John Boehner (Bay-ner) represents Ohio’s Eighth Congressional District and is Republican Leader of the United States House of Representatives. Throughout his career as a small businessman and Member of Congress, John has been a passionate advocate for the values of freedom and security. A staunch opponent of pork-barrel politics, John is fighting to eliminate wasteful spending and balance the federal budget without raising taxes.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, John graduated from Archbishop Moeller High School in 1968 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 1977. Upon his graduation, he accepted a position with Nucite Sales, a small sales business in the packaging and plastics industry, and eventually became president of the firm. While working in the private sector, John entered the political arena – first serving as Union Township trustee from 1982 to 1984 and then as a representative to the Ohio state legislature from 1984 to 1990.
John knows a thing or two about compromise and conflict -- he has 11 brothers and sisters. He and Debbie, his wife of 34 years, have two daughters. He also knows something about leadership and vision.
First elected in 1990, he made a mark early by taking on the Washington establishment and making Congress more accountable to the American people. In his first term, John was part of the “Gang of Seven” that forced Congress to live by the same laws as everyone else. John was instrumental in crafting the Contract with America, the bold 100-day agenda so pivotal in bringing Republicans to the majority in 1994.
The Eighth District ranks among the largest agricultural districts in the State of Ohio, and for many years John was Ohio’s sole voice on the House Agriculture Committee. He was the driving force behind the Freedom to Farm Act of 1996 - legislation freeing American agriculture from Soviet-style government regulation - and he was a leading opponent of 2002 legislation that reversed many of these important free-market reforms. Each year he hosts the Ohio Farm Forum, an event featuring distinguished panelists and keynote speakers, including U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture and leaders in farming and agri-business. Farm Forum draws hundreds of individuals from around the Buckeye State with an interest in agriculture.
Rising through the ranks in the House, from House Republican Conference Chairman, to Chairman of the Education and the Workforce Committee, to House Majority Leader, John has distinguished himself at every level. He’s written legislation expanding school choice, strengthening America's pension system, and making federal spending more transparent and accountable. Whether working to lower our dependence on foreign energy or increase access to high quality affordable health care, John has always pushed the envelope of reform and has a reputation for winning debates that matter in real people’s lives.
On November 17, 2006, Boehner was elected by his colleagues to serve as House Republican Leader. He is fighting for a federal government that is smaller, less costly, and more accountable to the American people.
