Biography

12/25/1938 -

John E. Peterson (R25) Clarion (Part), Elk, Erie (Part), Forest, McKean, Potter, Tioga and Venango (Part) Counties 1985-1992 (R25) Cameron, Clearfield (Part), Elk, Erie (Part), Forest, Jefferson (Part), McKean, Potter, Venango (Part) and Warren Counties 1993-1996

Early Life:

John E. Peterson, born December 25, 1938, Titusville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania; Titusville High School; attended, Public Affairs Leadership Training, Pennsylvania State University; active, reserve duty, Specialist Second Class, United States Army, 1958-1964; food merchant; board director, Titusville Hospital; elected, council and president, Pleasantville Borough, 1969-1977; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Special Election, 1977-1984; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1985-1996; chair, Pennsylvania State Senate Majority Policy Committee, 1995-1996; elected, United States Congress, 1997-2009; elected, delegate, Republican National Convention, 2004; not a candidate for reelection to Congress, 2008. 

Awards:

Congressional Partnership Award by the National Association of Development Organizations; Policymaker of the Year, Association for Career and Technical Education; Legislator of the Year, National Rural Health Association, 2002. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, council and president, Pleasantville Borough, 1969-1977.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Special Election, June 1977, replaced Robert J. Kusse, who became senator, replacing Richard Frame, death; 1977-1984; appointed, Select Committee to Investigate the Crisis in Staffing of Welfare Offices in the Commonwealth, 1984; not a candidate for reelection, 1984. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 25th district, Clarion (Part), Elk, Erie (Part), Forest, McKean, Potter, Tioga and Venango (Part) Counties 1985-1992, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 25th district, Cameron, Clearfield (Part), Elk, Erie (Part), Forest, Jefferson (Part), McKean, Potter, Venango (Part) and Warren Counties 1993-1996; appointed, Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, 1985-1994; appointed, Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, 1987-1996; appointed, board, PennVEST, 1989-1996; appointed, board, Center for Rural Pennsylvania, 1991-1996; elected, chairman, Pennsylvania State Senate Majority Policy Committee, 1995-1996.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, delegate, Republican National Convention, 2004.

Elected, Republican, United States Congress, 1997-2009; appointed, House Appropriations Committee, 1998, member, Subcommittee on Labor; Subcommittee on Health and Human Services; Subcommittee on Education; Subcommittee on the Interior and Environment, Subcommittee on Homeland Security. Not a candidate for reelection, 2008.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members P". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.