House colleagues congratulate Stivers

WASHINGTON — For a few moments on Wednesday, the floor of the House of Representatives belonged to Steve Stivers.

In a surprise for the Republican from Upper Arlington, a handful of his colleagues in the Ohio congressional delegation paid tribute to the four-term lawmaker for his recent promotion from colonel to brigadier general in the Ohio National Guard.

Reps. Pat Tiberi, R-Genoa Township; Joyce Beatty, D-Jefferson Township; Brad Wenstrup, R-Cincinnati; Jim Renacci, R-Wadsworth; Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, and Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, each gave brief speeches in honor of Stivers at the start of the legislative day. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat who is not allowed to give speeches on the House floor because, well, he’s no longer in the House, also showed up to join the celebration.

Wenstrup, who also was mentioned for his recent promotion to colonel in the Army Reserves, said Stivers “adds to our state’s storied legacy of servant leaders and citizen soldiers.” He said the 51-yearold Stivers is the first brigadier general since Rutherford B. Hayes to represent the state in Congress.

“We’re proud to have him leading the National Guard soldiers who protect us at home and abroad,” said Beatty.

And Johnson, an Air Force veteran, said “it’s a lot easier to get elected to the House of Representatives than it is to earn the rank of general.”

“If his military leadership and performance is anything like his performance here in the House, he’s going to represent the state of Ohio and our nation very well,” he said.

Stivers joined the Ohio National Guard in 1985 when he was a student at Ohio State University. In 2004, while serving in the Ohio Senate, Stivers was deployed to the Middle East, where he served as a battalion commander overseeing mail delivery in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and Djibouti. Stivers received the Bronze Star for his service. He returned home in December 2005. He said he was “surprised and humbled” by the tribute.