Amanda Renzetti

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Revision as of 18:31, 23 February 2009

Amanda Renzetti
U.S. Representative
In Office: 2010-Present
Electoral District	53rd
Preceded by	Susan Davis
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	January 11th, 1978 New Orleans, Louisiana
Political Party	Democratic
Spouse	None
Religion	Roman Catholic

Amanda Renzetti is an American politician, and has represented California's 53rd Congressional District since January 2011. She was elected House Minority Whip shortly after her election to the House, and was promoted to House Minority Leader when J. Martin Pennypot had to step down. However, she is probably most famous nationwide for her involvement in the 2012 Democratic Presidential Primary, tying Senate Majority Leader Cullen in Iowa and winning the New Hampshire Primary.

Early Life

Amanda Renzetti was born January 11th, 1978, to Viola Renzetti and Emilio Formigoni, Italian-Americans living in Louisiana. Amanda was the eldest of three children. Her mother died due to complications from childbirth after having her youngest biological sister, Mia, and their father became very abusive.

When Amanda was 10, her older cousin Julian Williams (born Dante Renzetti), found her. Julian was appalled at the behavior of Emilio, and through a lawyer he knew managed to get the state to take Amanda and her siblings into foster care. Amanda and her siblings were then promptly adopted by Julian's own adoptive father, William Richards.

Military Service

Inspired by the military service of Julian, Amanda joined the United States navy at the age of 18 (in 1996). She gravitated to aircraft, having obtained a pilots license the year before, and managed to get admitted to the Naval Aviation program. After completing flight training, she was assigned to the historic VFA-14 fighter squadron in 1998.

In 2002, Amanda's squadron, now operating off the USS Enterprise, was an active participant in Operation Enduring Freedom, running numerous attacks against Iraqi targets. In 2003, her squadron was deployed to the Persian Gulf, in support of the invasion of Iraq. Serving on the USS Nimitz by then, Amanda personally attacked several targets around Baghdad. VFA-14 returned to combat in the Persian Gulf in 2005, supporting additional operations in Iraq. They would be deployed to Iraq again in 2008.

In November, 2010, Amanda received an honorable discharge from the navy, after 14 years of service.

2010 House Special Election

Upon leaving the military, Renzetti ran for and won California's 53rd Congressional Seat, in a special election brought on by the retirement of her predecessor.

2011-2012

Amanda Renzetti was elected to serve as House Democratic Whip upon the start of the 2011-2012 Congressional Session, absolutely unprecedented for a freshman congresswoman. Over the two years, she built up a reputation as a social and economic liberal, and a moderate (if not perhaps a hair to the right) record on Homeland Security, Foreign Policy and Defense. In December 2011, Renzetti was made acting House Minority Leader upon the reassignment of HmL Pennypot, and in early January 2012 that position was made official by a unanimous vote. As House Minority Leader, Renzetti played a central role in brokering the compromise budget that was ultimately passed in late 2012.

In that session of congress, Amanda Renzetti sponsored the following bills:

Equal Pay for Equal Work Amendment Fighting Western Wildfires Act of 2012 Federal Budget Smart Housing Act Defeating Drug Submarines Act of 2012 Establishing the US Public Service Academy Act Salton Sea Recovery Act Salton Sea Reinvigoration Act Ethics Reform Act of 2012 Nuclear Reprocessing Act of 2011 Free Collective Bargaining Act of 2011 Poverty Teaching Incentive Act Incentives for Ecologically Sensitive Farming Act of 2011 Immigration Reform Act Renzetti-Sabates Genetic Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 Food Costs Relief Act International Women's Health Act MARINE Act Green Building Act of 2011 Rural Wind Energy Development Act of 2011 Energy Independence Act of 2011 Vote Integrity and Verification Act of 2011 Equal Pay Amendment Clean up the meth labs act

2012 Democratic Presidential Primary