

Steve Austria
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromOhio's7thdistrict
In office
January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byDave Hobson
Succeeded byBob Gibbs
Member of theOhio Senate
from the10thdistrict
In office
January 3, 2001 – December 31, 2008
Preceded byMerle G. Kearns
Succeeded byChris Widener
Member of theOhio House of Representatives
from the 76th district
In office
January 5, 1999 – December 31, 2000
Preceded byMarilyn Reid
Succeeded byKevin DeWine
Personal details
Born
Stephen Clement Austria

(1958-10-12)October 12, 1958(age 65)
Cincinnati,Ohio,U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseEileen
Children3 sons
EducationMarquette University(BA)

Stephen Clement Austria[1](born October 12, 1958) is an American politician who served as aU.S. RepresentativeforOhio's 7th congressional districtfrom 2009 to 2013. He is a member of theRepublican Party.In December 2011, Austria announced his intention to not run for re-election for the 113th Congress in the2012 elections.[2][3]During his 14 years in elected office, Austria never lost an election.[4]

Early life, education and career

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Austria was born inCincinnati,the son of Jean C. (née Brockman),[5]a nurse, and the late Dr. Clement G. Austria, a medical doctor.[4][6]He grew up inXenia,the eldest of nine children. He graduated fromCarroll High Schoolin 1977.[4]His mother was of German descent, and his father was fromTiaong, Quezon,Philippines, and had moved to Ohio to attend medical school. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree fromMarquette Universityin 1982 and began a career as a financial advisor.[5]The Austria family was named the 1984 "Ohio Family of the Year" and was later presented with one of nine "The Great American Family" awards by First LadyNancy Reagan.[7]His father sat on theGreene CountyCentral Committee of the Republican Party.[4]

Ohio House of Representatives

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Elections

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Austria was a member of theOhio House of Representativesfrom 1998 until 2000. Austria won re-election in 2004 against Democratic challenger Charlie Hart in the general election with 65% of the vote.[8]

Tenure

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Austria was elected to the Ohio State Senate in 2001, representing the 10th District. He served two terms as the Senate House Majority Whip.[7]In 1998, he sponsored the "Internet Child Protection Act", which was later enacted into law.[4]

Committee assignments

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He served as Chairman of the Senate Highways and Transportation[9]and Senate Judiciary Committees.[10]

U.S. House of Representatives

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See also:United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio, 2008 § District 7;United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio, 2010 § District 7;andUnited States House of Representatives elections in Ohio, 2012 § District 7

Elections

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2008

Austria won the Republican nomination for the 7th District after nine-term incumbentDave Hobsonretired. He defeated Democratic challengerSharen Neuhardtin the general election, 59% to 41%.[11]When Austria was elected, he made history by becoming the first son of a Filipino immigrant to be elected to the House of Representatives.[4]

2010

Austria was elected to a second term by defeating Libertarian John D. Anderson, Democrat Bill Conner and Constitution Party David Easton.[12]

2012

Following the2010 United States Census,Ohio lost two seats in the House of Representatives, due to relatively slow population growth.[13]In subsequent redistricting, Austria's district, which stretched fromSpringfieldto the southern suburbs ofColumbus,was dismantled, with its territory split between three neighboring districts. Austria's home in Beavercreek was drawn into the 10th District (previously the 3rd District) of fellow RepublicanMike Turner,who has served since 2003. The largest city in the district, Springfield, was drawn into the 8th District of House SpeakerJohn Boehner.In December 2011, Austria announced his intention to retire at the2012 elections,[2]rather than run in a primary against Turner or move to run in another district. While one proposal would have seen the 10th retain roughly half of the territory from Turner and Austria's old districts, the final map drew Austria into a district that would have been over 75 percent new to him. State House Majority LeaderMatt Huffmansaid that the new map "essentially eliminated" any realistic chance of Austria being able to stay in Congress.[14]

Tenure

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Austria is the third person ofFilipinoheritage (afterBobby ScottofVirginiaandJohn EnsignofNevada[15]) to serve in the House as a voting member.[16]He is the firstfirst-generationFilipino to be elected to the United States Congress.[17][18]

Austria is a staunch fiscal and social conservative, which is unusual in a district that has historically elected moderate Republicans. His campaign stressedSecond Amendmentrights, tax relief, opposition to abortion, and eliminating waste in government. He was a member of theRepublican Study Committeeand theRepublican Main Street Partnership.

Austria co-wrote a letter with Rep.Steve Rothmanin the wake of theItamar attackclaiming that any peace attempt in the Middle East had to recognize that "Palestinian incitement continues and there is almost no effort by them to promote coexistence and peace."[19]

Committee assignments

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Post-congressional career

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Austria has aconsultingbusiness, and serves on an advisory board for theRepublican National Committeeand remains active in politics.[21]As of 2014, Austria is on theRepublican StateCentral Committee,representing the 10th District,[22]and sits on the Republican National Committee's Asian American Advisory Council.[23]

Personal life

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Austria has lived inBeavercreek,a suburb ofDayton,for more than 20 years with his wife Eileen, and their three sons Brian, Kevin and Eric.[7]Austria is aCatholic.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Ohio Filipino American running for US Congress | GMA News Online | The Go-To Site for Filipinos Everywhere
  2. ^abSteve Austria to retire – POLITICO
  3. ^Rachel Weiner (December 30, 2011)."Ohio Republican Rep. Steve Austria retiring".Washington Post.RetrievedOctober 22,2012.
  4. ^abcdefMary McCarty (December 31, 2012)."Steve Austria looks back on career in Congress".Dayton Daily News.Cox Media Group.RetrievedJanuary 7,2013.
  5. ^abLARIOSA, JOSEPH (August 3, 2008)."Ohio Filipino American running for US Congress".GMA News.RetrievedSeptember 1,2008.
  6. ^Biography of Steve Austria - History Art & Archives, US House of Representatives,history.house.gov,2013.
  7. ^abcAustria, Steve (2008)."Steve Austria for Congress".Archived fromthe originalon March 9, 2009.RetrievedMarch 12,2009.
  8. ^"Ohio Senate: November 2, 2004".Archived fromthe originalon December 27, 2010.RetrievedFebruary 20,2011.
  9. ^"OHIO SENATE JOURNAL"(PDF).State of Ohio.
  10. ^"Rep. Steve Austria".Peerless Technologies Corporation.Archived fromthe originalon September 29, 2015.RetrievedMay 24,2016.
  11. ^"Ohio Secretary of State Unofficial Election Results".Ohio Secretary of State. November 4, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon April 13, 2012.RetrievedNovember 8,2008.
  12. ^"In the States".New York Times.RetrievedMay 24,2016.
  13. ^Ohio will lose two congressional seats, Census Bureau says | cleveland
  14. ^Joe Cogliano (December 30, 2011)."Austria drops bid for re-election".Dayton Business Journal.RetrievedDecember 30,2011.
    Strong, Jonathan (January 17, 2012)."How Rep. Steve Austria Became a Sacrificial Republican".Roll Call.Economist Group Business.RetrievedAugust 26,2014.
  15. ^"Ensign Commemorates Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month".Archived fromthe originalon June 20, 2009.RetrievedJune 17,2009.
  16. ^Melegrito, Jon (May 2009)."Rep. Steve Austria, A Fil-Am in the U.S. Congress"[A Father's Legacy].Filipinas Magazine.18(205): 61.ISSN1063-4630.RetrievedAugust 26,2009.
  17. ^"AUSTRIA STATEMENT FOR EVENT AT PHILIPPINES EMBASSY".Official House of Representatives website of Rep. Steve Austria. Archived fromthe originalon March 20, 2010.RetrievedJune 18,2010.
  18. ^"Fil-Am lawmaker decides not to seek reelection in Ohio".ABS-CBNnews.January 19, 2012.RetrievedMarch 19,2012.He was first Filipino-American elected in 2008 and handily won re-election last year, after taking over the old seat of Republican Rep. David Hobson
  19. ^HILARY LEILA KRIEGER, "J Street opposes House letter bashing Palestinian incitement. Lobby's stance saying PA has taken political risks for peace seen as increasing congressional support for measure,"Jerusalem Post,March 23, 2011.
  20. ^"Former Congressman, Steve Austria shares experience for successful defense communities".Greene County Daily Word.Linton, Indiana. September 14, 2015.RetrievedMay 11,2017.
  21. ^Cogliano, Joe (April 7, 2014)."Former U.S. Rep. Steve Austria: Politics back on the horizon".Dayton Business Journal.American City Business Journal.RetrievedAugust 26,2014.
    Wilkins, Emily (September 10, 2012)."No campaign, lots of funds".The Columbus Dispatch.RetrievedAugust 26,2014.
  22. ^Amanda Crowe (May 7, 2014)."Austria, Lewis win State Central Committee seats".Xenia Gazette.Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2014.RetrievedDecember 16,2014.
  23. ^Mary Tablante."Asian America (May 2014)".Asian Fortune News.RetrievedDecember 16,2014.
    "Fil-Am appointment to Republican nat'l body hailed".Philippine Daily Inquirer.March 6, 2014.RetrievedDecember 16,2014.
  24. ^"Rep. Steve Austria (R-Ohio)".CQ-Roll Call, Inc.Economist Group Business.RetrievedMarch 17,2012.
    "Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 112th Congres"(PDF).The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.Pew Research Center.January 5, 2011.RetrievedMarch 17,2012.
    "List of Catholic senators, representatives in 112th Congress".Catholic Sentinel.Portland: Oregon Catholic Press. Catholic News Service. December 14, 2010.RetrievedJuly 3,2019.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromOhio's 7th congressional district
2009–2013 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence(ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative
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