Tom Reed (Mayor)
Encyclopedia
Thomas W. Reed II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since winning both the special and general elections on November 2, 2010. He is a member of the Republican Party
. He previously served as the Mayor
of Corning, New York
.
, Reed is the youngest of 12 children and was raised in Corning, New York
by his mother after his father died when he was 2 years old. Reed graduated from Horseheads High School
in 1989, attended Alfred University
, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1993 and earned a law degree from Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law in 1996. While at Alfred he was a NCAA Division III All-American as a swimmer.
After receiving his law degree and being admitted to the bar he worked in Rochester
for the firm of Gallo and Iacovangelo. After the death of his mother Reed moved his family to Corning, his hometown, in 1999, where he opened his own law firm, as well as several other small businesses. Reed's law firm performs creditor's work, criminal defense and municipal corporate counseling.
party lines. He served only one two-year term.
Corning is a small city in Upstate New York
, that is home to one Fortune 500
company, Corning Incorporated.
.
On July 1, 2009 Reed announced his candidacy for Congress in 2010 in a seven stop tour. He received the endorsement of the county Republican chairmen in all eight counties of the 29th Congressional district, the Monroe County Conservative Party and Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks
.
The previous Congressman, Democrat Eric Massa
, narrowly won election over Republican then-incumbent Randy Kuhl
with 51% of the vote in 2008. Massa was serving his first term, but announced he would not seek reelection in 2010, citing health concerns. Massa resigned after accusations surfaced of sexual harassment of a male staffer. Massa's sudden retirement is expected to give Reed a major boost to his election bid.
On August 18, 2009 Reed reacted to statements by Massa in which Congressman Massa stated he would vote "adamantly against the interests" of his district for single payer health care by stating, "This illustrates the differences between me and Eric Massa. I trust the intelligence of people from upstate New York. I trust the voters to know what they want from their doctors, how they want to take care of their families when it comes to health care. Eric Massa clearly thinks that he knows better."
Reed is an advocate of term limit
s and has pledged not to serve for more than six two-year terms.
Reed defeated Zeller by a 56-44 margin in both elections.
, agreeing with some of the provisions but disagreeing with a majority of them.
In 2011, Reed sponsored HR 1 which contains an amendment stripping non senior foreign service employees of Washington DC locality pay when they went abroad. For years, the Foreign Service did not receive any locality pay when they went abroad, and took significant pay cuts when deployed to places such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. HR 1 would undo recent legislation to counter this longstanding disparity. http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110222/DEPARTMENTS08/102220301/
Reed proposed a resolution to install a clock with the estimated United States national debt, updated in real time, in the chamber of the House of Representatives. Reed is a member of both the Conservative Republican Study Committee
and the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership
. Reed ranks as the third most conservative member of New York's congressional delegation, narrowly behind second-place Nan Hayworth
, in a ranking devised by The Heritage Foundation
.
Reed voted in favor of the Budget Control Act of 2011
, despite having reservations over it.
However, after only a short 5 months in Congress, was promoted to the United States House Committee on Rules
, a rare achievement for a freshman. Reed left the Judiciary Committee and took a leave of absence from the Transportation Committee to take the position on Rules. Reed was appointed to the United States House Committee on Ways and Means
on June 14, 2011.
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...
. He previously served as 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 Corning, New York
Corning (city), New York
Corning is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States, on the Chemung River. The population was 10,842 at the 2000 census. It is named for Erastus Corning, an Albany financier and railroad executive who was an investor in the company that developed the community.- Overview :The city of...
.
Early life, education, and law career
The son of a career army officerUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Reed is the youngest of 12 children and was raised in Corning, New York
Corning (city), New York
Corning is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States, on the Chemung River. The population was 10,842 at the 2000 census. It is named for Erastus Corning, an Albany financier and railroad executive who was an investor in the company that developed the community.- Overview :The city of...
by his mother after his father died when he was 2 years old. Reed graduated from Horseheads High School
Horseheads High School
Horseheads High School is a public institution for secondary education in the rural town of Horseheads, New York. The current principal is Karen Donahue, and the current assistant principals are Dan Busek and Michael McCawley.The communities of the Town and Village of Horseheads, Big Flats, Elmira...
in 1989, attended Alfred University
Alfred University
Alfred University is a small, comprehensive university in the Village of Alfred in Western New York, USA, an hour and a half south of Rochester and two hours southeast of Buffalo. Alfred has an undergraduate population of around 2,000, and approximately 300 graduate students...
, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1993 and earned a law degree from Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law in 1996. While at Alfred he was a NCAA Division III All-American as a swimmer.
After receiving his law degree and being admitted to the bar he worked in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
for the firm of Gallo and Iacovangelo. After the death of his mother Reed moved his family to Corning, his hometown, in 1999, where he opened his own law firm, as well as several other small businesses. Reed's law firm performs creditor's work, criminal defense and municipal corporate counseling.
Mayor of Corning
In 2007, Reed defeated incumbent Democrat Mayor Frank Coccho, with 59% of the vote. Reed ran on the Republican, Conservative, and IndependenceIndependence Party of New York
The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
party lines. He served only one two-year term.
Corning is a small city in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, that is home to one Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
company, Corning Incorporated.
Elections
District 29 was an open seat. Reed won against Democratic and Working Families nominee Matthew ZellerMatthew Zeller
Matthew C. "Matt" Zeller is a United States Army veteran of the Afghan War and the 2010 Democratic nominee for .-Early life, education and career:...
.
On July 1, 2009 Reed announced his candidacy for Congress in 2010 in a seven stop tour. He received the endorsement of the county Republican chairmen in all eight counties of the 29th Congressional district, the Monroe County Conservative Party and Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks
Maggie Brooks
Maggie A. Brooks is a broadcasting personality and politician most notable for having served as the first female County Executive of Monroe County, New York....
.
The previous Congressman, Democrat Eric Massa
Eric Massa
-March to the Primaries:Freshman incumbent Randy Kuhl had been elected to Congress with slightly over 50% of the popular vote in a three way race in 2004. In early 2005, former U.S. Naval officer Eric J.J. Massa, a long-time friend of 2004 presidential candidate General Wesley Clark filed to run...
, narrowly won election over Republican then-incumbent Randy Kuhl
Randy Kuhl
John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. is an American Republican politician, and former member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He represented New York's 29th congressional district for two terms before being defeated for reelection by Eric Massa on November 4, 2008 by margin of...
with 51% of the vote in 2008. Massa was serving his first term, but announced he would not seek reelection in 2010, citing health concerns. Massa resigned after accusations surfaced of sexual harassment of a male staffer. Massa's sudden retirement is expected to give Reed a major boost to his election bid.
On August 18, 2009 Reed reacted to statements by Massa in which Congressman Massa stated he would vote "adamantly against the interests" of his district for single payer health care by stating, "This illustrates the differences between me and Eric Massa. I trust the intelligence of people from upstate New York. I trust the voters to know what they want from their doctors, how they want to take care of their families when it comes to health care. Eric Massa clearly thinks that he knows better."
Reed is an advocate of term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s and has pledged not to serve for more than six two-year terms.
Reed defeated Zeller by a 56-44 margin in both elections.
Tenure
Reed voted for the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010, despite having numerous reservations. He also voted in favor of repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActPatient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
, agreeing with some of the provisions but disagreeing with a majority of them.
In 2011, Reed sponsored HR 1 which contains an amendment stripping non senior foreign service employees of Washington DC locality pay when they went abroad. For years, the Foreign Service did not receive any locality pay when they went abroad, and took significant pay cuts when deployed to places such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. HR 1 would undo recent legislation to counter this longstanding disparity. http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110222/DEPARTMENTS08/102220301/
Reed proposed a resolution to install a clock with the estimated United States national debt, updated in real time, in the chamber of the House of Representatives. Reed is a member of both the Conservative 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 centrist 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...
. Reed ranks as the third most conservative member of New York's congressional delegation, narrowly behind second-place Nan Hayworth
Nan Hayworth
Nan Alison Sutter Hayworth is the U.S. Representative for . She is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and nursing career:...
, in a ranking devised by The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
.
Reed voted in favor of the Budget Control Act of 2011
Budget Control Act of 2011
The Budget Control Act of 2011 was passed by the 112th United States Congress signed into law by President Barack Obama. It brought conclusion to the 2011 United States debt ceiling crisis, which had threatened to lead the United States into sovereign default on or about August 3, 2011.The law...
, despite having reservations over it.
Committee assignments
Reed was initially named to the following committees:- United States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- United States House Committee on the JudiciaryUnited States House Committee on the JudiciaryThe U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement...
However, after only a short 5 months in Congress, was promoted to the United States House Committee on Rules
United States House Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules, or Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor...
, a rare achievement for a freshman. Reed left the Judiciary Committee and took a leave of absence from the Transportation Committee to take the position on Rules. Reed was appointed to the United States House Committee on Ways and Means
United States House Committee on Ways and Means
The 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...
on June 14, 2011.
External links
- U.S. Congressman Tom Reed official U.S. House site
- Tom Reed for Congress official campaign site
- Elections 2008 profile in the Star-Gazette