Peter King (American politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter King
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Robert J. Mrazek |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Garbarino |
| Constituency | 3rd district (1993–2013) 2nd district (2013–2021) |
| Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Bennie Thompson |
| Succeeded by | Michael McCaul |
| In office August 2, 2005 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Christopher Cox |
| Succeeded by | Bennie Thompson |
| Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Bennie Thompson |
| Succeeded by | Bennie Thompson |
| Comptroller of Nassau County | |
| In office January 1, 1982 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Hallstead Christ |
| Succeeded by | Alan Gurein |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Peter Thomas King
April 5, 1944 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Rosemary Wiedl
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Seaford, New York, U.S. |
| Education | St. Francis College (BA) University of Notre Dame (JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1968–1974 |
| Rank |  Specialist 5 |
| Unit |
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Peter Thomas King was born on April 5, 1944. He is an American former politician and writer. He represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2021.
He was a member of the Republican Party. King represented a part of Long Island that included areas of Nassau County and Suffolk County. This area was known as the 3rd and later the 2nd congressional district.
King used to be the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security. He stepped down because of term limits but stayed on the committee. In 2019, King announced he would retire and not run for re-election. He also served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Peter King was born in New York City in Manhattan. He grew up in the Sunnyside neighborhood in Queens. His father, Peter E. King, was a New York City police officer.
His family has roots in Ireland and Wales. His grandparents on his father's side were Irish immigrants. His mother's family was also from Ireland and Wales.
King went to St. Francis College and earned a degree in Political Science in 1965. He then studied law at Notre Dame Law School, getting his law degree in 1968.
That same year, he joined the New York Army National Guard. He worked for the Nassau County District Attorney's Office until 1974. He was honorably discharged from the military that year.
Peter King lives in Seaford, New York with his wife, Rosemary. They have two adult children. His daughter, Erin King Sweeney, served on the town council in Hempstead, New York.
His Time in Politics
King first ran for public office in 1977. He won a seat on the Hempstead, New York town council. He had the support of the Republican Party in Nassau County.
In 1981, he successfully ran for Nassau County comptroller. This job involves managing the county's money. He was re-elected to this position in 1985 and 1989.
As comptroller, he was independent. He often disagreed with the budget plans of other Republican leaders.
Serving in Congress
King was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. He ran for the 3rd district congressional seat. He won the election even though his opponent spent much more money.
From 1993 to 2008, he often won his elections easily. Sometimes, he faced candidates who spent a lot of their own money. Even then, King won by large margins.
In 2006, he won against Dave Mejias, a county legislator. In 2008, he won again with 64% of the votes.
In 2013, St. John's University gave King an honorary law degree. He gave a speech at their graduation. He was honored for helping New York City after Hurricane Sandy.
Thinking About Higher Office
King thought about running for the U.S. Senate in 2000 and 2003. However, he decided not to run both times.
In 2010, he considered running for governor of New York. He also thought about running for the U.S. Senate again. He eventually decided to run for re-election to the House, which he won.
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In 2013, King mentioned he was running for president in the 2016 election. However, he later clarified he was only considering it. In 2015, he announced he would not run for president.
What He Believed In
King was known for working with both political parties. He was ranked as one of the most bipartisan members of the U.S. House of Representatives. This means his bills often had support from both Republicans and Democrats.
He was a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership. This group supports moderate Republican ideas.
King supported John McCain for president in 2000. He later became a supporter of George W. Bush.
King voted against impeaching President Donald Trump in 2019. He was one of many Republican members who voted this way.
Economy
King voted for the 2008 Wall Street bailout. He said it was important for New York's financial health. However, he opposed the 2009 economic stimulus package.
He voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This was because the bill limited how much people could deduct for state and local taxes. This would hurt New York, which has high taxes.
Labor Issues
King was considered a Republican who supported labor unions. He sometimes criticized his own party for being "anti-union." His voting record showed he supported workers' rights more than most Republicans.
In 2019, the AFL-CIO, a large union group, gave King a score of 55%. The average for House Republicans that year was 31%.
Health Care
On May 4, 2017, King voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He voted to replace it with the American Health Care Act.
House Intelligence Committee
King was a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This committee oversees U.S. intelligence agencies.
In 2018, he voted to release the Nunes memo. This memo was written by Republican staff. It claimed the FBI might have used questionable sources to get a warrant on a Trump adviser. The FBI said the memo had "material omissions of fact" and was not accurate.
Important Committees
For the 116th United States Congress, King was assigned to these committees:
- Committee on Homeland Security
- Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications
King was also part of other groups in Congress. These included the House Baltic Caucus, the Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus, and the Climate Solutions Caucus.
Books
Peter King has written three novels:
- Terrible Beauty (1999)
- Deliver Us From Evil (2002)
- Vale of Tears (2003)
See also
