William A. Steiger
Encyclopedia
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...
from 1967 until his death in 1978. He served as a Republican
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...
from Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Early life
Steiger was born in Oshkosh, WisconsinOshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
. He attended the youth government and leadership program Badger Boys State
Badger Boys State
Badger Boys State is a week-long youth program held each June to teach Wisconsin high-school students leadership and the workings of government. Forty-nine states have a similar yet distinctive program for boys and a separate program for girls...
in 1955 where he was elected Governor and then represented his state at Boys Nation
Boys Nation
Boys Nation is an annual civic training event run by the American Legion.Each year, two delegates in the summer after their junior year of high school are selected from each of the forty-nine American Legion Boys State programs in the U.S....
. In 1960, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. After college, Steiger entered the business world, becoming a part owner of the Oshkosh Motor Lodge. Later, he became the president of Steiger-Ratke Development. In 1960, the young Steiger made his first run for elected office and became a member of Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
from 1961 to 1965. His wife was Janet Dempsey Steiger
Janet Dempsey Steiger
Janet Steiger was an American politician. She graduated from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. On August 10, 1963, she married William A. Steiger, who was elected to the United States House of Representatives. They had one son, William R...
; they were married on August 10, 1963.
Career
In 1967, Steiger was elected to Congress. While in the House, he was a strong supporter of tax cuts as a way to stimulate the economy. He sponsored legislation reducing the capital gains taxCapital gains tax
A capital gains tax is a tax charged on capital gains, the profit realized on the sale of a non-inventory asset that was purchased at a lower price. The most common capital gains are realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals and property...
, establishing OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970...
, and securing environmental protection for the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. The bills he authored on these topics include the Williams-Steiger Bill establishing OSHA in 1970, the Clear Lakes Bill establishing environmental protection for the Great Lakes, the Older Americans Act of 1965, the Elementary and Secondary School Act, the Manpower Act, and the Steiger Amendment of 1978 reducing the capital gains tax
Capital gains tax
A capital gains tax is a tax charged on capital gains, the profit realized on the sale of a non-inventory asset that was purchased at a lower price. The most common capital gains are realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals and property...
.
While a Congressman, in 1969 he employed the future Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
as an intern.
A rising star in politics, Steiger died at the age of 40 from a heart attack just weeks after winning reelection.
Legacy
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial HygienistsAmerican Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists is a professional association of industrial hygienists and practitioners of related professions, with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio...
(ACGIH) annually hands out the William Steiger Memorial Award, which honors individuals from the social/political sphere whose efforts have contributed to advancements in occupational safety and health.
His son, William R. Steiger
William R. Steiger
William Raymond Steiger was Special Assistant to the Secretary for International Affairs and the Director of the Office of Global Health Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the George W. Bush Administration, with a portfolio that included HIV/AIDS, malaria, avian...
, worked for Governor Tommy Thompson
Tommy Thompson
Thomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and most recently as the Director of the Office of Global Health Affairs and Special Assistant to the Secretary for International Affairs, in the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
, where he has been the subject of controversy for his role in the politicization of science
Politicization of science
The politicization of science is the manipulation of science for political gain. It occurs when government, business, or advocacy groups use legal or economic pressure to influence the findings of scientific research or the way it is disseminated, reported or interpreted. The politicization of...
.
The congressman was honored in his hometown of Oshkosh with the naming of the William A. Steiger Park, which is located on the south shore of the Fox River, east and west of the Wisconsin Street Bridge. A new bridge is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2008. There is a movement within the community to have the new bridge named after him as well.