Pete DeFazio (D-OR-4)i
Pete DeFazio Congressman District 4
House links: Peter DeFazio (D-OR-4)i 
Campaign links: Peter DeFazio (D-OR-4)i
Peter Anthony “Pete” DeFazio
Pete DeFazio Congressional Candidate Oregon District 4
Biography of Pete DeFazio from House.gov
Congressman Peter DeFazio was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 1986. He is the dean of the Oregon House delegation, represents Southwest Oregon, and has developed a reputation as an independent, passionate and effective lawmaker.
DeFazio is a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee where he serves as ranking member of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee. He currently also serves on the Aviation Subcommittee and Railroad, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee. In 2005, DeFazio served as the ranking Democrat on the Highways Subcommittee where he helped negotiate a five-year federal highway and transit spending bill called SAFETEA-LU. Under the bill DeFazio secured $2.7 billion for Oregon’s roads, bridges, highways and transit systems. As a ranking member of the subcommittee, DeFazio will be a key architect this congress of the highway authorization, a six-year federal highway and transit spending bill and will work to bring needed infrastructure investment to Oregon to help create jobs and improve our long-term economic viability.
DeFazio also serves on the House Natural Resources Committee, where he sits on the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee and the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee.
DeFazio counts Senator Wayne Morse as one of his political heroes because of his indomitable independence and steadfast commitment to serve in the best interests of all Oregonians.
DeFazio has mirrored his political philosophy after Morse’s pledge which reads, “I will exercise an independence of judgment on the basis of facts and evidence as I find them on each issue. I will weigh the views of my constituents and my party, but cast my vote free of political pressure and unmoved by threats of loss of political support if I do not do the bidding of some pressure groups.”
This pledge hangs on the wall of his Washington,D.C. office.
DeFazio and his wife, Myrnie Daut, live in Springfield, Oregon. He has logged over three million miles traveling between Oregon and Washington, DC. DeFazio has refused to accept congressional pay raises while the government is deficit spending, and has linked his pay to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. Instead, he has used his pay raises to reduce the national debt and to fund scholarships at five southwestern Oregon community colleges; by the end of 2011, DeFazio will have contributed $334,000 of after-tax salary toward 207 scholarships and debt reduction. He counts these scholarships among of his proudest accomplishments.
Biography of Pete DeFazio from DeFazio for Congress
Peter DeFazio was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986.
Peter is a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he serves as chairman of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee. In 2005, he helped draft a $244 billion federal highways and transit funding bill which included $2.7 billion for transportation projects in Oregon. These federal investments helped create thousands of jobs and improved the state’s long term economic viability. Peter has written the current highways and transit funding bill.
Peter serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security, and works to meet the national security needs of the country. He has consistently fought to increase funds to protect our ports and our borders.
Peter also serves on the House Resources Committee, when he is active on the Subcommittee for Forests and Forest Health. Peter is leading the effort to reform federal forest policy to meet the needs of all communities in Oregon.
Not Your Usual Politician – Effective Outspoken Leadership
“Though his independence drives leaders of his party crazy, it is the foundation of DeFazio’s success in a district that is large and ideologically varied,” Oregonian, 4/19/10
“One need look no further than the dramatic vote in the House Monday to see how DeFazio stands up for taxpayers. The 22-year House veteran voted ‘no’ with the majority, because he thinks more of the financial burden of the $700 billion bailout package should be put on money traders, not taxpayers.
Eventually, DeFazio and his colleagues will need to compromise and pass a financial package. But it’s comforting to know lawmakers such as DeFazio are looking out for ‘the little guy,’ despite pressure from the highest level of government and CEOs.” The Grants Pass Daily Courier endorsement article, 10/1/08
“[DeFazio is a] fierce advocate for Oregon who is building seniority in the House and helping this state with its transportation infrastructure and other needs. ” The Oregonian, 1/8/07
“DeFazio directed hundreds of millions of dollars to Oregon for bridge and highway repair,” The Oregonian, 1/8/07
“DeFazio continues to be an independent thinker who values hard work and results more than rhetoric, and the practical more than party ideology.” – Corvallis Gazette-Times, October 16, 2004
“The DeFazio that people in Oregon’s 4th District have known for 20 years is the same DeFazio who represents them in Congress: hard-working, independent and politically shrewd.” -Register Guard September 27, 2006
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