In this riveting interview Congressman Stearns discusses his tough questioning of Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, we also talk about former Wall Street executives joining government in order to avoid paying taxes on their gains and much more. Congressman Cliff Stearns is on the Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations, as well as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Congressman Stearns’ top issues are Consumer Protection, Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Telecommunications/Internet and the Energy Policy.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Congressman Cliff Stearns
House.Gov/Stearns - Bio
Congressman Cliff Stearns
Cliff Stearns was elected in 1988 to the U.S. House of Representatives, his only elected office. He was born in Washington, D.C., attended Woodrow Wilson High School there, and then attended George Washington University (GWU), graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
He participated in U.S. Air Force ROTC at GWU and was honored as the Air Force ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate. Following graduation, he served four years in the U.S. Air Force as an aerospace engineer in satellite reconnaissance during the Vietnam War.
He left the service with the rank of Captain and then worked in the private sector before starting his own business by purchasing a motel. He sold his first property, moved to Florida, and started a successful motel/restaurant business in the Ocala/Gainesville area.
Active in his community, Stearns was president of the Kiwanis Club, was on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club, and on the Board of Directors for Munroe Regional Hospital. Because of his community involvement, he was urged to run for Congress.
Well known for fiscal responsibility, Stearns in 2009 was one of only 39 House members to receive an "A" rating from the National Taxpayers Union.
Stearns is a Leader on the Communications, Technology and the Internet Subcommittee (formerly the Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee). Stearns is active through the Subcommittee in reforming antiquated laws that hinder the development and expansion of new products and services.
From 2001 until 2007, Stearns was Chairman of the Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee and he is still on the Subcommittee. On this panel, Stearns has led efforts to expand consumer protection by enhancing cyber-security, consumer privacy, and data-security. He also is a strong advocate for ensuring that international trade agreements are fair and protect domestic intellectual property rights.
In addition, he helped to create the Do-Not-Call List to protect consumers from unwanted telephone solicitations and the House approved legislation he amended to combat the abuse of spyware, which is software that allows a third party to monitor the computer use of individuals without their knowledge.
Throughout his tenure, Stearns has served on the Veterans Affairs Committee. He led the Veterans’ Health Subcommittee as Chairman and is currently the Deputy Republican Leader on the VA Committee.
He is a leading advocate for increasing funding for the VA. For years, Stearns pushed for establishing a VA cemetery in the Jacksonville area, and his proposal was enacted and the new VA cemetery is set to open this year. Stearns actively supports the VA's CARES plan, which is developing a new Regional Health Care Facility in Marion County that will open this year and the expansion of the VA Hospital in Gainesville with a new 230-bed patient tower. The groundbreaking for this addition occurred in 2008.
In addition, his legislation to improve veterans’ access to long-term care, the Veterans Millennium Health care & Benefits Act; and the language from his VA Health Care Personnel Act to increase pay for VA health professionals; were signed into law.
Stearns is leading an effort to give Florida permanent control over its offshore resources after current moratoria on offshore drilling expire. He is a member of the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee in the Energy & Commerce Committee and a member of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, a bi-partisan forum for discussing and disseminating information about renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
Stearns’ paper on developing clean-coal technology and applying coal-to-liquid technology was published in December 2008 in the Stanford Law & Policy Review.
He champions programs at Central Florida Community College in Ocala, Santa Fe College in Gainesville, and the University of Florida in Gainesville.
He helped to establish the Upward Bound program at the University of Florida, and succeeded in restoring funding for that program. He was instrumental in expanding UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (IFUS). Stearns secured funding for UF’s research on combating citrus disease, developing technology to benefit seniors, and reducing our reliance on imported energy.
The Central Florida Community College has benefited from Stearns’ efforts that include an Equine Studies Program, the Information Technology Center, and equipment and teacher training.
He also obtained funding for a planetarium and the Fine Arts Education building at Santa Fe College.
As the representative for Cecil Field (formerly a Navy master jet base closed under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment [BRAC] Commission), Stearns actively promotes the expansion of commercial activities at the former base. He is instrumental in gaining grants for converting Cecil and for training students in the Jacksonville area in aviation technology.
After years of controversy, he forged a consensus among state, local, and federal officials to return the Cross Florida Canal Lands to the state of Florida, resulting in a 77,000-acre greenway and $32 million in repayments to six Florida counties.
Stearns is Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of the U.S. Air Force Caucus, leading a congressional delegation to Iraq in 2005; and he is Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of the Congressional Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Caucus.
Stearns lives with his wife Joan in Ocala; they have three adult sons. He is extremely accessible to constituents. Returning to his home in Ocala often, he has held over 500 town meetings across North Central Florida.
Born:Washington, D.C.
Residence: Ocala
Education Woodrow Wilson High School, Washington, D.C.
George Washington University; B.S. Electrical Engineering
Air Force ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate
Military
Captain - U.S. Air Force
Aerospace Engineer / Satellite Reconnaissance
Meritorious Service Commendation Medal
Business
Data Control Systems Incorporated
CBS Incorporated
Kutola Advertising Agency
Images 70 / Wilson Height Welch
Stearns House Incorporated
Committee Assignments
Energy & Commerce Committee
- Leader - Telecommunications & the Internet Subcommittee
- Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection Subcommittee
- Energy and Air Quality
Veterans Affairs Commitee, Deputy Leader
- Health Subcommittee
(Pictures from the Congressional Hearing of an obviously shaken and recoiling Paulson.)
