Biography

Congressman Steve Scalise proudly serves his colleagues as House Majority Whip and represents the First Congressional District of Louisiana, which stretches from the culturally distinct New Orleans suburbs to the vibrant bayous and wetlands abundant in natural resources. During the 113th Congress, he served as chairman for the Republican Study Committee, the conservative House caucus.

Scalise is a strong conservative leader who upholds the Constitution, advocating for the principles of fiscal discipline, lower taxes, an all-of-the-above national energy strategy, a robust national defense, and conservative values. Through his previous experiences as House Deputy Whip and RSC Chairman, Scalise developed a proven formula to pass effective legislation that unites his colleagues.

As Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a caucus of more than 170 conservative members in the House, he coalesced Members around a unified vision. During his time as chairman, Scalise championed a free-market, patient-centered Obamacare alternative that gained the support of 130 HouseMembers. He also introduced legislation that promotes job creation and economic growth, established an RSC national defense working group, released a conservative budget that would balance in four years, and crafted bills that protect constitutionally-guaranteed rights, like freedom of speech, from unelected Washington bureaucrats.

As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Scalise has emerged as one of the leaders in Congress in pushing for a strong national energy strategy that increases the supply of American oil and natural gas to lower gas prices at the pump while reducing our dependence on Middle Eastern oil.

In Congress, Scalise has a proven record of getting results.  Scalise has spearheaded and passed legislation to:

• Ensure that billions of dollars in BP Clean Water Act fines are dedicated to the Gulf Coast through the “RESTORE Act” so we can fully restore our coastal ecosystems and economies in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

• Passing a conservative alternative to President Obama's "Buffett Rule" that was supported by outside groups like Americans For Tax Reform.
• Banning the implementation of radical climate change regulations, saving millions of taxpayer dollars.
• Defunding many of President Obama's czars.
• Eliminating redundant, costly, and time consuming trips for nearly 2 million American transportation workers by reforming the TWIC card process.
• Defunding the wasteful spending of the Open World Leadership Center.
• Holding the Obama Administration accountable for blocking American energy development through the moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico.
• Reforming the FCC by eliminating unnecessary and burdensome mandates on the telecommunications industry. 

Through his post on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Scalise has fought against the government takeover of health care, took on Al Gore over the “Cap and Trade” energy tax, and held the Obama Administration accountable for their taxpayer funded green energy loans to failing companies like Solyndra.

Scalise is committed to maintaining an open line of communication with his constituents to better serve them in Congress. Scalise holds regular town hall meetings in every parish of the First Congressional District to meet with local residents and hear their concerns.

Congressman Scalise is a graduate of Louisiana State University.  He received his B.S. in Computer Science in 1989 with a minor in Political Science.  Scalise is a former systems engineer. 

The Congressman’s commitment to service began early as he was twice elected Speaker of LSU’s Student Government Association.  He was a member of the Louisiana House and the Louisiana Senate from 1996 to 2008.  During that period, he was elected Chairman of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee.  In the U.S. House of Representatives, Scalise serves the needs of the residences of his District which includes all or parts of Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Terrebonne Parishes.

Scalise is married to the former Jennifer Letulle. He is the proud father of two children, Madison and Harrison.  He and his family reside in Jefferson, Louisiana.