Jackie Speier
Jackie Speier | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 14th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2013 | |
Preceded by | Anna Eshoo |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 12th district | |
In office April 8, 2008 – January 3, 2013 | |
Preceded by | Tom Lantos |
Succeeded by | Nancy Pelosi |
Member of the California Senate from the 8th district | |
In office 1998–2006 | |
Preceded by | Quentin L. Kopp |
Succeeded by | Leland Yee |
Member of the California State Assembly from the 19th district | |
In office 1986–1996 | |
Preceded by | Lou Papan |
Succeeded by | Lou Papan |
Personal details | |
Born |
Karen Lorraine Speier May 14, 1950 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) |
Steve Sierra (1987–1994) Barry Dennis (2001–present) |
Children |
Jackson Stephanie (with Sierra) |
Alma mater |
University of California, Davis UC Hastings College of the Law |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Website | House website |
Karen Lorraine Jacqueline "Jackie" Speier[1] (/ˈspɪər/; born May 14, 1950) is the U.S. Representative for California's 14th congressional district, serving in Congress since 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 12th District from 2008 to 2013, includes the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and the southwest quarter of San Francisco. She represents much of the territory that had been represented by her political mentor, Leo Ryan.
She is also a former member of the California State Senate who represented parts of San Francisco and San Mateo counties. On April 8, 2008, she won the special election for the vacated United States House of Representatives seat of late Congressman Tom Lantos.[2]
Early life and education
Speier was born in 1950 in San Francisco, and grew up in an apolitical, working-class family, the daughter of Nancy (née Kanchelian) and Manfred "Fred" Speier.[3] Her mother was of Armenian descent, while her father was an immigrant from Germany. Speier took Jacqueline as her confirmation name after Jackie Kennedy.[4] She is a graduate of Mercy High School in Burlingame. She earned a B.A. from the University of California, Davis, and a J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in 1976.[5]
Marriage and family
Speier's first marriage was to Dr. Steven Sierra, an emergency room doctor, in 1987.[6][7] In 1988, they had a son Jackson Kent, while she was serving as a member of the California State Assembly.[8] Dr. Sierra died in a car accident in 1994 at the age of 53.[6] At the time, Jackie was two months pregnant with their second child, a daughter she named Stephanie.[8]
In 2001 Speier married Barry Dennis, an investment consultant.[6][9]
Congressional aide
![](../I/m/Leo_Ryan.jpg)
Speier entered politics by serving as a congressional staffer for Congressman Leo Ryan. Speier was part of his November 1978 fact-finding mission organized to investigate allegations of human rights abuses by Jim Jones and his Peoples Temple followers, almost all of whom were American citizens who had moved to Jonestown, Guyana, with Jones in 1977 and 1978.[4] Speier was one of two members of the mission who made wills before traveling to Jonestown.[10] Several Peoples Temple members ambushed the investigative team and others boarding the plane to leave Jonestown on November 18. Five people died, including Congressman Ryan. While trying to shield herself from rifle and shotgun fire behind small airplane wheels with the other members of the team, Speier was shot five times and waited 22 hours before help arrived.[11] That same day, over 900 of the remaining members of the Peoples Temple died in Jonestown and Georgetown in a mass murder-suicide.
Political career
San Mateo County
Speier's political career began with an unsuccessful run to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Congressman Ryan (the seat she holds now).[4] She lost the Democratic primary to another former Ryan staffer, G. W. "Joe" Holsinger. He lost to the Republican candidate Bill Royer, San Mateo County Supervisor.
Speier won her first election in 1980, when she ran for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and defeated a 20-year incumbent. At the time, she was the youngest person ever elected to the board. She was reelected in 1984, and was later selected as chairwoman.[11]
California State Assembly
In 1986, midway through her second term on the Board of Supervisors, Speier ran for the California State Assembly from a district in northern San Mateo County. She won by a few hundred votes. She was reelected five more times, the last time as the nominee of both the Democratic and Republican parties.[12]
California State Senate
![](../I/m/Jackie_Speier_11_2005.jpg)
California state term limits forced Speier to give up her Assembly seat in 1996, but in 1998 she was elected to the California State Senate. In 2002, she was elected to a second term with 78.2% of the vote.[13] As a state senator, Speier was instrumental in securing $127 million funding for major service improvements to Caltrain, for which the commuter rail agency named a new locomotive (no. 925) for her. Speier also focused on representing consumer rights.[14] Senator Speier was termed out of the California State Senate in 2006. Speier served as assistant president pro tempore of the California State Senate during her last term.
![](../I/m/Jackie_Speier_Caltrain.jpg)
Candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California
In 2006, Speier ran in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant governor of California against insurance commissioner John Garamendi and state senator Liz Figueroa. At the June 6, 2006, elections, Speier was defeated by Garamendi in a close race. Garamendi received 42.9%, Speier received 39.3%, and Figueroa received the remaining 17.8% of the vote.
2008 presidential campaign
Speier endorsed Hillary Clinton's bid for president.[15]
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
On January 13, 2008, Speier announced she was running in the Democratic primary for the 12th District, Ryan's old district. The seat was being vacated by 14-term incumbent and fellow Democrat Tom Lantos, who announced on January 2, 2008, that he was not seeking re-election. Speier had spent much of 2007 building support to challenge Lantos in the Democratic primary.[16]
On January 17, 2008, Lantos endorsed Speier as his successor. She also picked up endorsements from Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Congressman Mike Thompson and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Lantos died February 11, 2008. Speier won a special primary election on April 8, 2008, to fill the remainder of his term, which ended in January 2009. She won an outright majority, avoiding a runoff that would have been held on June 3, coinciding with the regular primary election.[17] Speier easily won the Democratic primary on June 3, all but assuring her of a full term in this heavily Democratic district.[18] She was elected to a full term in November with 75 percent of the vote, and has been reelected three more times with no substantive opposition.
On July 11, 2008, Speier introduced her first bill, the Gasoline Savings and Speed Limit Reduction Act, which would set a national speed limit of 60 mph in urban areas and 65 mph on less-populated stretches of highway.
In January 2016, during a speech on the House floor, Speier announced that she would introduce legislation requiring schools to disclose disciplinary proceedings of faculty.[19]
In September 2016, Speier proposed a bill to stop sexual abuse and harassment of women in STEM fields known as the Federal Funding Accountability for Sexual Harassers Act.[20]
Political views
![](../I/m/Jackiespeier.png)
Defense
Speier is a critic of the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. She has been quoted in CNN: "To continue pouring money into building planes that have ejector seat issues, cyber vulnerabilities, flawed aerodynamics, maintenance problems, an inability to fly at full speed while using weapons, and overheating issues is borderline malfeasance," [21]
Abortion
Speier supports legal abortion. When she took the National Political Awareness Test in 2002, she answered, “Abortions should always be legally available”.[22] The organization NARAL Pro-Choice America rated Jackie Speier as 100% on interest group ratings because she supported the choice of abortion in her voting for legislation.[23] Also, in 2008 the Planned Parenthood Organization gave Speier a 100% on her actions regarding abortion.[22] In a speech on the House floor on February 17, 2011, Speier said that she herself had undergone an emergency D&E procedure when complications developed in a wanted pregnancy.[24][25]
Gun laws
Speier believes in a stricter view of gun control. According to her answers on the NPAT (National Political Awareness Test) she would like to require safety locks on all guns and background checks on prospective buyers as well as ban certain guns (other than for hunting) and strengthen state restrictions on buying and owning guns.[22] Gun Owners of America gave her an "F" grade and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Jack Berman Advocacy Center gave her a 100% rating.[22][23] The National Rifle Association (NRA) and Gun Owners of California also gave Speier a low grade on gun rights.[22]
Environment and energy
Speier is concerned for the protection of the environment and wants to preserve the health of this planet. She lists as evidence the decline of salmon on the West Coast as proof of global warming.[26] Speier believes global warming poses a growing danger and negatively affects the environment. When she spoke to the House on the subject of global warming and the environment, she expressed a desire “to craft a bipartisan and commonsense energy plan that makes polluters pay, provides for middle-class energy tax credits, and creates a new industry and lots of good, clean, green jobs”.[27] Jackie Speier is working to improve energy legislation with the Clean Air Rebate Act of 2009, the Home Star Act and the American Clean Energy and Security Act.[28][29]
Urban terrorism
Speier introduced legislation to enhance information sharing between the Transportation Security Administration and participating mass transit agencies in high-risk jurisdictions. The goal of this expanded relationship would be to thwart terrorist attacks against high-profile transit targets.[30] [31]
LGBT equality
Speier supports same-sex marriage. She is a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus.[32]
Speier was one of 32 members of Congress to co-sign an October 8, 2015 letter to the TSA requesting a reform in screening policies and procedures for transgender travelers.[33]
Congressional committee assignments
Caucuses
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (Associate Member)
Electoral history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | G. W. Holsinger | 20,908 | 24.3 | |
Republican | William Royer | 19,592 | 22.7 | |
Democratic | George Corey | 15,470 | 18.0 | |
Democratic | Jackie Speier | 13,744 | 16.0 | |
Republican | Les Kelting | 6,578 | 7.6 | |
Republican | Bruce Makar | 6,012 | 7.0 | |
Democratic | Curtiss Landers | 1,475 | 1.7 | |
Republican | Roger B. Canfield | 934 | 1.1 | |
Democratic | Charles T. Plough | 731 | 0.8 | |
American Independent | Nicholas Waeil Kudrovzeff | 372 | 0.4 | |
Peace and Freedom | Wilson Branch | 310 | 0.4 | |
Total votes | 86,126 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier | 56,809 | 73.9 | |
Republican | Michael Rocco | 20,010 | 26.1 | |
Total votes | 76,819 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier (incumbent) | 67,584 | 77.2 | |
Republican | Robert Silvestri | 18,240 | 20.8 | |
Peace and Freedom | Gene Pepi | 1,732 | 2.0 | |
Total votes | 87,556 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier (incumbent) | 53,359 | 100 | |
Total votes | 53,359 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier (incumbent) | 108,428 | 75.1 | |
Republican | Ellyne Berger | 36,020 | 24.9 | |
Total votes | 144,448 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier (incumbent) | 100,602 | 93.1 | |
Peace and Freedom | David Reichard | 7,459 | 6.9 | |
Total votes | 108,061 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier | 167,216 | 79.2 | |||
Republican | Jim Tomlin | 43,936 | 20.8 | |||
Total votes | 211,152 | 100 | ||||
Voter turnout | % | |||||
Democratic gain from Independent | ||||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier (incumbent) | 158,999 | 78.2 | |
Republican | Dennis Zell | 38,881 | 19.1 | |
Libertarian | Robert Fliegler | 5,540 | 2.7 | |
Total votes | 203,420 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John Garamendi | 1,045,130 | 42.6 | |
Democratic | Jackie Speier | 975,547 | 39.7 | |
Democratic | Liz Figueroa | 436,868 | 17.7 | |
Total votes | 2,457,545 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier | 66,279 | 77.7 | |
Republican | Greg Conlon | 7,990 | 9.4 | |
Democratic | Michelle McMurry | 4,546 | 5.3 | |
Republican | Mike Moloney | 4,517 | 5.3 | |
Green | Barry Hermanson | 1,947 | 2.3 | |
Independent | Kevin Dempsey Peterson (write-in) | 2 | 0.0 | |
Valid ballots | 85,281 | |||
Invalid or blank votes | ||||
Total votes | 85,281 | 100.00 | ||
Voter turnout | 25.69% | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier | 200,442 | 75.2 | |
Republican | Greg Conlon | 49,258 | 18.5 | |
Peace and Freedom | Nathalie Hrizi | 5,793 | 2.2 | |
Green | Barry Hermanson | 5,776 | 2.1 | |
Libertarian | Kevin Dempsey Peterson | 5,584 | 2.0 | |
Total votes | 266,853 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier | 152,044 | 75.6 | |
Republican | Mike Moloney | 44,475 | 22.2 | |
Libertarian | Mark Paul Williams | 4,611 | 2.2 | |
Independent | Joseph Michael Harding (write-in) | 32 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 201,162 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jackie Speier | 203,828 | 78.9 | |
Republican | Debbie Bacigalupi | 54,455 | 21.1 | |
Total votes | 258,283 | 100 | ||
Voter turnout | % | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
Books
- This Is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down, by Deborah Collins Stephens, Michealene Cristini Risley, Jackie Speier, and Jan Yanehiro, 2007, ISBN 978-1-57324-305-6
References
- ↑ Biographical Directory of Congress, Jackie Speier.
- ↑ John Wildermuth (9 April 2008). "Voters send Jackie Speier to Washington". SFGate. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
- ↑ "MANFRED SPEIER Obituary - San Francisco, CA - SFGate.com". SFGate.com.
- 1 2 3 Haddock, Vicki (November 16, 2003). "Jackie Speier– moving on, moving up: Survivor of Jonestown ambush plans run for lieutenant governor". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
- ↑ Staff (April 2007). "Alumni News". University of California Hastings College of the Law. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
- 1 2 3 Jackie Speier at National Names DataBase.
- ↑ "Auto Accident Kills Husband of Jackie Speier". Los Angeles Times. January 27, 1994. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
- 1 2 Jackie Speier, Moving On, Moving Up, November 16, 2003, San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ Jackie For Congress: Bio, biography page at 2008 campaign website.
- ↑ Excerpt from: REPORT OF A STAFF INVESTIGATIVE GROUP TO THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MAY 15, 1979
- 1 2 Staff (October 2006). "Senator Jackie Speier one of honored guests at banquet". Press Release. Armenian National Committee of America Western Region. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
- ↑ "HR 56 Assembly House Resolution - INTRODUCED". ca.gov. horizontal tab character in
|title=
at position 6 (help) - ↑ "California Secretary of State, Vote2002, State Senate District 8". Archived from the original on August 14, 2007. Retrieved February 15, 2008. , accessed February 15, 2008
- ↑ Yates, Dana. "Yee looking to make mark". The Daily Journal. San Mateo County's homepage. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
- ↑ Hillary Clinton For President at National Names DataBase.
- ↑ Kapochunas, Rachel (January 2, 2008). "California Dems Expected to Vie for Lantos Seat". CQ Politics. Congressional Quarterly Inc. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
- ↑ John Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle, February 13, 2008, "April 8 primary set to pick Lantos' successor", accessed February 15, 2008
- ↑ Bishop, Shaun (January 17, 2008). "Lantos endorses Speier as 'our best candidate': 14-term congressman's support comes just days after former state senator announced candidacy". Inside Bay Area. ANG Newspapers. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
- ↑ Kramer, Miriam; Hern, Sergio. "Politician outs top astronomy professor's history of sexual harassment". Mashable. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
- ↑ "This Bill Would Stop 'Rampant' Sexual Abuse, Harassment of Women in STEM Fields". Retrieved 2016-09-27.
- ↑ http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/21/politics/f-35-software-system-gao-report/index.html
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Jackie Speier's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test) - The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart". Project Vote Smart.
- 1 2 Link thehill.com
- ↑ CBS News (2011-02-18). "Rep. Speier tells House she had abortion". Retrieved 2011-02-18.
- ↑ Speier, Jackie (February 20, 2011), ""Abortion" Fuels Intolerant Thinking", The Huffington Post, retrieved July 28, 2011
- ↑ "Public Statements - The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart". Project Vote Smart.
- ↑ "Public Statements - The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart". Project Vote Smart.
- ↑ "Public Statements - The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart". Project Vote Smart.
- ↑ "Public Statements - The Voter's Self Defense System - Vote Smart". Project Vote Smart.
- ↑ "TSA's Role Extended To All Mass Transit". Fox News.
- ↑ "112th Congress 2D Session - H.R.3140" (PDF). 4 June 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
- ↑ "LGBT Equality". Congresswoman Jackie Speier (Congressional website). U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- ↑ "TSA Letter" (PDF). Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ↑ Our Campaigns "California District 11 – Special Election Race – March 6, 1979," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Our Campaigns "California State Assembly 19 Race – November 4, 1986," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Our Campaigns "California State Assembly 19 Race – November 8, 1988," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Our Campaigns "California State Assembly 19 Race – November 6, 1990," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Our Campaigns "California State Assembly 19 Race – November 3, 1992," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Our Campaigns "California State Assembly 19 Race – November 8, 1994," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Our Campaigns "California State Senate 8 Race – November 3, 1998," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Office of the California Secretary of State "State Senator," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Office of the California Secretary of State "Lieutenant Governor, by county," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Office of the California Secretary of State "Special Election Results United States House of Representatives, District 12 Special Primary Election, April 8, 2008," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Office of the California Secretary of State Archived December 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. "United States Representative," (retrieved on August 4, 2009).
- ↑ Office of the California Secretary of State Archived May 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. "United States Representative," (retrieved on February 21, 2011).
- ↑ Office of the California Secretary of State Archived October 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. "United States Representative," (retrieved on January 21, 2014).
External links
- Congresswoman Jackie Speier official U.S. House site
- Jackie Speier for Congress
- Jackie Speier at DMOZ
- Articles
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Project Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress
- This Is Not The Life I Ordered on YouTube, preview of book, promotional video with Jackie Speier
- Jackie Speier and Deborah Stephens Stanford Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders seminar mp3.
- Jackie Speier– moving on, moving up: Survivor of Jonestown ambush plans run for lieutenant governor, San Francisco Chronicle, November 16, 2003
- Reforming California's Prisons: An Interview With Jackie Speier, Mother Jones (magazine), July 7, 2005
- Commencement Speaker, San Francisco State University, 2006
- Senator Jackie Speier one of honored guests at banquet, Armenian National Committee of America Western Region, October 2006.
- Speier seeks national speed limit to save gas, San Francisco Chronicle, July 11, 2008
United States House of Representatives | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Tom Lantos |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 12th congressional district 2008–2013 |
Succeeded by Nancy Pelosi |
Preceded by Anna Eshoo |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 14th congressional district 2013–present |
Incumbent |
United States order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
Preceded by André Carson |
United States Representatives by seniority 186th |
Succeeded by Steve Scalise |