Mike Fitzpatrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Fitzpatrick
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 8th district |
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| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Patrick Murphy |
| Succeeded by | Brian Fitzpatrick |
| In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Greenwood |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Murphy |
| Member of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners | |
| In office January 17, 1995 – January 3, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Schweiker |
| Succeeded by | Jim Cawley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Michael Gerard Fitzpatrick
June 28, 1963 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | January 6, 2020 (aged 56) Levittown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Resting place | Washington Crossing National Cemetery Newtown, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Kathleen Gestite |
| Children | 6 |
| Relatives | Brian Fitzpatrick (brother) |
| Alma mater | St. Thomas University (BA) Dickinson School of Law (JD) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Michael Gerard Fitzpatrick (born June 28, 1963 – died January 6, 2020) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Republican Party. He served in the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 8th district. He held this role from 2005 to 2007 and again from 2011 to 2017.
He was first elected to Congress in 2004. He lost his seat in 2006 to Democrat Patrick Murphy. He did not run in 2008. But he ran again in 2010 and won against Murphy. He was re-elected in 2012 and 2014.
Mike Fitzpatrick believed in term limits. This means he thought politicians should only serve for a set number of terms. Because of this, he did not run for re-election in 2016. His brother, Brian, took his place. Mike Fitzpatrick was known as a moderate Republican. He often worked with members from both political parties.
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Early Life and Education
Mike Fitzpatrick was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Bucks County. He went to Bishop Egan High School. This school is now called Conwell-Egan Catholic High School. It is located in Fairless Hills.
He received a scholarship to attend St. Thomas University in Florida. He earned his bachelor's degree there in 1985. Later, he studied law at the Dickinson School of Law at Penn State University. He earned his law degree in 1988. After that, he became a lawyer in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Serving Bucks County
In January 1995, Mike Fitzpatrick became a member of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners. This board helps manage the county. He was chosen to fill a spot left open by Mark Schweiker. Schweiker had been elected as lieutenant governor.
As a Commissioner, Fitzpatrick helped oversee social services. He also helped local governments respond to emergencies. He worked to protect open spaces in the county. He also supported a project to improve the county's communication systems.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (2005–2007)
First Election to Congress
In 2004, the current Republican representative, James C. Greenwood, decided not to run again. Mike Fitzpatrick was chosen by his party to run instead. He won the election against Virginia Schrader. The district he represented included most of Bucks County. It also included a small part of Montgomery County and parts of Northeast Philadelphia.
Re-election Campaign in 2006
In 2006, Fitzpatrick ran against Democrat Patrick Murphy. The election was very close. Mike Fitzpatrick lost to Patrick Murphy by a small number of votes. He was one of the few first-term Republican congressmen to lose in 2006.
Key Actions in Congress
In May 2006, Fitzpatrick introduced a bill called the Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006. This act required most schools and libraries to block minors from social networking sites and chat rooms. He said these sites could be dangerous for children. The bill passed in the House of Representatives.
While in Congress, he served on two important groups. These were the United States House Committee on Financial Services and the United States House Committee on Small Business.
Between Congressional Terms (2007–2011)
After losing his seat, Fitzpatrick returned to working as a lawyer. In 2007, he helped lead an effort to get voters to approve borrowing money. This money would be used to preserve open spaces in Bucks County. The voters approved this plan.
In 2008, there was talk that he might run for Congress again. However, he decided not to. He announced he would run for a seat in the Pennsylvania State House instead. But he was diagnosed with cancer and had to stop his campaign. He supported another Republican, Frank Farry, who won that seat.
Return to the U.S. House of Representatives (2011–2017)
Winning Back His Seat
On January 23, 2010, Mike Fitzpatrick announced he would run for his old congressional seat. He promised that if he won, he would only serve for a maximum of three more terms. He believed in limiting how long politicians could serve. He won the Republican nomination with many votes.
On November 2, 2010, Fitzpatrick defeated Patrick Murphy. He won back his old seat in Congress. He was sworn in on January 5, 2011.
Re-elections
In 2012, Fitzpatrick won re-election against Kathryn Boockvar. In 2014, he won again against Kevin Strouse. Before the 2014 election, he repeated his promise to serve only a limited number of terms. He confirmed he would not run for re-election in 2016. His younger brother, Brian, ran for the seat and won in November 2016.
Important Work in Congress
Mike Fitzpatrick supported the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. This act helps protect victims of violence.
In 2016, he became the Chairman of the Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing. This group looked into how terrorist activities are funded. They studied how money moves through the global financial system.
Since 2014, Fitzpatrick was a strong voice for medical device safety. He urged the FDA to act when dangerous medical devices caused harm. In June 2016, he introduced two bills to improve how medical devices are reviewed. One bill, Ariel Grace's Law, would allow victims to seek legal help. The other, the Medical Device Guardians Act, would require doctors to report unsafe devices. It would also protect doctors for making these reports.
Fitzpatrick was known for working well with both political parties. He was ranked as one of the most bipartisan members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Committee Roles
During his time in Congress, Mike Fitzpatrick served on the Committee on Financial Services. Within this committee, he was part of:
- Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (as Vice Chair)
- Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing (as Chair)
Personal Life and Passing
Mike Fitzpatrick and his wife, Kathleen, had six children. They lived in Levittown, Pennsylvania.
He was involved in many community groups. He was part of the Boy Scouts of America. He was an Eagle Scout and received the Silver Beaver Award. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
In June 2008, Fitzpatrick was diagnosed with colon cancer. After treatment, the cancer went into remission. Mike Fitzpatrick passed away from melanoma at his home on January 6, 2020. He was 56 years old.
