John Pippy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John R. Pippy
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| Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 37th district |
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| In office March 24, 2003 – June 30, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Tim Murphy |
| Succeeded by | Matt Smith |
| Constituency | Parts of Allegheny and Washington Counties |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 44th district |
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| In office January 7, 1997 – March 24, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Ronald Gamble |
| Succeeded by | Mark Mustio |
| Constituency | Part of Allegheny County |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 12, 1970 Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Katherine Pippy |
| Children | Katelyn, Reagan, and Sean Pippy |
| Residence | Peters Township |
| Alma mater | United States Military Academy |
| Profession | Environmental engineer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1992–present |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Unit | 1st Cavalry Division |
John Pippy is an American politician and military leader. He was born on December 12, 1970, in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. He grew up in the United States and became a brigadier general in the U.S. military. As a member of the Republican Party, he served in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 2003 to 2012. Before that, he was in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1997 to 2003.
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About John Pippy
John Pippy was born in Thailand on a United States Air Force Base. His mother is from Thailand, and his father was in the United States Air Force. The family moved to the United States when John was one year old. They first lived in public housing in Boston.
Education and Military Service
Pippy went to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He earned a degree in environmental engineering. After graduating, he served in the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.
Later, he joined the Pennsylvania National Guard. He holds the rank of brigadier general. In 2003-2004, his unit was called to active duty during the Iraq War.
Family Life
John Pippy lives in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Kathy. They have three children: Katelyn, Reagan, and Sean. His daughter Katelyn is an actress. She had a role on the TV show Army Wives. She also played hockey for Cornell University.
John Pippy's Political Career
John Pippy has served in both parts of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. This includes the House of Representatives and the State Senate.
Serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pippy was first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1996. He won against Andrew McGraw.
Before the 1998 elections, there was a question about where Pippy lived. The state's rules say that candidates must live in Pennsylvania for at least four years. Democrats said Pippy might not be eligible because he had been on active military duty in Texas. He was also registered to vote and had a driver's license there.
Pippy argued that his military service counted as "public business." This meant his absence was allowed under the state's rules. The issue was resolved when a new law was passed. This law removed the residency rules from the candidate's sworn statement.
Despite this issue, Pippy won re-election in 1998. He ran unopposed in the elections in 2000 and 2002.
Serving in the Pennsylvania State Senate
In 2003, State Senator Tim Murphy left his seat to join the U.S. House of Representatives. John Pippy announced he would run for the open Senate seat. Soon after, Pippy's military unit was called to active duty. This created a problem because military rules usually stop active-duty soldiers from being involved in politics.
At first, the Army Reserve said Pippy could not run. But with help from Rep. Murphy, a special permission was given. This allowed Pippy to stay on the ballot. However, he could not campaign for himself. He also could not do any duties of the office if he won.
Pippy won the election with 67% of the votes. He was in Aberdeen, Maryland, preparing for deployment when he won. He was given a one-day pass to return to Harrisburg to take his oath of office. Then, he had to go back to active duty right away.
Pippy returned home from Iraq in January 2004. He then fully resumed his work in the Senate. In that fall, he ran for re-election and won again with 67% of the vote.
As a Senator, Pippy held several important roles. He was Chairman of the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee. He also chaired the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee. He was Vice Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee. He was also a member of several other committees, including Appropriations and Transportation.
Pippy was also involved with several advisory boards and organizations. These included Penn State Beaver and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Pittsburgh Council/Boy Scouts of America.
In 2012, Pippy resigned from his state senate seat. This happened shortly after the state budget was approved. After leaving the Senate, he became President of the Pennsylvania Coal Association. In 2017, he earned a Masters in Strategic Studies from the Army War College.
