Biography

U.S. Rep. Phil English was re-elected in 2004 to his sixth term to serve western Pennsylvania's 3rd District, which includes Erie County and parts of Armstrong, Butler, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties. English, 50, is a Republican and lifelong resident of Erie. Prior to his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, English was chief of staff for then Pennsylvania State Senator Melissa Hart. He was also Minority Executive Director of the State Senate Finance Committee, Executive Director of the State Senate Transportation Committee and Research Director of the State Senate Labor and Industry Committee. In 1985, English served as Erie City’s Controller, the first GOP candidate elected to city-wide office in 20 years, and was a key player in developing new investment fund policies to protect the retirement plans of city workers. He also led the fight to divest Erie City’s pensions from South African Investments, which was then an apartheid government. He received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and is married to Chris English, a retired educator in the Erie public school system. Ranked as a key “centrist” in the House by National Journal (February 12, 2005), English is a leading voice for economic growth and fair trade in Washington. 

Committee Assignments

• In his first term, English became the first Freshman Republican to be appointed to the Ways and Means Committee in almost 30 years. The Committee handles legislation affecting taxes, trade, health, Medicare, Social Security and welfare. English sits on the Health, Trade and Human Resources subcommittees. In 2001, English was appointed to the Joint Economic Committee, which is a combined House and Senate committee that serves as the economic policy arm of Congress. English was also appointed by the president and currently serves on the Presidents Export Council. This year, English was appointed to the Republican Policy Committee.

• http://waysandmeans.house.gov/ ; http://www.house.gov/jec/ ; http://policy.house.gov/

Working to Create a Strong Economy and Jobs

• English has been a strong advocate for developing policies and legislation to put the U.S. economy back on a growth path. English has introduced and helped develop a number of legislative initiatives to stimulate the economy and investment and spur job growth. He has supported measures to eliminate the marriage penalty, increase the child tax credit, accelerate the reduction in income tax rates, encourage household savings, eliminate the individual and corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), cut the capital gains tax rate, increase expensing limits for businesses making capital investments and encourage American companies operating overseas to reinvest in the U.S.

• Since coming into office in 1994, English has been a strong advocate for lower and fairer taxes and is committed to working with his colleagues to replace the current tax system with a system that is both fair and simple. English is the original author of the Simplified USA Tax (SUSAT), legislation that would completely replace the current income tax, both corporate and personal. SUSAT would simplify the tax code and give Americans the opportunity to save a larger portion of their income or to pay for their children’s education if they choose without excessive taxes.

• http://www.house.gov/english/philissues_taxes.shtml  

Fighting for Fair Trade

• As a member of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, English has been an advocate of fair trade and a strong U.S. trade policy. He has developed and fought for legislation to strengthen domestic trade laws to better protect U.S. companies against unfair foreign trade

• English has led the fight against unfair Chinese trade practices and developed bills designed to help manufacturers more easily gain relief from unfair trade and impose tariffs on China for its manipulation of the yuan: The Trade Law Reform Act, The Nonmarket Economy Bill, The CHINA Act and The U.S. Trade Rights Enforcement Act, which passed the House in July 2005

• As Chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, English led the fight to win presidential safeguard action to give the domestic steel industry a chance to recover after a surge in steel imports. English has been a champion of the manufacturing sector in general and has worked closely with the administration to draw attention to the suffering of the industry and seek short and long-term solution.

• To help American workers displaced by trade, English successfully fought to reauthorize the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program to help update workers’ skills and prepare them for new jobs.

• http://www.house.gov/english/philissues_trade.shtml

Helping Seniors

• English strives to protect seniors by championing efforts to strengthen Medicare. He has developed and passed legislation to fix the Medicare reimbursement system to better allow hospitals to hire qualified workers and has fought to repeal the cap on therapy treatment. As an active member of the Health Subcommittee, English helped develop the legislation to provide prescription drug benefit for seniors under Medicare, which was signed into law in 2003.

• http://www.house.gov/english/philissues_healthcare.shtml

Making Education More Affordable

• A longtime believer in the importance of education, English has introduced and helped develop innovative legislation to make higher education more affordable. His Education for Life plan includes incentives for people to save for education throughout their lives. He has promoted legislation to eliminate the tax penalty on funds withdrawn from a prepaid tuition account plan and led the effort to allow for tax-free distribution from Qualified Tuition Plans thereby providing parents and students with additional savings vehicles for a college education. English also led the successful fight to expand the deductability of interest payments on student loans.

• http://www.house.gov/english/philissues_education.shtml