Fueled by his victory, Mike successfully ran for
Congress the following year to take the fight to Washington and the rest, as the
saying goes, is history.
Back in Butler, Mike's auto dealerships currently employ more than 100 people
from the region, and are leaders in the local and national automotive industry.
Mike has served as Chairman of the Hyundai Eastern Region Dealer Council, Vice
Chairman of the Hyundai National Dealer Council, and has sat on the boards of
the Chevrolet Dealers Advertising Association of Pittsburgh and the Cadillac
Consultants of Western Pennsylvania. Additionally, Mike is a former Secretary
and Treasurer of the Hyundai “Hope on Wheels” initiative, which has donated more
than $145 million to childhood cancer research institutions nationwide. He
continues to work with the organization as a lawmaker.
Prior to entering Congress, Mike served on the Butler City Council and sat on
the boards of several local and civic organizations, including the Housing
Authority of Butler County, the Redevelopment Authority of Butler County, and
the Moraine Trails Council of Boys Scouts of America. In recognition of Mike’s
extensive volunteer and charitable work, Catholic Charities awarded him its Mary
DeMucci Award. The Mayor of Butler designated October 26, 2001, as “Mike Kelly
Day” for his commitment to his hometown.
Dedicated to improving education, Mike founded the Butler Quarterback Club
and The Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation, each of which provides unique and
innovative educational programs for students in the Butler Area School District.
Mike and his wife, Victoria, a former elementary school teacher, also
established the Mary McTighe Kelly Creative Teaching Grant for elementary
educators and the Lighthouse Foundation’s One Warm Coat Program, which has
helped collect hundreds of winter coats for students in need in the Butler
community.
Mike and Victoria have four children and are the proud grandparents of ten
wonderful grandchildren. Mike’s family and friends were with him on January 5,
2011, when he was sworn into office as the U.S. Representative of the Third
Congressional District of Pennsylvania. Since January 3, 2019, Rep. Kelly has
proudly represented Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District.
Mike is constantly honored and humbled to represent the values, interests,
and concerns of the 16th District, especially as they relate to his work on the
House Ways and Means Committee and his role as Ranking Member of the
Subcommittee on Oversight. He is proud to be considered a leader among his
colleagues as he serves as the Republican chairman of the Congressional Korea
Caucus, the House Automotive Caucus, the Childhood Cancer Caucus, the House
Retirement Security Caucus, the Health Care Innovation Caucus, and the House
Small Brewers Caucus. He is also an appointed member on the President's Export
Council.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review refers to Mike as a “no-nonsense,
straight-talking Republican” and "a true man of the people." According to CQ
Roll Call, “Any encounter with Kelly has the potential to erupt into a pep
rally” thanks to his “gift for enthusiastic – and rapid-fire – communication.”
The popular website Breitbart.com calls Mike "a fierce defender of conservatism
on Capitol Hill." Fox News Channel’s Neil Cavuto calls him “a key player” and “a
mover and shaker” in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Mike’s rousing speeches on the floor of the House and at Ways and Means
committee hearings have together earned more than 3 million views on YouTube.
When he delivered the weekly Republican address to the nation right before
Christmas 2014 (in which he offered President Obama a lump of coal for
Christmas), it quickly became the most watched GOP weekly address of all
time.
During his time in the House, Mike has appeared on numerous national
television programs, including ABC’s This Week, CBS’s Face the Nation, CNN’s The
Situation Room, and Fox News’ Hannity, The Kelly File, Tucker Carlson Tonight,
Fox & Friends, and many others. Opinion features written by Mike have been
published by The Wall Street Journal, TIME, USA TODAY, The Washington Times, the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Erie Times-News,
RealClearPolitics, National Review Online, The Huffington Post, CNN.com,
FoxNews.com, and many other newspapers and websites.
Below are just a few of the awards and distinctions that Mike has received
while serving Pennsylvania’s 16th District:
60 Plus Association: Guardian of Seniors' Rights Award
American
Conservative Union: ACU Conservative Award
American Farm Bureau Federation:
Friend of Farm Bureau Award
American International Automobile Dealers:
Legislative Action Network Advocacy Award
Association of Mature American
Citizens: Friend of AMAC Award
Family Research Council Action: True Blue
Award
Hyundai Hope on Wheels: Ambassador of Hope Award
International
Foodservice Distributers Association: Jefferson Award
National Association of
Manufacturers: Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence
National
Federation of Independent Business: Guardian of Small Business Award
National
Retail Federation: Hero of Main Street Award
U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Spirit
of Enterprise Award
