We are proud to join in the praise and recognition of the remarkable public service career of Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), a dear and respected friend of our community and an exemplary American leader. Hoyer has served Maryland’s 5th Congressional District and the American people with distinction for more than 40 years and will continue to do so in the next Congress. Hoyer announced last week that he is stepping away from leadership in order to open opportunity for younger members.
Hoyer has enjoyed a remarkably close working relationship with Maryland’s Jewish community and is considered a highly trusted and reliable friend. He also has a long record of involvement with and support for the State of Israel and deep relationships with AIPAC. For years, Hoyer has proudly led groups of freshman Democratic members of Congress on a trip to Israel and for meetings with Israeli political, military and business leaders.
Hoyer, who lives in Mechanicsville, in southern Maryland, has an enviable record in Congress where, in the words of The Washington Post Editorial Board, he has been “a model lawmaker: serious, pragmatic, conscientious, persistent [and] civil.” He has done his legislative work the old-fashioned way — through direct lobbying and traditional arm twisting of his fellow Democrats and by reaching across the aisle to work with Republicans on issues of mutual concern. Among his many accomplishments is the shepherding of the ground-breaking Americans with Disabilities Act through the House in 1990. The ADA is a monumental piece of legislation that has led to the formulation of a significant set of accommodations for millions of Americans in all aspects of their daily lives.
Hoyer has also been a pragmatic voice on fiscal issues — taking the not-always-popular position of opposing tax cuts and government program entitlement spending that America cannot afford, while always keeping his practiced eye on finding a path to make significant legislation happen. His efforts have paid meaningful dividends for his 5th District constituents, who have repeatedly re-elected him by impressively wide margins.
Hoyer began his public service career in the Maryland state Senate in 1966, where he rose to serve as Senate president from 1975 to 1979. He was elected to Congress in 1981. From 2003 to 2007 and again from 2011 to 2019, he served as the House majority whip, and from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to the present as the No. 2 leader of congressional Democrats as House majority leader.
Although stepping down from leadership, Hoyer will continue to serve his district and the American people in Congress. He will remain, we are sure, a “go-to” member for anyone who wants to get something done in the House.
We feel fortunate to have had such a good friend in our corner over the years and wish Steny Hoyer good health and strength to continue his important work.
