WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, Representative Steve Stivers (OH-15) announced that he will not seek re-election to Congress. After being elected to six terms in Congress, he will step down effective May 16, 2021, to serve as the president and chief executive officer of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
“It has been my honor and privilege to serve the people of Ohio’s 15th Congressional District,” Stivers said. “Throughout my career in public service I’ve worked to promote policies that drive our economy forward, get folks to work, and put our country’s fiscal house in order. That is why I am looking forward to this new opportunity with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, where I can continue my efforts to support free enterprise and economic growth here in Ohio.”
Stivers has served on the Financial Services Committee throughout his time in Congress and is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance, where he has worked on a number of housing bills, including H.R. 299, the Capital Access for Small Community Financial Institutions Act of 2015. This legislation provided regulatory relief for small, community-based enterprises in an effort to boost the housing market and help more families achieve the American dream of home ownership.
Stivers was also elected by his colleagues to serve as the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) from 2016 to 2018 and served on the Rules Committee in 2015 and 2016.
During his tenure in Congress, he has also been a strong advocate for veterans and their families. In his first term, he passed the HIRE at Home Act and TRICARE for Kids to help returning soldiers reenter the job market and provide their children better health care, respectively. He also passed H.R. 1900 to designate the Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio as the “National Veterans Memorial and Museum.” The museum serves as a civic landmark to honor, connect, inspire and educate all Americans about the service and sacrifice of our nation’s more than 22 million veterans. It is the only public museum of its kind that exists for the exclusive role of sharing the experiences of veterans across all eras, conflicts and branches of the military.
During 114th Congress, in his continued work to combat Ohio’s opiate epidemic, Stivers was the lead cosponsor of H.R. 1462, the Protecting Our Infants Act, a new law that ensures a coordinated federal response to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), a devastating condition that impacts babies born to drug addicted mothers. Additionally, Stivers was the lead cosponsor of the Reducing Unused Medications Act, H.R. 4599, which seeks to reduce the availability of opioids for abuse by allowing for a partial fill of such prescriptions if requested by a doctor or patient. This bill was signed into law in 2016.
Stivers also worked to promote civility within Congress and our communities by creating and co-chairing the Congressional Civility and Respect Caucus with Representative Joyce Beatty (OH-3). Stivers and Beatty traveled to schools and civic organizations across their districts to talk about the importance of civility in our daily lives. The caucus requires Members of Congress who join as a pair with a partner from the other side of the aisle, and agree to work together to promote civility. Stivers was also named one of the most bipartisan Members of Congress by the Lugar Center. In 2020, he was named the 11th most bipartisan member of the House of Representatives.
“The best part of this job has been making a positive difference in the lives of constituents,” Stivers said. “I am grateful to the people of Ohio’s 15th Congressional District for putting their trust in me to represent them in the halls of Congress; it has been one of the biggest honors of my life.”
Prior to running for Congress, Stivers served in the Ohio Senate. He also worked in the private sector for the Ohio Company and Bank One, where he focused on promoting economic development and encouraging job creation. A career soldier, Stivers has served more than 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard and holds the rank of Major General. He served the United States overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, and Djibouti where he led 400 soldiers and contractors and is proud that each and every one returned home safely to the United States. Stivers received the Bronze Star for his leadership throughout the deployment.
Stivers received both his bachelor’s degree and his MBA from The Ohio State University and resides in Columbus with his wife, Karen, and children, Sarah, and Sam.
