Ralph Regula

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Ralph Regula
Frank Bow
Succeeded byJohn Boccieri
Member of the Ohio Senate
from the 29th district
In office
January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byRichard Reichel
Personal details
Born
Ralph Straus Regula

(1924-12-03)December 3, 1924
Beach City, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJuly 19, 2017(2017-07-19) (aged 92)
Bethlehem Township, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMary Rogusky
EducationUniversity of Mount Union (BA)
William McKinley School of Law (LLB)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1944–1946
Battles/warsWorld War II
Ralph Regula's voice
Regula speaks on FY1991 appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State
Recorded June 20, 1990

Ralph Straus Regula (December 3, 1924 – July 19, 2017) was an American politician from

110th Congress (2007–2009), he was the second longest serving Republican member of the House of Representatives (after Bill Young
of Florida).

Early life

Regula was born in

GI Bill. He met his wife, the former Mary Rogusky, while at Mount Union. After graduating in 1948, he became a schoolteacher while studying at the William McKinley College of Law in Canton.[1] He was an Episcopalian.[2]

Career

He was elected to the

State Senate.[3]

In 1972, President

United States Ambassador to Panama, which opened the door for Regula to run for the seat.[4]
Regula went on to win 18 terms in Congress.

Regula was ranking minority member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Labor, Health, Human Services and Education funding in the 110th Congress. The subcommittee's budget, the largest discretionary domestic account, was over $140 billion. Regula, a former teacher and principal, was a Congressional leader in pushing for alternative solutions in improving reading skills, developing teacher training and increasing Pell Grant funding so that poorer and middle class students can obtain two and four year degrees. He increased by millions of dollars the amount of federal money committed to research in fighting cancer, heart disease and birth defects.[5] Regula was a member of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership and supported stem cell research.

Regula was also a Congressional leader in alternative energy sources. He was an early champion of fuel cell technology and he has directed federal funding back to his home state, Ohio, which is recognized as a national leader in fuel cell research and development.

Beginning in 1975, Regula

blocked the renaming of Mount McKinley in Alaska, named for President William McKinley, to Denali. This was, in part, because Canton, McKinley's long-time hometown and resting place, fell within the boundaries of Regula's congressional district.[6] The name was eventually changed in 2015. Regula described the change as a "political stunt" by President Obama and called it "ridiculous" while also calling the President "a dictator."[7]

With his seat on the appropriations committee, he was able to use federal funds to establish and protect parks and trails in his district. He earmarked $200 million for the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, now the

Stark County Park District voted to rename the 25 miles of the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail within Stark County the "Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail". It was announced at the dedication of a 150-foot-long tunnel section of the trail paid by a federal grant Regula arranged. "You really did catch me by surprise," Regula said. The park district honored Regula for his continued support in Congress for the Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway.[9][10]

His wife Mary helped create the First Ladies National Historic Site. After she initially raised funds to seed the museum's collection, Ralph appropriated $1.2 million to pushed development further.[11]

Regula retired from the House of Representatives when his term ended in January 2009. He was succeeded by John Boccieri, a Democrat from the Ohio General Assembly. After retiring from Congress, Regula joined Dawson & Associates in Washington, D.C. as an advisor on federal budget and permitting matters.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Remembering Ralph Regula '48". University Of Mount Union. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
  2. ^ Whiteside, Mary Ann Chick (2006-12-16). "Religion in the House by state and by faith". M Live. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  3. ^ "Regula, Ralph Straus". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
  4. ^ "Rep. Frank T. Bow of Ohio Dies at 71". New York Times. 1972-11-14.
  5. ^ 2009 Congressional Record, Vol. 155, Page 6362
  6. OCLC 811491442
    .
  7. ^ "Obama 'thinks he is a dictator', says former Ohio congressman after Mt. McKinley name change". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  8. ^ "Longtime U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula dies at 92". Akron Beacon Journal. 2017-07-20.
  9. ^ "StarkParks: Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail Park". 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
  10. ^ "Trail section named for congressman". 14 October 2003. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Mary Regula, Founder of Library Saluting First Ladies, Dies at 91". New York Times. 2018-04-16.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 16th congressional district

1973–2009 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ralph_Regula&oldid=1272877056"