Ray LaHood

A Representative from Illinois. Born in Peoria, Peoria County, Ill. , December 6, 1945. Graduated from Spalding Institute, Peoria, Ill. , 1963. Attended Spoon River Community College, Canton, Ill. B. S. , Bradley University, Peoria, Ill. , 1971. Teacher. Director, Rock Island County Youth Services Bureau, 1972-1974. Chief planner, Bi-States Metropolitan Planning Commission, 1974-1977. Staff, United States Representative Thomas F. Railsback of Illinois, 1977-1982. Member, Illinois state house of representatives, 1982-1983. Staff, United States Representative Robert H. Michel of Illinois, 1983-1994. Elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Fourth and to the six succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1995-January 3, 2009). Was not a candidate for reelection to the One Hundred Eleventh Congress in 2008. Secretary of Transportation in the Cabinet of President Barack Obama, 2009-2013.