Steve Israel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Israel
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Official portrait, 2009
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| Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Cheri Bustos David Cicilline Hakeem Jeffries (Co-Chairs) |
| Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2015 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Chris Van Hollen |
| Succeeded by | Ben Ray Luján |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York |
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| In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Rick Lazio |
| Succeeded by | Tom Suozzi |
| Constituency | 2nd district (2001–2013) 3rd district (2013–2017) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 30, 1958 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Marlene Budd
(m. 2003; div. 2014)Cara Longworth
(m. 2018) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | George Washington University (BA) |
Steven Jay Israel (born May 30, 1958) is an American political expert, author, and former politician. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for New York from 2001 to 2017. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
During his time in Congress, his district included parts of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) and a small part of Queens in New York City. Steve Israel led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2011 to 2015. He also chaired the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee from 2015 to 2017. Before joining Congress, he served on the Huntington Town Board starting in 1993. After leaving Congress in 2017, Israel became a political commentator for CNN. In 2019, he became the first director of the Institute of Politics and Global Affairs at Cornell University.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Steve Israel was born in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Levittown, New York, on Long Island. He attended Nassau Community College and Syracuse University for a year. Later, he graduated from George Washington University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
After college, Israel worked for U.S. Representative Richard Ottinger. In 1993, he was elected to the town council in Huntington, New York. This was his first elected position.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Steve Israel was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000. He won the seat after Rick Lazio left to run for the U.S. Senate. Israel received 48% of the votes in that election. He was reelected seven times, serving until 2017. On January 5, 2016, Israel announced he would not run for reelection.
Key Roles in Congress
During his time in the House, Steve Israel was part of important groups:
- Committee on Appropriations
- This committee decides how the government spends money.
- He was on subcommittees for Energy and Water, Foreign Operations, and Military Construction.
Groups He Helped Lead
Israel also co-chaired several special groups, called caucuses:
- Co-chair and founder of Congressional Center Aisle Caucus
- House Cancer Caucus (Co-chair)
- Long Island Sound Caucus (Co-chair)
Leadership in the Democratic Party
Within his party, Israel held important leadership roles:
- Assistant Democratic Whip
- Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Task Force On Defense and the Military
- Co-chair of the House Democratic Study Group on National Security Policy
Important Votes and Views
Israel voted to allow President George W. Bush to use military force in Iraq. This was different from many other Democrats in the House. In his second term, he became an Assistant Whip, a role that helps manage votes. Later, he led a task force that advised Democratic leaders on military policy.
In 2006, Israel disagreed with former President Jimmy Carter's book about Palestine. Israel stated that the problems faced by Palestinians were due to Palestinians themselves. He also supported studying if voting should happen on weekends instead of Tuesdays.
Occupy Wall Street Movement
Israel supported the Occupy Wall Street movement. This movement protested economic inequality. Some people criticized his support, but Israel defended himself by pointing to his support for Israel and his Jewish heritage.
Leading the DCCC
From 2011 to 2015, Steve Israel chaired the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). This group helps elect Democrats to the House of Representatives. He was chosen by Nancy Pelosi, a top Democratic leader. Israel was known for his fundraising skills and for finding good candidates to run for office.
His Stance on Key Issues
Steve Israel had clear views on many important issues:
Economy and "Made in the USA"
In 2013, Israel proposed a law to require all U.S. national parks to sell only merchandise that was Made in the USA. This was meant to support American jobs.
Gun Control
Israel strongly supported stricter gun control laws.
- He voted against bills that would reduce federal rules on gun safety and sales.
- He supported the "No Fly, No Buy" Act, which would stop people on the no-fly list from buying guns.
- He received high ratings from groups that support gun control, like the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. He received low ratings from groups that oppose gun control, like the NRA Political Victory Fund.
- He helped pass a bill to extend the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988, which prevents plastic guns that can't be found by metal detectors.
Health Care
Israel voted for the Affordable Care Act in 2010. This law aimed to make health insurance more available. He also voted against several attempts to cancel this law.
LGBT Rights
Israel supported same-sex marriage. He was proud when states like New York legalized it. He also voted to end "Don't ask, don't tell", a policy that prevented openly gay people from serving in the military. He also supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would protect LGBTQ+ people from job discrimination. He received a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign, a group that supports LGBTQ+ rights.
Personal Life and Beyond Politics
Steve Israel has two adult daughters. After leaving Congress, he became an author. He has written two novels that make fun of politics: The Global War on Morris (2014) and Big Guns (2018).
In November 2021, Israel opened a bookstore in Oyster Bay, New York. He named it after former president Theodore Roosevelt, who also lived in the town.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2009
