John Boehner to speak at Ohio State's spring commencement

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Representative John A. Boehner from Ohio's 8th Congressional District will be the speaker for Ohio State's spring commencement, set for noon on Sunday, June 12, at Ohio Stadium. 

About 8,500 graduates will receive degrees at the ceremony. 
 
"Ohio State is honored to have Speaker Boehner address our graduates and their families," said President E. Gordon Gee. "As one of the United States' most prominent elected officials, the Speaker will bring invaluable wisdom and insight to our graduating class, assuring that the day is a fitting celebration of the realization of their educational aspirations."

As the 53rd Speaker of the House, Boehner is second in line of succession to the presidency, behind only the vice president. He is the first Speaker of the House from Ohio since 1931.

Boehner was elected to the Ohio General Assembly in 1984, where he served until voters sent him to Congress representing Ohio's 8th congressional district. Boehner was elected to an 11th term in November 2010. 

The second oldest of 12 brothers and sisters, Boehner has lived in southwest Ohio his entire life. He earned a B.A. in business administration from Xavier University in 1977 and was the first in his family to attend college. Because he worked several jobs during college to pay for his education, it took him seven years to earn his degree. Shortly after college he started working at a small business specializing in plastics and packing, and later became its president. 

Boehner has extensive leadership and legislative experience in Ohio and Washington. He served as House Republican Conference Chairman from 1995-98, during which time Congress balanced the budget and reformed welfare programs. In 2001, he became Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee where he authored the No Child Left Behind education bill, and the Pension Protection Act. He was elected House Republican Leader in 2006, where he united Republicans around reforms to ban earmarks.

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