Aaron Schock
Encyclopedia
Aaron Schock is the United States Representative
for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party
. The district is based in Peoria
and includes part of Springfield
. At the age of , Schock is currently the youngest U.S. representative and the first member of the U.S. Congress born in the 1980s. Previously, Schock served two terms in the Illinois House of Representatives
, and was its youngest member.
, Minnesota
, the youngest of the four children of Richard Schock, a family practice physician and former school board member and Janice Schock (née Knapp), a homemaker. During Aaron's early years, the family lived on a rural farm site where the children were given the responsibility of tending a three acre patch of strawberries and selling the fruit to develop their work ethic. The Schocks moved to Peoria when Aaron was in fourth grade, where he attended Peoria's Kellar Primary school, Rolling Acres Middle School, and Richwoods High School
. He showed an early interest in student government, and was elected to the executive board of the Illinois Association of Junior High Student Councils in 1995.
By his junior year of high school, he had completed nearly all of his graduation requirements, and had few course options available because the school district had recently discontinued most of the advanced placement and other advanced courses due to budget cuts. School district policy did not allow him to graduate early, and the board members refused his requests to change the policy. He began attending classes at Illinois Central College
in East Peoria, earning dual credits toward high school and college graduation. He graduated from Richwoods High in 2000, and received his Bachelor of Science
degree from Bradley University
in 2002, with a major in finance, after just two years of attendance at Bradley.
Schock began working during the fifth grade, doing database management as an independent contractor for a bookstore chain. He later bought event tickets for a licensed ticket broker, using six phone lines and thirteen credit cards, and investing his earnings in the stock market. When he was in the eighth grade, he began doing the accounting work for a gravel pit, a job he kept throughout his high school years. During college, he invested in real estate and ran a Garage Tek - garage organizing business. He then worked as director of development for Petersen Companies, the real estate development arm of a senior citizen health care provider.
He was the chief sponsor of 13 bills that became law. The bills dealt with education, child protection, prescription drug savings, veterans' assistance, road construction, and high-tech identity theft. Though the district he represented in the state legislature included a large number of voters who were union members or who were on food stamps, Schock said, "I could vote against things like the raising minimum wage … and go back and explain to them why it didn’t make sense to raise the cost of labor...and they understood it.
During his first term, Schock requested and was given three committee assignments, which is unusual for a first-term congressman. In addition, he was appointed by Minority Whip
Eric Cantor
to be a deputy minority whip. He served as Ranking Member
of the Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology of the Small Business Committee. Soon after being sworn in to serve his first term, he joined the Republican Study Committee
, "a home for deficit hawks", according to the Los Angeles Times.
At the beginning of his second term in 2011, Schock was appointed to the highly coveted Ways and Means Committee. On the committee he serves on the Trade, Social Security and Oversight subcommittees. Schock’s appointment to the Trade subcommittee is especially relevant to the 18th District because of the synergy of economic interests relying on international trade to export products and commodities produced in Central and Western Illinois. The subcommittee on trade has oversight over reciprocal trade agreements including multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations and implementation of agreements involving tariff and nontariff trade barriers. Current trade negotiations include the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. Schock was also selected to serve on the House Administration committee. The Committee on House Administration is charged with the oversight of federal elections and the day-to-day operations of the House of Representatives.
During the first couple of months of the 112th Congress, Schock has introduced a variety of legislation. In response to an attempt by the Obama Administration to include funds in the Defense Authorization bill last December, Schock introduced legislation, H.R. 513, that would ban the use of Federal funds to transfer individuals detained by the US at Guantanamo Bay or other locations around the world from being brought to the United States.
Schock has also introduced legislation that would create the Federal Progam Sunset Commission (H.R. 606). His legislation would create a bipartisan commission made up of former Members of the House and Senate as well as outside experts to abolish federal programs that are found to be duplicative, unnecessary, inefficient, or don't meet the specific performance standards.
During the debate on the short-term Continuing Resolution that passed the House on February 19, 2011, Schock was successful in banning further funding for the creation of stimulus signs that highlight stimulus related projects around the country. Last year, Schock’s legislation to cut funding for Stimulus signs was featured on YouCut, a public outreach effort designed by House Republicans to highlight proposals aimed at reducing government spending. In turn, participants could vote for the one proposal that they would most like to see addressed by Congress. Last July, Schock’s bill was selected as a winning YouCut proposal.
On September 24, 2009, the FBI Anti-Terrorism Task Force arrested Michael Finton
in downtown Springfield, Illinois
, after Finton attempted to bomb the Paul Findley
Federal Building and the adjacent Springfield office of Congressman Schock. The man drove a truck filled with what he believed to be "a ton of explosives" to the federal building, then drove away with an undercover FBI agent and tried to detonate the dummy explosives via cell phone. The man was arrested and placed in federal custody on charges of terrorism and attempting to kill a federal employee.
predecessors, Congressmen Bob Michel and Ray LaHood
. The Chicago Tribune
, in their endorsements for the 2008 general election, described Schock's political positions to be fiscally conservative
and somewhat moderate on social issues
. Schock has joined both the Republican Study Committee
and the Republican Main Street Partnership
.
He has made renewable energy one of his main focus points. "In April of 2010, Biofuels Digest named Congressman Aaron Schock as 'One of the 10 Most Important Advocates for Renewable Energy in Washington'." He is introducing a proposal, the New Renewable Energy Zero Tax, that calls for a zero percent federal income tax and zero capital-gains tax for the next twenty years on new, renewable, green-energy production in the U.S. In March 2011, Schock signed on as an original co-sponsor to a proposal by Republican Congressman Devin Nunes of California called "A Roadmap for America's Energy future," (H.R. 909) which is a comprehensive plan focusing on policies that promote the production of a broad range of domestic energy supplies including traditional resources as well as renewable and alternative energy sources.
During his campaign, Schock promised to secure moneys for the restoration and conservation of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. He lived up to this promise by receiving $23 million for the construction of dams and locks. He is supported in his efforts to restore the health of the rivers by farmers, environmentalists, fishermen, conservationist, and river transportation companies.
Schock has been a leader in denying federal funds for transfer of detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to elsewhere in the U.S. Similarly, he has fought hard to require military tribunals for their trials as opposed to civilian courts. In January 2011, Schock introduced legislation with Senator Mark Kirk (IL) to deny federal funds for the transfer of detainees to the United States.
He voted against amending federal hate-crimes laws to include crimes where the victims were targeted on the basis of sexual orientation
, gender identity
, gender
and disability
. He also voted against the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in December 2010.
In August 2009, the Law Library of Congress
issued a controversial and disputed legal-opinion
report, Honduras: Constitutional Law Issues, that had been commissioned by Schock. It featured a legal analysis of the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis
with a specific examination of the legality of Honduran President
Manuel Zelaya
's June 28, 2009, removal from office and expatriation
. After the report was issued, Schock argued that the Obama Administration should change its policy towards Honduras by resuming suspended aid and recognizing the upcoming Honduran November 29, 2009, elections
, based on the contents of the report.
On December 15, 2009, during a discussion on Hardball with Chris Matthews
, Schock stated "I don‘t believe we should—we should limit water-boarding or, quite frankly, any other alternative torture technique if it means saving Americans‘ lives" in a "ticking time bomb" scenario or other critical situation.
defeating four term incumbent Democrat
Ricca Slone, by just 235 votes out of 40,000 ballots cast, and becoming the youngest member of the Illinois General Assembly
in state history. Five months after taking the office, he resigned from the school board to focus on his job as a state legislator. He received more than 40 percent of the African American vote when he ran for reelection in 2006, despite his opposition to race-based affirmative action, garnering 58 percent of the total vote to defeat Democrat Bill Spears.
congressman Ray LaHood
in the 2008 election, defeating Democratic candidate Colleen Callahan
and Green Party candidate Sheldon Schafer. A spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party noted the state's Republicans' ability to "hold their own" despite Illinois's Democratic Barack Obama
riding to victory on the same ballot and the state Republican Party's receiving no financial support from the national party. Schock's 18th distinct
, with LaHood as incumbent, was one of two Illinois Congressional seats without an incumbent running; the other open seat was won by a Democrat, but Republicans also kept all their incumbent seats. The 18th district has been Republican since 1939.
In his speech announcing his candidacy for Congress, Schock said,
"If China continues to be irresponsible about nuclear proliferation in Iran, we should tell them that ... we will sell Pershing nuclear missiles to Taiwan for their defense. Nonproliferation will either be enforced universally or not at all — it is their choice. The Chinese will come around, I have no doubt." His campaign manager described the policy as "well thought out", but Schock later said it was "more in jest".
Schock easily won the Republican primary
in February 2008, with 72% of the vote, beating his opponents Jim McConoughey (16%) and John Morris (12%).
Schock drew mixed reaction in late July 2008 when he brought President George W. Bush
to Peoria to raise money for the congressional campaign. The city of Peoria provided 38 police officers, 30 city trucks for temporary security barriers, and a number of firefighters, spending $38,252 to facilitate the visit, even though it was a private, paid-admission fundraiser. When requests to compensate the city increased, Schock called it "obviously a political move" and compared the issue to Barack Obama
's endorsement of another state senator on the courthouse steps a few years before, for which the city did not request compensation. A city councilman cited an ordinance against political activity by the city, but the mayor
of Peoria, Jim Ardis
, said the ordinance did not apply, and also called the requests "political rhetoric". Schock later said he would reimburse the city voluntarily, referring to payment for presidential protection as "unprecedented".
Schock won the November 4 general election with 59% of the vote. Upon taking his seat in Congress, at the age of 27, he became the youngest member of Congress, supplanting 33-year-old Patrick T. McHenry
of North Carolina, and the first member of the United States Congress
born in the 1980s. On taking office, he also became only the fifth person to serve the district since 1933.
In the same election, Democrat
Jehan A. Gordon won Schock's 92nd Representative District seat in the Illinois House of Representatives
. However, on Schock's advice, the Republican Party
appointed Joan Krupa
to fill out the 9 remaining days on Schock's state legislative term before Gordon took office.
. Schock has been frequently targeted by TMZ.com
reporters since his arrival in Washington. For his part, Schock appears to be flattered by all the attention, telling CNN
's Reliable Sources
that such soft media coverage could increase voters' interest in politics. "People who watch TMZ or different mediums don't expect to see their congressman on such a show," he said. "To see their hometown congressman on a show like this kind of raises their interest and gets them a little excited." In 2009, Schock appeared on The Colbert Report, during which the host, Stephen Colbert
– making fun of the TMZ reports – "grilled" Schock about his "six-pack abs". Schock went on to appear on the cover of the June 2011 issue of Men's Health
.
Schock appeared on Season 7
(2010) of Top Chef
, a competition reality-television
program, as a guest judge.
Articles
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. The district is based in Peoria
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
and includes part of Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
. At the age of , Schock is currently the youngest U.S. representative and the first member of the U.S. Congress born in the 1980s. Previously, Schock served two terms in the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
, and was its youngest member.
Early life, education and career
Schock was born in MorrisMorris, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,068 people, 1,929 households, and 985 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,183.2 people per square mile . There were 2,067 housing units at an average density of 482.6 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, the youngest of the four children of Richard Schock, a family practice physician and former school board member and Janice Schock (née Knapp), a homemaker. During Aaron's early years, the family lived on a rural farm site where the children were given the responsibility of tending a three acre patch of strawberries and selling the fruit to develop their work ethic. The Schocks moved to Peoria when Aaron was in fourth grade, where he attended Peoria's Kellar Primary school, Rolling Acres Middle School, and Richwoods High School
Richwoods High School
Richwoods High School is the most northern of the three regular public high schools in Peoria, Illinois, United States. Opened as a township high school in 1957, it was brought into Peoria Public Schools District 150 in the 1960s. Feeder middle schools are Mark Bills, Lindbergh, Rolling Acres...
. He showed an early interest in student government, and was elected to the executive board of the Illinois Association of Junior High Student Councils in 1995.
By his junior year of high school, he had completed nearly all of his graduation requirements, and had few course options available because the school district had recently discontinued most of the advanced placement and other advanced courses due to budget cuts. School district policy did not allow him to graduate early, and the board members refused his requests to change the policy. He began attending classes at Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College, often called ICC, is a large Illinois community college with its largest campus in East Peoria, Illinois, off Illinois State Route 116 near U.S. Route 150 and the McClugage Bridge...
in East Peoria, earning dual credits toward high school and college graduation. He graduated from Richwoods High in 2000, and received his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
in 2002, with a major in finance, after just two years of attendance at Bradley.
Schock began working during the fifth grade, doing database management as an independent contractor for a bookstore chain. He later bought event tickets for a licensed ticket broker, using six phone lines and thirteen credit cards, and investing his earnings in the stock market. When he was in the eighth grade, he began doing the accounting work for a gravel pit, a job he kept throughout his high school years. During college, he invested in real estate and ran a Garage Tek - garage organizing business. He then worked as director of development for Petersen Companies, the real estate development arm of a senior citizen health care provider.
Early political career
Schock decided to run for the local school board a few months after graduating from high school because he felt the board needed a more diverse and youthful perspective. After being denied a place on the ballot because he did not have the required number of valid signatures on his petition to run for office, he organized a successful write-in campaign, using more than 200 volunteers to help him visit more than 13,000 households and leave door hangers giving instructions on how to write his name on the ballots. He defeated the incumbent 60% to 40%, garnering more than 6,400 write-in votes, and becoming, at age 19, the youngest person serving on a school board in Illinois. After two years, his fellow board members elected him vice president of the board, and one year later, they unanimously elected him school board president, making him, at 23, the youngest school board president in Illinois history.Illinois legislature
During his four years in the state legislature, Schock served on two appropriations committees that were "typically reserved for more senior lawmakers", as well as the Financial Institutions, Environment & Energy and Veteran's Affairs committees.He was the chief sponsor of 13 bills that became law. The bills dealt with education, child protection, prescription drug savings, veterans' assistance, road construction, and high-tech identity theft. Though the district he represented in the state legislature included a large number of voters who were union members or who were on food stamps, Schock said, "I could vote against things like the raising minimum wage … and go back and explain to them why it didn’t make sense to raise the cost of labor...and they understood it.
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee assignments
- Committee on Ways and MeansUnited States House Committee on Ways and MeansThe Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
- Subcommittee on TradeUnited States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on TradeThe House Way and Means Subcommittee on Trade is one of the six subcommittees within the House Ways and Means Committee-Jurisdiction:From the House Rules:...
- Subcommittee on OversightUnited States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on OversightThe House Way and Means Subcommittee on Oversight is one of the six subcommittees within the House Ways and Means Committee-Jurisdiction:From the House Rules:...
- Subcommittee on Trade
- Committee on House AdministrationUnited States House Committee on House AdministrationThe United States House Committee on House Administration deals with the general administration matters of the United States House of Representatives.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on ElectionsUnited States House Administration Subcommittee on ElectionsThe House Administration Subcommittee on Elections is a subcommittee within the House Committee on House Administration. The subcommittee was created for the 110th Congress, along with the Subcommittee on Capitol Security at the urging of the late Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, then the...
- Subcommittee on Oversight
- Subcommittee on Elections
During his first term, Schock requested and was given three committee assignments, which is unusual for a first-term congressman. In addition, he was appointed by Minority Whip
Party whips of the United States House of Representatives
A whip in the United States House of Representatives manages his party's legislative program on the House floor. The Whip keeps track of all legislation and ensures that all party members are present when important measures are to be voted upon....
Eric Cantor
Eric Cantor
Eric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011...
to be a deputy minority whip. He served as Ranking Member
Ranking member
In United States politics, a ranking member is the second-most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the majority party. Another usage refers to the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party. This second usage, often...
of the Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology of the Small Business Committee. Soon after being sworn in to serve his first term, he joined the Republican Study Committee
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee [RSC] is a caucus of over 170 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives...
, "a home for deficit hawks", according to the Los Angeles Times.
At the beginning of his second term in 2011, Schock was appointed to the highly coveted Ways and Means Committee. On the committee he serves on the Trade, Social Security and Oversight subcommittees. Schock’s appointment to the Trade subcommittee is especially relevant to the 18th District because of the synergy of economic interests relying on international trade to export products and commodities produced in Central and Western Illinois. The subcommittee on trade has oversight over reciprocal trade agreements including multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations and implementation of agreements involving tariff and nontariff trade barriers. Current trade negotiations include the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. Schock was also selected to serve on the House Administration committee. The Committee on House Administration is charged with the oversight of federal elections and the day-to-day operations of the House of Representatives.
During the first couple of months of the 112th Congress, Schock has introduced a variety of legislation. In response to an attempt by the Obama Administration to include funds in the Defense Authorization bill last December, Schock introduced legislation, H.R. 513, that would ban the use of Federal funds to transfer individuals detained by the US at Guantanamo Bay or other locations around the world from being brought to the United States.
Schock has also introduced legislation that would create the Federal Progam Sunset Commission (H.R. 606). His legislation would create a bipartisan commission made up of former Members of the House and Senate as well as outside experts to abolish federal programs that are found to be duplicative, unnecessary, inefficient, or don't meet the specific performance standards.
During the debate on the short-term Continuing Resolution that passed the House on February 19, 2011, Schock was successful in banning further funding for the creation of stimulus signs that highlight stimulus related projects around the country. Last year, Schock’s legislation to cut funding for Stimulus signs was featured on YouCut, a public outreach effort designed by House Republicans to highlight proposals aimed at reducing government spending. In turn, participants could vote for the one proposal that they would most like to see addressed by Congress. Last July, Schock’s bill was selected as a winning YouCut proposal.
On September 24, 2009, the FBI Anti-Terrorism Task Force arrested Michael Finton
Michael Finton
Michael C. Finton, also known as Talib Islam , a convert to Islam and a part-time cook at a fish and chicken restaurant, attempted to bomb the Paul Findley Federal Building and the adjacent offices of Congressman Aaron Schock in downtown Springfield, Illinois, on September 24, 2009...
in downtown Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, after Finton attempted to bomb the Paul Findley
Paul Findley
Paul Findley is a former United States Representative from Illinois, representing its 20th District. A Republican, he was first elected in 1961. Findley lost his seat in 1982 to current United States Senator Dick Durbin. Findley attended Illinois College and is a member of Phi Alpha Literary Society...
Federal Building and the adjacent Springfield office of Congressman Schock. The man drove a truck filled with what he believed to be "a ton of explosives" to the federal building, then drove away with an undercover FBI agent and tried to detonate the dummy explosives via cell phone. The man was arrested and placed in federal custody on charges of terrorism and attempting to kill a federal employee.
Political positions
Schock is considered to be more conservative than his two moderateModerate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
predecessors, Congressmen Bob Michel and Ray LaHood
Ray LaHood
Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms .-Early life and...
. The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, in their endorsements for the 2008 general election, described Schock's political positions to be fiscally conservative
Fiscal conservatism
Fiscal conservatism is a political term used to describe a fiscal policy that advocates avoiding deficit spending. Fiscal conservatives often consider reduction of overall government spending and national debt as well as ensuring balanced budget of paramount importance...
and somewhat moderate on social issues
Social issues
Social issues are controversial issues which relate to people's personal lives and interactions. Social issues are distinguished from economic issues...
. Schock has joined both the Republican Study Committee
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee [RSC] is a caucus of over 170 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives...
and the Republican Main Street Partnership
Republican Main Street Partnership
The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderate members of the United States Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards a moderate fiscal conservatism and limited government to a degree. The group is the rough equivalent of...
.
He has made renewable energy one of his main focus points. "In April of 2010, Biofuels Digest named Congressman Aaron Schock as 'One of the 10 Most Important Advocates for Renewable Energy in Washington'." He is introducing a proposal, the New Renewable Energy Zero Tax, that calls for a zero percent federal income tax and zero capital-gains tax for the next twenty years on new, renewable, green-energy production in the U.S. In March 2011, Schock signed on as an original co-sponsor to a proposal by Republican Congressman Devin Nunes of California called "A Roadmap for America's Energy future," (H.R. 909) which is a comprehensive plan focusing on policies that promote the production of a broad range of domestic energy supplies including traditional resources as well as renewable and alternative energy sources.
During his campaign, Schock promised to secure moneys for the restoration and conservation of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. He lived up to this promise by receiving $23 million for the construction of dams and locks. He is supported in his efforts to restore the health of the rivers by farmers, environmentalists, fishermen, conservationist, and river transportation companies.
Schock has been a leader in denying federal funds for transfer of detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to elsewhere in the U.S. Similarly, he has fought hard to require military tribunals for their trials as opposed to civilian courts. In January 2011, Schock introduced legislation with Senator Mark Kirk (IL) to deny federal funds for the transfer of detainees to the United States.
He voted against amending federal hate-crimes laws to include crimes where the victims were targeted on the basis of sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
, gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
, gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
and disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
. He also voted against the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in December 2010.
In August 2009, the Law Library of Congress
Law Library of Congress
The Law Library of the United States Congress was established in 1832.-Mission statement:From the Law Library of Congress website:"The mission of the Law Library of Congress is to provide research and legal information to the U.S. Congress as well as to U.S. Federal Courts and Executive Agencies,...
issued a controversial and disputed legal-opinion
Legal opinion
In law, an opinion is usually a written explanation by a judge or group of judges that accompanies an order or ruling in a case, laying out the rationale and legal principles for the ruling....
report, Honduras: Constitutional Law Issues, that had been commissioned by Schock. It featured a legal analysis of the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis
2009 Honduran constitutional crisis
The 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis was a political dispute over plans to rewrite the Constitution of Honduras, which culminated in a coup d'état against Honduran President Manuel Zelaya by the Honduran military...
with a specific examination of the legality of Honduran President
President of Honduras
This page lists the Presidents of Honduras.Colonial Honduras declared its independence from Spain on 15 September 1821. From 5 January 1822 to 1 July 1823, Honduras was part of the First Mexican Empire of Agustín de Iturbide....
Manuel Zelaya
Manuel Zelaya
José Manuel Zelaya Rosales is a politician who was President of Honduras from January 27, 2006 until June 28, 2009. The eldest son of a wealthy businessman, he inherited his father's nickname "Mel," and, before entering politics, was involved in his family's logging and timber businesses.Elected...
's June 28, 2009, removal from office and expatriation
2009 Honduran coup d'état
The 2009 Honduran coup d'état, part of the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis, occurred when the Honduran Army ousted President Manuel Zelaya and sent him into exile on June 28, 2009. It was prompted by his attempts to schedule a non binding poll on holding a referendum about convening a...
. After the report was issued, Schock argued that the Obama Administration should change its policy towards Honduras by resuming suspended aid and recognizing the upcoming Honduran November 29, 2009, elections
Honduran general election, 2009
The Honduran general election, 2009 was held in Honduras on 29 November 2009, including presidential, parliamentary and local elections. Voters went to the polls to elect:*A new President of Honduras to serve a four-year term starting January 27, 2010....
, based on the contents of the report.
On December 15, 2009, during a discussion on Hardball with Chris Matthews
Hardball with Chris Matthews
Hardball with Chris Matthews is a talk show on MSNBC, broadcast weekdays at 5 and 7 PM hosted by Chris Matthews. It originally aired on now-defunct America's Talking and later CNBC. The current title was derived from a book Matthews wrote in 1988, Hardball: How Politics Is Played Told by One Who...
, Schock stated "I don‘t believe we should—we should limit water-boarding or, quite frankly, any other alternative torture technique if it means saving Americans‘ lives" in a "ticking time bomb" scenario or other critical situation.
Political campaigns
2004, 2006
At the age of 23, Schock ran for a seat in the Illinois House of RepresentativesIllinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
defeating four term incumbent Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Ricca Slone, by just 235 votes out of 40,000 ballots cast, and becoming the youngest member of the Illinois General Assembly
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
in state history. Five months after taking the office, he resigned from the school board to focus on his job as a state legislator. He received more than 40 percent of the African American vote when he ran for reelection in 2006, despite his opposition to race-based affirmative action, garnering 58 percent of the total vote to defeat Democrat Bill Spears.
2008
Schock was elected to succeed retiring incumbent RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
congressman Ray LaHood
Ray LaHood
Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms .-Early life and...
in the 2008 election, defeating Democratic candidate Colleen Callahan
Colleen Callahan
Colleen Callahan is an agribusiness news reporter and Illinois Director of USDA Rural Development. She was the Democratic nominee for Illinois' 18th congressional district in 2008....
and Green Party candidate Sheldon Schafer. A spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party noted the state's Republicans' ability to "hold their own" despite Illinois's Democratic Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
riding to victory on the same ballot and the state Republican Party's receiving no financial support from the national party. Schock's 18th distinct
Illinois' 18th congressional district
The 18th Congressional District of Illinois covers central and western Illinois, including the cities of Jacksonville, Peoria, and Springfield. It is represented by Aaron Schock.-Voting:-2008:...
, with LaHood as incumbent, was one of two Illinois Congressional seats without an incumbent running; the other open seat was won by a Democrat, but Republicans also kept all their incumbent seats. The 18th district has been Republican since 1939.
In his speech announcing his candidacy for Congress, Schock said,
"If China continues to be irresponsible about nuclear proliferation in Iran, we should tell them that ... we will sell Pershing nuclear missiles to Taiwan for their defense. Nonproliferation will either be enforced universally or not at all — it is their choice. The Chinese will come around, I have no doubt." His campaign manager described the policy as "well thought out", but Schock later said it was "more in jest".
Schock easily won the Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
in February 2008, with 72% of the vote, beating his opponents Jim McConoughey (16%) and John Morris (12%).
Schock drew mixed reaction in late July 2008 when he brought President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to Peoria to raise money for the congressional campaign. The city of Peoria provided 38 police officers, 30 city trucks for temporary security barriers, and a number of firefighters, spending $38,252 to facilitate the visit, even though it was a private, paid-admission fundraiser. When requests to compensate the city increased, Schock called it "obviously a political move" and compared the issue to Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's endorsement of another state senator on the courthouse steps a few years before, for which the city did not request compensation. A city councilman cited an ordinance against political activity by the city, but the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Peoria, Jim Ardis
Jim Ardis
Jim Ardis is a city politician in Peoria, Illinois. He has been mayor of Peoria since 2005, and was a city councilman starting in 1999.-Background:...
, said the ordinance did not apply, and also called the requests "political rhetoric". Schock later said he would reimburse the city voluntarily, referring to payment for presidential protection as "unprecedented".
Schock won the November 4 general election with 59% of the vote. Upon taking his seat in Congress, at the age of 27, he became the youngest member of Congress, supplanting 33-year-old Patrick T. McHenry
Patrick T. McHenry
Patrick Timothy McHenry is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for a single term...
of North Carolina, and the first member of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
born in the 1980s. On taking office, he also became only the fifth person to serve the district since 1933.
In the same election, Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Jehan A. Gordon won Schock's 92nd Representative District seat in the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
. However, on Schock's advice, the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
appointed Joan Krupa
Joan Krupa
Joan Gore Krupa was a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives. She represented the 92nd Representative District for 9 days in early 2009, after her predecessor, Aaron Schock, was sworn in as U.S...
to fill out the 9 remaining days on Schock's state legislative term before Gordon took office.
2010
Schock was challenged by Democrat D.K. Hirner, the Executive Director of the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group, and Green nominee Sheldon Schafer.Electoral history
Media appearances
Schock received an unusual amount of media coverage for a freshman congressman, much of it focusing on his physique and youthful appearance. He was selected "hottest freshman" congressman in a February 2009 reader poll on The Huffington PostThe Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
. Schock has been frequently targeted by TMZ.com
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
reporters since his arrival in Washington. For his part, Schock appears to be flattered by all the attention, telling CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Reliable Sources
Reliable Sources
Reliable Sources is a weekly show on CNN, focusing on analysis of the American news media. It was initially created to cover the media's coverage of the Persian Gulf War, but has since also covered the media's coverage of the Valerie Plame affair, the War in Iraq, the outing of Mark Felt as Deep...
that such soft media coverage could increase voters' interest in politics. "People who watch TMZ or different mediums don't expect to see their congressman on such a show," he said. "To see their hometown congressman on a show like this kind of raises their interest and gets them a little excited." In 2009, Schock appeared on The Colbert Report, during which the host, Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
– making fun of the TMZ reports – "grilled" Schock about his "six-pack abs". Schock went on to appear on the cover of the June 2011 issue of Men's Health
Men's Health (magazine)
Men's Health , published by Rodale Inc. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, United States, is the world’s largest men’s magazine brand, with 44 editions around the world. It is also the best-selling men's magazine on U.S. newsstands. It covers fitness, nutrition, sexuality, lifestyle and other aspects of...
.
Schock appeared on Season 7
Top Chef (season 7)
Top Chef: D.C. is the seventh season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in Washington, D.C. and concluded in Singapore...
(2010) of Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
, a competition reality-television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
program, as a guest judge.
See also
External links
- schock.house.gov, Schock's official congressional website
- aaronschock.com, Schock's official campaign website
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election CommissionFederal Election CommissionThe Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
Articles
- Young Gun, Edward McClelland, Chicago Magazine, March 2009