Steve Israel

Israel was born in Brooklyn{{cite web | url= http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/I000057/ | title=Steve Israel (D) | publisher= The U.S. Congress Votes Database (The Washington Post) | access-date= November 10, 2016| archive-date= May 3, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160503070325/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/I000057/| url-status=live}} and raised in the Long Island community of Levittown, New York. He attended Nassau Community College and Syracuse University for one year before graduating from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1982.{{Cite web|url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/i000057|title=Bioguide Search|website=bioguide.congress.gov|accessdate=July 7, 2023}}

After earning his bachelor's degree, Israel became a staff member for U.S. Representative Richard Ottinger. He was later elected to the town council in Huntington, New York, in 1993.

After Rick Lazio left his House seat to run for the United States Senate in 2000, Israel was elected to his seat, receiving 48% of the vote, defeating Republican Joan Johnson, who received 34%, and four independent candidates.{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2000/wcon2000.pdf|title=NYS Board of Elections - Congressional - Nov. 7, 2000

|website=elections.ny.gov|access-date=19 July 2023}} He was reelected seven times with relatively little difficulty, despite representing a swing district on paper.

On January 5, 2016, Israel announced that he would not seek reelection in November 2016.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/06/us/politics/steve-israel-house-democrat-new-york.html?_r=0 | title=Steve Israel of New York, a Top House Democrat, Won't Seek Re-election | work=New York Times | date=January 5, 2016 | access-date=April 4, 2016 | author=Hulse, Carl}}

• Committee on Appropriations
• Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
• Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
• Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies

• Co-chair and founder of Congressional Center Aisle Caucus
• House Cancer Caucus (Co-chair)
• Long Island Sound Caucus (Co-chair)

• Assistant Democratic Whip
• House Democratic Caucus Task Force On Defense and the Military (Chair)
• House Democratic Study Group on National Security Policy (Co-chair)

Israel voted to authorize George W. Bush to use military force in Iraq, even though more than 60 per cent of his Democratic colleagues in the House voted against the bill.{{cite web | website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives | url=http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll455.xml|title=Final vote results for roll call 455 | access-date=19 July 2023}}

In his second term, Israel was tapped for a leadership position as Assistant Whip. In his third term, Israel was appointed to chair the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Defense and Military, a group of 15 Democratic House members who reach out to the defense community and advise the House Democratic leadership on military policy.

In 2006, in response to Jimmy Carter's book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, Israel said, "I disagree with President Carter fundamentally. The reason for the Palestinian plight is the Palestinians."{{cite web|url=http://forward.com/news/5918/carter-book-slaps-israel-with-e2-80-98apartheid-e2-80-99-tag/ |title=Carter Book Slaps Israel With 'Apartheid' Tag, Provides Ammo to GOP |newspaper=The Jewish Daily Forward |publisher=Forward.com |date=October 17, 2006 |last=Siegel |first=Jennifer |access-date=August 23, 2010}}

Israel supported a study on the feasibility of switching from Tuesday to weekend voting.{{cite web|url=http://www.whytuesday.org/2009/07/16/why-tuesday-goes-to-washington/|title=Why Tuesday? Goes To Washington|date=July 16, 2009}}

;Occupy Wall Street

Israel's support for Occupy Wall Street drew criticism from conservatives, who claimed the movement harbored "anti-Semitic" elements. In response Israel pointed to his support for the nation of Israel as well as his own Jewish heritage.{{cite news|title=Steve Israel Furious At Republican Charge That He Embraces Anti-Semitism In Occupy Wall Street|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/20/steve-israel-anti-semitism-occupy-wall-street-republican-charge_n_1022579.html|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=October 20, 2011|first=Michael|last=McAuliff}}

As an ally of Nancy Pelosi, Israel was mentioned in 2010 as a possible successor to Chris Van Hollen, the chairman of the DCCC; he declined to speak about it until after the midterms were over, saying he was "just completely focused on supporting Nancy Pelosi."{{cite news|title=Steve Israel to Chair Democratic Campaign Arm|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/11/steve-israel-to-chair-democratic-campaign-arm/66840/|newspaper=The Atlantic|date=November 19, 2010}}

It was reported that Pelosi's selection of Israel to head the DCCC had much to do with the district he represents, where "Democrats hold a modest registration edge but independents decide elections." Israel had gained respect through fundraising and recruiting candidates for the campaign committee. Israel is one of the few Democrats who has run campaign ads in defense of his vote on health care.{{cite news|title=L.I. Congressman Leads Uphill Charge Toward a Democratic House|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/nyregion/19steveisrael.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 18, 2011|first=David M.|last=Halbfinger}}

Israel has said he supports legal abortions in cases of rape, incest, and threat to the life of the mother, though he does not support abortions being legal in all cases.{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/55440/steve-israel |title=Steve Israel - Political Positions - - Project Vote Smart |publisher=Votesmart.org |access-date=May 21, 2013}} He has voted against bills that would prohibit federal funding for abortions, against a bill that would eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides abortions, and against the Abortion Pain Act, which would have prevented abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Since 2004 he has consistently received 100% ratings from the pro-choice groups NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, as well as a 0% rating from the National Right to Life Committee.

On July 4, 2013, Israel announced legislation that would require all U.S. national parks to sell merchandise that is Made in the USA.{{cite web |url=http://israel.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1207:rep-israel-announces-legislation-to-require-national-parks-to-sell-merchandise-made-in-the-usa&catid=57:2013-press-releases |title=Rep. Israel Announces Legislation to Require National Parks to Sell Merchandise 'Made in the USA' |access-date=July 4, 2013 |archive-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707002449/http://israel.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1207:rep-israel-announces-legislation-to-require-national-parks-to-sell-merchandise-made-in-the-usa&catid=57:2013-press-releases |url-status=dead }}

Israel supports increased gun control on gun ownership. He voted against several bills and amendments which would decrease federal regulation of safety precautions of guns and decrease federal regulations on the sale of firearms. He also cosponsored the 2009 "No Fly, No Buy" Act,{{cite web|author=Rep. Carolyn McCarthy [D-NY4] |url=http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/111/hr2401 |title=No Fly, No Buy Act of 2009 (2009; 111th Congress H.R. 2401) |publisher=GovTrack.us |access-date=May 21, 2013}} stating "Gun safety measures like the 'No Fly, No Buy' Act should be a no-brainer for every member of Congress. It's common sense legislation."{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/public-statement/424302/reps-mccarthy-and-israel-to-stand-with-law-enforcement-and-announce-no-fly-no-buy-act-today |title=Reps. McCarthy and Israel to Stand with Law Enforcement and Announce "No Fly, No Buy" Act Today - Public Statements - Project Vote Smart |publisher=Votesmart.org |access-date=May 21, 2013}} He has received an 'F' rating from the pro-gun rights NRA Political Victory Fund{{cite web |title=NRA-PVF {{!}} Grades {{!}} New York |url=https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/New-York/ |website=NRA-PVF |access-date=29 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104194224/https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/New-York/ |archive-date=November 4, 2014 |language=en-us |url-status=usurped}} and 0% from the Gun Owners of America, as well as 100% ratings from the pro-gun control Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/55440/steve-israel/ |title=Steve Israel - Political Positions - - Project Vote Smart |publisher=Votesmart.org |access-date=May 21, 2013}} Israel was an original cosponsor of the bill To extend the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 for 10 years (H.R. 3626; 113th Congress), which passed the House on December 3, 2013.{{cite news|title=House votes to renew ban on plastic firearms|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-votes-to-renew-ban-on-plastic-firearms/|access-date=December 5, 2013|newspaper=Foxnews.com|date=December 3, 2013}} The bill allowed for a ten-year extension of the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988, but did not expand any of its provisions (related to plastic guns).

Israel voted for the 2010 Affordable Care Act{{cite web | website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives | url=https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll165.xml |title=Final vote results for roll call 165| access-date=19 July 2023}} and against several bills repealing it.

Israel supports same-sex marriage. In a June 2009 press release he stated, "I'm proud of what Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Vermont have done for marriage equality. I hope that my home state of New York will soon follow."{{cite web |url=http://israel.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=689%3Acounting-marriage-equality&catid=49%3Ablog&Itemid=1 |title=Counting Marriage Equality |publisher=Israel.house.gov |date=June 17, 2009 |access-date=May 21, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506140606/http://israel.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=689%3Acounting-marriage-equality&catid=49%3Ablog&Itemid=1 |archive-date=May 6, 2015 }} New York legalized same-sex marriage in 2011.

He voted for the repeal of Don't ask, don't tell and for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

He has a 100% rating from the pro-LGBTQ rights Human Rights Campaign and a 0% rating from the Family Research Council.

In October 2022, Israel joined the Council for Responsible Social Media project launched by Issue One to address the negative mental, civic, and public health impacts of social media in the United States co-chaired by former House Democratic Caucus leader Dick Gephardt and former Massachusetts lieutenant governor Kerry Healey.{{cite news|last=Feiner|first=Lauren|date=October 12, 2022|title=Facebook whistleblower, former defense and intel officials form group to fix social media|publisher=CNBC|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/12/council-for-responsible-social-media-features-haugen-gephardt-hagel-.html|access-date=October 12, 2022}}{{cite web|title=Council for Responsible Social Media – Issue One|website=issueone.org|url=https://issueone.org/projects/council-for-responsible-social-media/|access-date=October 12, 2022}}

In February 2025, Israel advocated for Donald Trump's efforts to coerce Canada into being the 51st state, believing that it would help the Democratic Party gain more voters. {{cite web|title=Canada as the 51st State? In Electoral Terms,Trump's Idea Favors Democrats.|website=nytimes.com|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/canada-trump-51st-state.html|access-date=February 18, 2025}}

Steve Israel was an honorary member of the gala host committee for a Gala dinner on October 27, 2009, by J Street, a liberal{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Abramowitz|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402647.html|title= Jewish Liberals to Launch A Counterpoint to AIPAC|newspaper= The Washington Post|date=April 15, 2008|access-date=April 29, 2008}}{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/16/AR2009041603995.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Year-Old Liberal Jewish Lobby Has Quickly Made Its Mark |first=Dan |last=Eggen |date=April 17, 2009 |access-date=May 5, 2010}}{{cite news| url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/02/27/delahunts_journey_to_mideast_upended/ | work=Boston.com | title=Delahunt's journey to Mideast upended| first=Farah | last=Stockton | date=February 27, 2010 | access-date=September 22, 2010}} nonprofit lobbying group. In the weeks leading up to the Gala dinner, those aligned with the Likud, the political party of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, criticized Steve Israel and those supporting J Street. The Weekly Standard blogger Michael Goldfarb called the J Street dinner an "anti-Israel bash."{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/24/AR2009102400994.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=Israel conference to open amid controversy | first=Dan | last=Eggen | date=October 25, 2009 | access-date=May 24, 2010}} In response, Steve Israel's spokeswoman Lindsay Hamilton state, "It's absurd that this has become a controversy [...] The Congressman agreed to be on the gala host committee. That doesn't mean he agrees with every viewpoint of every speaker at the event".{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=158056 |title=Michael Oren rejects J Street conference invite |publisher=Jpost.com |access-date=May 21, 2013}}

New York election law allows for fusion voting, where a candidate can run as a member of multiple parties. In 2000 Israel ran only as a Democrat in his winning bid for Congress, but since 2002 he has also run as the candidate for the Independence Party and the Working Families Party. In 2000 the Republican candidate ran only as a Republican, but since 2002, every Republican has also run as the candidate for the Conservative Party of New York.

{{s-start}}

|-

| colspan=10 |{{center|U.S. House, 2nd District of New York (General Election)}}

|-

!Year

!Winning candidate

!Party

!Pct

!Opponent

!Party

!Pct

|-

|2000

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Steve Israel

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |48%

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Joan B. Johnson

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|{{party shading/Republican}} |35%

|-

|2002

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Steve Israel

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |58%

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Joseph P. Finley

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|{{party shading/Republican}} |40%

|-

|2004

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Steve Israel

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |67%

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Richard Hoffmann

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|{{party shading/Republican}} |33%

|-

|2006

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Steve Israel

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |70%

|{{party shading/Republican}} |John W. Bugler

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|{{party shading/Republican}} |30%

|-

|2008

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Steve Israel

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |67%

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Frank J. Stalzer

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|{{party shading/Republican}} |33%

|-

|2010

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Steve Israel

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |56%

|{{party shading/Republican}} |John Gomez

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|{{party shading/Republican}} |43%

|-

|2012

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Steve Israel

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |58%{{cite web|url=http://elections.msnbc.msn.com/ns/politics/2012/new-york/#.UKFgQuTAcwI |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109062847/http://elections.msnbc.msn.com/ns/politics/2012/new-york#.UKFgQuTAcwI |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 9, 2012 |title=New York Election Results - President, Congress, Governor |publisher=MSNBC |date=November 5, 2012 |access-date=May 21, 2013}}

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Stephen Labate

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|{{party shading/Republican}} |42%

|-

|2014

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Steve Israel

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |54%

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Grant Lally

|{{party shading/Republican}} |Republican

|{{party shading/Republican}} |45%

|-

{{s-end}}

Israel has two adult daughters.{{cite web| url= http://israel.house.gov/about/full-biography| title= About: Full Biography| publisher= Congressman Steve Israel official site| access-date= November 10, 2016| archive-date= November 8, 2016| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161108222441/https://israel.house.gov/about/full-biography| url-status= dead}} He has written two novels of political satire: The Global War on Morris (2014) and Big Guns (2018).{{cite news|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-the-global-war-on-morris-a-political-satire-by-congressman-steve-israel/2014/12/23/f9fb6f72-87ba-11e4-9534-f79a23c40e6c_story.html|title = Book review: 'The Global War on Morris,' a political satire by Congressman Steve Israel|last = Charles|first = Ron|date = December 23, 2014|accessdate = May 25, 2022|newspaper = The Washington Post|url-access = limited}}{{cite news

| last = Israel

| first = Steve

| title = Why a Book Tour Is More Brutal Than a Political Campaign

| newspaper = The New York Times

| date = November 6, 2018

| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/06/books/review/politician-turned-novelist-learns-rejection.html

| access-date = April 23, 2019 }}

The 2012 sale of Israel's marital home was the subject of a controversy, after it was discovered that he had received financial contributions from lenders who also gave him a favorable deal on a short sale of the home in the wake of his separation from his wife Marlene Budd.{{cite news|url=http://www.newsday.com/opinion/steve-israel-s-fortunate-home-sale-editorial-1.4098667 |title=Steve Israel's fortunate home sale - Editorial |newspaper=Newsday |date=October 10, 2012 |access-date=August 13, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://thehuntingtonian.com/2012/10/26/israels-lenders-gave-thousands-to-campaign/ |title=Israel's Lenders Gave Thousands To Campaign |publisher=The Huntingtonian |date=October 26, 2012 |access-date=August 13, 2014}}

In November 2021, Israel opened a bookstore in Oyster Bay, New York, named after former president and town resident Theodore Roosevelt.{{cite news|url=https://forward.com/news/477540/former-ny-congressman-steve-israel-breaks-into-the-book-business/ |title=Former NY congressman Steve Israel breaks into the book business|newspaper=Forward|date=November 2, 2021 |access-date=July 13, 2022}}

• {{cite book|title = Charge!: History's Greatest Military Speeches|editor = Steve Israel|isbn = 978-1591143994|publisher = Naval Institute Press|year = 2007}}
• {{cite book|title = The Global War on Morris|isbn = 978-1476772233|publisher = Simon & Schuster|year = 2014}}
• {{cite book|title = Big Guns|isbn = 978-1501118029|publisher = Simon & Schuster|year = 2018}}

• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress

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{{Commons category|Steve Israel}}

{{CongLinks | congbio = i000057 | votesmart = 55440 | fec = H0NY02085 | congress = steve-israel/1663}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Israel, Steve}}

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century New York (state) politicians

Category:21st-century American male writers

Category:21st-century American novelists

Category:21st-century New York (state) politicians

Category:American lobbyists

Category:American male novelists

Category:American satirical novelists

Category:Cornell University faculty

Category:CNN people

Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)

Category:George Washington University alumni

Category:Jewish members of the United States House of Representatives

Category:Nassau Community College alumni

Category:New York (state) city council members

Category:Novelists from New York (state)

Category:Politicians from Brooklyn

Category:People from Wantagh, New York

Category:Politicians from Suffolk County, New York

Category:Syracuse University alumni

Category:People from Huntington, New York

Category:People from Oyster Bay Cove, New York

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

Category:Chairs of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee