Steve Scalise

Stephen Joseph Scalise is the U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 1st congressional district and currently serves as the House Majority Leader. A member of the Republican Party, Scalise was first elected to Congress in a May 2008 special election to fill the seat vacated by Bobby Jindal. He has since held several high-ranking leadership positions within the House, including serving as the House Majority Whip from 2014 to 2019 and the House Minority Whip from 2019 to 2023. Before his congressional tenure, Scalise served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1996 to 2008 and briefly in the Louisiana State Senate in 2008. He graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in computer science and worked as a systems engineer and marketing executive before entering politics. Scalise gained national attention in 2017 when he was critically wounded during a shooting at a congressional baseball practice, returning to his legislative duties several months later. Throughout his career, Scalise has been a prominent advocate for the energy industry, particularly focusing on offshore drilling and infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico. He also formerly chaired the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservatives in the House, and has consistently focused on issues related to tax reform, regulatory reduction, and federal spending oversight.

Scalise maintains a consistently conservative voting record and public platform. On economic policy, he supports lower taxes and deregulation, having played a key role in the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Regarding healthcare, he advocates for the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, favoring market-based alternatives and increased transparency. He is a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment and has consistently opposed stricter gun control measures. In the energy sector, Scalise promotes increased domestic oil and gas production and has introduced legislation to streamline the permitting process for energy infrastructure projects. On immigration, he supports increased funding for border security, the completion of a border wall, and strict enforcement of immigration laws while opposing amnesty for undocumented immigrants. He also holds a pro-life stance on social issues and supports restrictions on federal funding for abortion.