John Boehner served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from January 2011 to October 2015, a period marked by significant legislative challenges and the forging of crucial relationships across the political and business spectrum. His tenure as House Speaker is notable for navigating complex political landscapes and seeking common ground, while remaining steadfast to his principles.
Boehner’s journey to becoming House Speaker is rooted in his background as a small businessman. Driven by a desire to reduce governmental obstacles to economic growth and foster private-sector job creation, he transitioned into public service. This perspective shaped his approach to governance, earning him respect from both sides of the political aisle for his commitment to finding bipartisan solutions without sacrificing his core beliefs. A hallmark of his leadership was his emphasis on respectful dialogue, believing that individuals with differing viewpoints could “disagree, without being disagreeable.”
Beyond his public service, John Boehner is known for his directness and candor. Today, he leverages his extensive experience in both business and high-level government to offer strategic advice and consulting on domestic and international policy matters.
Boehner’s political career began after years in the packaging and plastics industry, where he ran his own small business representing manufacturers. His firsthand experience with the challenges businesses faced with government bureaucracy fueled his entry into politics. He aimed to make government more responsive and less intrusive. For nearly 25 years, he represented Ohio’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Early in his congressional career, he distinguished himself as a reformer, leading the “Gang of Seven” in the early 1990s. This group played a pivotal role in uncovering and closing the House Bank scandal and instituting significant institutional reforms in Congress. These reforms included mandating annual independent audits of the House’s financial records, increasing transparency and accountability.
Drawing upon his business acumen, House Speaker John Boehner took on the chairmanship of the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations in 1999. This committee held jurisdiction over the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and key aspects of private-sector health care and retirement security policy. In this influential role, Boehner demonstrated his ability to craft and successfully promote legislation addressing critical employer-sponsored benefits, including healthcare, pensions, and stock options.
His success in bridging the gap between government and the private sector within the subcommittee led to his appointment as chairman of the full House Committee on Education and the Workforce in 2001. During his five-year chairmanship, John Boehner cultivated a reputation for bipartisan collaboration. He effectively brought Republicans and Democrats together to achieve major policy advancements and resolve complex legislative issues in diverse areas, from education policy reforms to significant pension reforms.
Elected by his peers as U.S. House Majority Leader in 2006, Boehner ascended to the highest Republican leadership position in the House over the next decade. Following the 2006 elections, he became House Minority Leader, guiding his party back to majority control in the House in 2010. As Minority and then Majority Leader, he focused the GOP agenda on policies designed to stimulate economic growth, famously echoing his business background with the rallying cry, “Where are the Jobs?”
When John Boehner became House Speaker in January 2011, he assumed the third-highest position in the U.S. government, placing him second in the line of presidential succession after the Vice President. As House Speaker John Boehner dedicated his speakership to reducing governmental impediments to private-sector job creation and tackling the growing national debt. During his first year as Speaker, he played a crucial role in securing the implementation of long-sought free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. He also spearheaded the enactment of the Budget Control Act, which mandated substantial spending cuts and ultimately led to the implementation of the first bipartisan entitlement reforms in many years.
Speaker Boehner also prioritized building strong international relationships. Throughout his speakership, he cultivated close alliances with leaders in both business and government worldwide. He frequently hosted global leaders at the U.S. Capitol and led bipartisan congressional delegations on diplomatic missions across nearly every continent. Notably, he extended the invitation that resulted in Pope Francis becoming the first Pope to address a Joint Meeting of the U.S. Congress, a historic event.
In 2016, John Boehner joined Squire Patton Boggs as a Senior Strategic Advisor. He cited the opportunity to “engage with leaders in business and government throughout the world and help them work through the challenges they face, as part of a world-class team” as a key motivator. In this role, Speaker Boehner continues to pursue his commitment to “help remove government barriers to economic growth and job creation” while providing high-level strategic counsel to the firm’s international clientele. Since 2019, he has also served as Honorary President (US) of the Transatlantic Policy Network, further engaging in international policy and dialogue.
John Boehner’s career reflects a deep commitment to public service and a consistent focus on fostering economic growth and responsible governance. From his early days as a small businessman to his leadership as House Speaker, his principles and pragmatic approach have left a lasting impact on American politics and policy.
