Steve Israel

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Steve Israel

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2001–
Preceded by	Rick Lazio
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	May 30, 1958 (age 48) New York City, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Marlene Budd Israel
Religion	Jewish

Steven "Steve" Israel (born May 30, 1958) is an American politician from the state of New York, currently representing the state's 2nd congressional district (map), in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Israel was born in Brooklyn, New York and graduated from Nassau Community College, and The George Washington University. Israel was elected to the town board in Huntington, New York in 1993. After Rick Lazio left his House seat to run for the United States Senate in 2000, Israel was elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat. Israel is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. Steve Israel represents the Second Congressional District of New York, located on Long Island, which includes the towns of Huntington, Babylon, Islip, and Smithtown in Suffolk County and part of the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County. It comprises such communities as Huntington, Dix Hills, Melville, Northport, Commack, Brentwood, Central Islip, Bay Shore, Deer Park, North Amityville, and Wyandanch.

Newsday called Israel "rookie of the year" in his first term and later identified him as one of eight "rising stars" nationally.

In his first term, Rep. Israel passed more new measures in the House than any other freshman Democrat. He said he was most proud of a bill that would accelerate research and treatment of ovarian cancer. He has said his primary interests are national security, healthcare, the environment, and the state of Israel.

In his second term, Rep. Israel was quickly tapped for a leadership position as Assistant Whip. He is one of only two New York Members of Congress to serve on the vitally important House Armed Services Committee (and the only New York Democrat on the committee). He also serves on the House Financial Services Committee, where he is playing a leading role to crackdown on the international financing of terrorism. He is the founder and chair of the Democratic Study Group on National Security, co-chairs the bipartisan House Cancer Caucus and co-chairs the bipartisan Long Island Sound Task Force.

In his third term, Israel was appointed to chair the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Defense and Military, a group of 15 Members of Congress who will outreach to the defense community and advise the House Democratic Leadership on military policy.

In his four terms in Congress, Rep. Israel has secured more that $83 million in federal appropriations to strengthen and expand Long Island’s economy. He has also spent $100 million in defense contracts; $14 million in road improvements; $2.5 million in health and education grants; and $14.5 million in environmental protections. He has also secured over $2 million in back-pay benefits for LI's veterans.

In his fourth term in Congress, Israel was appointed to the prestigious Appropriations committee.

Israel received a "C" on the Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.

Israel's district was once one of the most conservative districts in the East. In 2002, however, the district was gerrymandered to Israel's advantage, removing much of the heavily middle-class, Republican South Shore neighborhoods and incorporating some of the more liberal and heavily Jewish areas on Long Island's affluent North Shore into the district. Until recently the 2nd district was the only district on Long Island where Democrats outnumber Republicans, (though the 5th district which is part in Nassau and part in Queens, also has a Democratic registration advantage both in the Queens and Nassau sections. With the Democrats making up quite a bit of ground on Long Island in voter registration, the 4th district also has a Democratic advantage in voter enrollment.

Steve Israel lives in Dix Hills with his wife, Marlene Budd, who had served on the Huntington Town council before being elected as a county Family Court judge last year. Israel has two daughters, ages 17 and 14.