Bill Shuster

Shuster was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, the son of H. Patricia (née Rommel) and Elmer Greinert "Bud" Shuster. His ancestry includes German and Irish.{{cite web|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/shuster.htm|title=shuster|access-date=March 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925115534/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/shuster.htm|archive-date=September 25, 2015|url-status=dead}} He graduated from Dickinson College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and in History. Shuster also became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity while at Dickinson. He then earned a Master of Business Administration from American University.

Prior to entering politics, Shuster worked on his family farm in Bedford County and at Goodyear Tire, Rubber Corporation, and Bandag Incorporated. He also owned and operated an automobile dealership in East Freedom, Pennsylvania.

After his father, Republican U.S. Congressman Bud Shuster, resigned from Congress in January 2001 following a strong rebuke from the House Ethics Committee for his relationship with a transportation lobbyist, Bill Shuster ran for Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. On February 18, 2001, he won the Republican nomination with 59% of the vote, defeating State Representative Patrick Fleagle (32%) and Blair County Commissioner John Eichelberger (9%).{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=442635|title=Our Campaigns - PA District 9 - R Nomination Race - Feb 18, 2001|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}} On May 15, 2001, Shuster won the special election, defeating Democratic Centre County Commissioner Scott Conklin 52%–44%. Shuster won nine of the district's eleven counties. Conklin won Centre (58%) and Clearfield (55%).{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=748|title=Our Campaigns - PA District 9 - Special Election Race - May 15, 2001|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}{{cite web | title = 2001 Special Election for the 9th Congressional District | work = Commonwealth of PA – Elections Information | publisher = Pennsylvania Department of State | year = 2004 | url = http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=13&ElectionID=5&OfficeID=11 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081128115445/http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=13&ElectionID=5&OfficeID=11 | archive-date = November 28, 2008 | df = mdy-all }}{{Cite web|url=https://electionreturns.pa.gov/|title=Pennsylvania Elections - Summary Results|website=electionreturns.pa.gov}} To date, it is the last time that a Democrat has come close to winning what has long been one of the most Republican districts in Pennsylvania.

{{Main|United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2002|l1=House elections in Pennsylvania, 2002|United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2004|l2=2004|United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2006#9th Congressional district|l3=2006}}

In the redistricting after the 2000 Census, Centre County was taken out of the district while portions of Somerset, Cambria, Indiana, Fayette, and Cumberland Counties were added to the district. In November 2002, the district reverted to form, and Shuster won his first full term, defeating John R. Henry 71%–29%.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=1314|title=Our Campaigns - PA District 9 Race - Nov 05, 2002|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}

Unlike 2002, Shuster was challenged in the 2004 Republican primary. He defeated businessman Michael DelGrosso 51%–49%.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=5097|title=Our Campaigns - PA - District 09 - R Primary Race - Apr 27, 2004|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}} In November, he won re-election to his second full term, defeating Democrat Paul Politis 70%–30%, winning every county in the district.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=4323|title=Our Campaigns - PA - District 09 Race - Nov 02, 2004|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}

Shuster won re-election to his third full term in 2006, defeating Democrat Tony Barr 60%–40%. He lost only three counties: Clearfield, Cambria, and Fayette.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=207665|title=Our Campaigns - PA - District 09 Race - Nov 07, 2006|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}

{{Main|United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2008#District 9|label 1=House elections in Pennsylvania, 2008|United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2010#District 9|label 2=2010|United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2012#District 9|label 3=2012|United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2014#District 9|label 4=2014}}

Shuster won re-election to his fourth full term in 2008, defeating Democrat Tony Barr again, 64%–36%. This time he won all fourteen counties.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=324559|title=Our Campaigns - PA - District 09 Race - Nov 04, 2008|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}

In 2010, Shuster won re-election to his fifth full term, defeating Democrat Tom Conners 73%–27%, winning all fourteen counties.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=493131|title=Our Campaigns - PA - District 09 Race - Nov 02, 2010|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}

After redistricting following the 2010 Census, the 9th moved even further to the west, gaining portions of Westmoreland, Greene, and Washington Counties. Shuster won re-election to his sixth full term, defeating Democrat Karen Ramsburg 62%–38%.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=705247|title=Our Campaigns - PA - District 09 Race - Nov 06, 2012|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}} With the 113th Congress, elected in 2012, Bill Shuster became Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, a position he would hold for the following 2 Congresses.

In 2014, Shuster was in a primary with Bedford County businessman Art Halvorson and Franklin County project manager Travis Schooley. The primary was held on May 20, 2014. Shuster won with 53% of the vote. Art Halvorson received 34% and Travis Schooley received 13%.

In 2015, Shuster, who was the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, said he was dating Shelley Rubino, the vice president of government affairs for Airlines for America (A4A), a lobbying group for airlines. Politico said their relationship had started in summer 2014 and had signed an agreement that Rubino would not lobby Shuster or his staff. Shuster, however, had other ties to A4A, having hired a former A4A executive onto the aviation subcommittee, and Shuster's chief of staff is married to an executive of A4A. Politico also noted the similarity to his father's conflicted lobbyist relationship and resignation.{{cite web|title=Rep. Bill Shuster admits to 'personal relationship' with lobbyist|author=TRACIE MAURIELLO|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2015/04/17/Shuster/stories/201504170211|publisher=Pittsburgh Post Gazette|date=April 4, 2015|access-date=November 20, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/bill-shuster-admits-personal-relationship-with-lobbyist-117054|publisher=Politico|date=April 4, 2015|access-date=November 20, 2017}}{{cite web|title=When Members of Congress Sleep With Lobbyists|author=Marin Cogan|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/04/when-members-of-congress-sleep-with-lobbyists.html|publisher=NY Mag|date=April 17, 2015|access-date=November 20, 2017}}

{{Main|United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2016#District 9|label 1=House elections in Pennsylvania, 2016}}

In 2016, Shuster won reelection in what would later turn out to be his eighth and final full term. He was challenged by Arthur Halvorson in the Republican primary, with Shuster only barely winning a majority, at 50.6%, in the two-way race. Described as "one of the more bizarre and nasty congressional campaigns", Shuster's ex-wife was in his campaign ads, defending him and their family. In a set of events that even Shuster's opponent described as unprecedented, Halvorson received enough write-ins in the Democratic primary to become the Democratic Party's candidate in the 9th district. Halvorson, who is considered to be further to the right than Shuster, accepted the Democratic nomination, but vowed to caucus as a conservative Republican if elected to Congress. In the general election, Shuster beat Halvorson again, this time with 63.3% of the vote.[https://ballotpedia.org/Pennsylvania%27s_9th_Congressional_District_election,_2016 2016 congressional election in PA-9] on Ballotpedia{{Cite web |title=Pa. congressman's ex-wife appearing in his campaign ads |author=Daniel Craig |work=PhillyVoice |date=October 21, 2016 |access-date=August 28, 2020 |url= https://www.phillyvoice.com/pa-congressmans-ex-wife-appearing-his-campaign-ads/}}

Shuster announced in January 2018 that he wouldn't be seeking reelection later that year, and that he thus would be retiring with the end of the 115th Congress in January 2019. The Congressman, who has been Chairman of the House Transportation Committee since 2013, said he would be spending his final year in the House working with President Trump on what he describes as a "massive infrastructure bill". Shuster cited his desire to pass such a bill, and the fact that worrying about getting reelected would distract from that, as reasons for his retirement.

Shuster has been a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since being elected in 2001 and was selected to be chairman of the committee for the 113th Congress.{{cite news|title=Shuster will lead US House transportation panel|url=http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/566423/Shuster-will-lead-US-House-transportation-panel.html?nav=756|newspaper=Altoona Mirror|date=November 28, 2012}} His father had chaired the committee from 1995 to 2001.

In 2013, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee as well, Shuster was an opponent of the $380 million Medium Extended Air Defense System project, which has been deemed too expensive by the Army to complete.{{cite news|last=Mauriello|first=Tracie|title=Rep. Shuster calls missile defense project too costly|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/state/rep-shuster-calls-missile-defense-project-too-costly-683123/|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post Gazette|date=April 12, 2013}}

Shuster held a 90.64 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union in 2012.{{cite web|title=The American Conservative Union 2012 Congressional Score Card|url=http://conservative.org/ratingsarchive/uscongress/2012/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429150256/http://conservative.org/ratingsarchive/uscongress/2012/|archive-date=April 29, 2013}} He opposes abortion, consistently receiving a 0 percent rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood and a 100 percent rating from the National Right to Life Committee.{{cite web|title=National Right to Life Committee NRLC Scorecard|url=http://nrlc.capwiz.com/bio/id/48694&lvl=C&chamber=H}} A strong supporter of gun rights, Shuster has supported the interests of Gun Owners of America and received an A rating from the National Rifle Association in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012. Shuster does not rate highly with education unions. The National Education Association has given Shuster a grade of F and he was given a rating of 25 percent by the National Association of Elementary School Principals in 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=55693|title=Bill Shuster's Ratings and Endorsements - The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart|work=Project Vote Smart}}

Shuster has received the "Spirit of Enterprise Award" from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce{{cite web|title=Spirit of Enterprise Awards 2012|url=http://www.uschamber.com/issues/legislators/spirit-enterprise-awards-2012|work=March 29, 2012|publisher=U.S. Chamber of Commerce|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615024814/http://www.uschamber.com/issues/legislators/spirit-enterprise-awards-2012|archive-date=June 15, 2013}} and rated highly on the scorecards of the National Tax Limitation Committee{{Cite web|url=http://limittaxes.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/112th-Congressional-Scorecard-20120917.pdf|title=National Tax Limitation Committee 112th Congressional Scorecard}} and American Farm Bureau Federation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fb.org/index.php?action=legislative.112c|title=AFBF Friend of Farm Bureau: 112th Congress}}

Shuster was a state co-chair for the 2012 presidential campaign of Mitt Romney.{{cite web|last=Gleason|first=Daniel|title=Romney Holds Tele-Town Hall, Announces PA Leadership|url=http://www.politicspa.com/romney-holds-tele-town-hall-announces-pa-leadership/41060/|publisher=PoliticsPA|access-date=September 13, 2012}}

In May 2013, Shuster introduced H.R. 2125, the No IRS Implementation of Obamacare Act; the bill sought to bar the stated that the Internal Revenue Service violated the public trust and cannot be relied on to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.{{cite web |url=http://www.therecordherald.com/article/20130528/NEWS/130529864#axzz2XBP9BO6l |title=From the Capitol: Pa. Reps. Todd Rock, Rob Kauffman and U.S. Congressman Bill Shuster |last1=Rock |first1=Todd |date=May 28, 2013 |publisher=The Record Herald |access-date=July 27, 2013}}

Shuster sponsored The Water Resources and Redevelopment Act of 2013 (WRRDA). He sponsored this bill from his position as the House Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

In January 2014, Shuster created a bipartisan panel of legislators to examine ways to use public-private partnerships to carry out various types of projects, such as water infrastructure, transportation and economic development, according to Ripon Advance.(2014-01-21). "[http://riponadvance.com/news/shuster-seeks-enhance-public-private-partnerships/6296 Shuster seeks to enhance public-private partnerships] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202063937/http://riponadvance.com/news/shuster-seeks-enhance-public-private-partnerships/6296 |date=February 2, 2014 }}". Ripon Advance. Retrieved January 21, 2014.

• Home Heating Emergency Assistance Through Transportation Act of 2014 (H.R. 4076; 113th Congress) – Shuster introduced this bill on February 25, 2014.{{cite web|title=H.R. 4076 – Summary|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4076|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=March 4, 2014}} The bill would create an emergency exception to existing Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. The exceptions would allow truckers to drive for long hours if they are delivering home heating fuels, such as propane, to places where there is a shortage.{{cite news|last=Kasperowicz|first=Pete|title=Cold snap prompts wave of energy bills|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/energy-environment/199575-cold-snap-prompts-wave-of-energy-bills/|access-date=March 5, 2014|newspaper=The Hill|date=February 28, 2014}} Shuster argued in favor of the bill saying that the bill "will provide relief for millions of Americans suffering from the current propane and home heating fuel emergency."{{cite news|last=Kasperowicz|first=Pete|title=House votes to ease access to home heating oil|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/votes/199849-house-votes-to-ease-access-to-home-heating-oil/|access-date=March 5, 2014|newspaper=The Hill|date=March 4, 2014}} According to the Congressman, an "exceptionally cold winter" increased demand on propane, "which is used for heating approximately 12 million homes in the United States."
• Transparent Airfares Act of 2014 (H.R. 4156; 113th Congress) – Shuster introduced this bill on March 6, 2014.{{cite web|title=H.R. 4156 – All Actions|url=https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4156/all-actions|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=July 27, 2014}} The bill would change government regulations about how airlines advertise fares so that they could advertise the base fare and separately list the government imposed taxes and fees.{{cite web|title=H.R. 4156 – Summary|url=https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4156|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=July 27, 2014}}{{cite web|title=CBO – H.R. 4156|date=April 18, 2014 |url=http://www.cbo.gov/publication/45289|publisher=Congressional Budget Office|access-date=July 27, 2014}}

The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 (H.R. 4005; 113th Congress) is a bill that would amend laws that govern the activities of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the Maritime Administration (MARAD) within the Department of Transportation, and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).{{cite web|title=H.R. 4005 – CBO|date=March 6, 2014 |url=http://www.cbo.gov/publication/45168|publisher=Congressional Budget Office|access-date=April 1, 2014}} Shuster spoke in favor of the bill, describing it as a bill that "ensures the men and women of the Coast Guard have the tools they need to carry out their critical missions, enforce our laws on U.S. waters and on the high seas, and safeguard our Nation's maritime interests around the world."{{cite web|title=Committee Leaders Introduce Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Bill|url=https://transportation.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=369179|publisher=House Transportation Committee|access-date=April 1, 2014|author=Jim Billimoria|author2=Justin Harclerode|date=February 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140405010608/http://transportation.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=369179|archive-date=April 5, 2014|url-status=dead}}

• Committee on Armed Services
• Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (Chairman)
• Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
• Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
• Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

• Army Corps Reform Caucus
• Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus – Co-Chairman{{cite news|title=Co-Chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus made a statement regarding the Black January 1990 in Azerbaijan|url=http://en.trend.az/regions/world/usa/1982748.html|access-date=January 28, 2012|newspaper=Trend.az|date=January 22, 2012}}
• Depot Caucus
• Intelligent Transportation Caucus
• United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus{{cite web|title=Our Members|url=https://royce.house.gov/internationalconservation/members.html|publisher=U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus|access-date=August 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801155201/https://royce.house.gov/internationalconservation/members.html|archive-date=August 1, 2018|url-status=dead}}
• Older Americans Caucus
• Sportsmen's Caucus
• Congressional Cement Caucus
• Ohio River Basin Congressional Caucus
• Republican Main Street Partnership.{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://republicanmainstreet.org/members/|publisher=Republican Mains Street Partnership|access-date=October 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826123025/https://republicanmainstreet.org/members/|archive-date=August 26, 2018|url-status=dead}}

In 2019, Shuster signed on to the lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs.[https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/19/crowley-shuster-lobbyists-1173771 Crowley and Shuster head to K Street], February 19, 2019, Politico

Shuster was married for over 20 years and divorced in 2014. He was linked with Shelley Rubino, the vice president of government affairs for Airlines for America (A4A) in 2014 and said he was dating her in 2015. Shuster is a Lutheran.{{Cite report |url=https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2017/01/19161723/Member-affiliations-for-web.pdf |title=Religious affiliation of members of 115th Congress |date=2017-01-03 |publisher=Pew Research Center |access-date=2023-04-18}}

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Category:1961 births

Category:American people of German descent

Category:American people of Irish descent

Category:Kogod School of Business alumni

Category:Dickinson College alumni

Category:Living people

Category:Lutherans from Pennsylvania

Category:People from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania

Category:People from McKeesport, Pennsylvania

Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania

Category:People associated with Squire Patton Boggs

Category:Members of Congress who became lobbyists

Category:21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives