Shuster will not seek re-election in 9th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg, announced Monday he will not seek re-election in 2018.
A nine-term incumbent, Shuster has served the 9th Congressional District in the House of Representatives since 2001. Shuster has been chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the last five years, having been a member of the committee since coming to Congress 17 years ago.
Shuster said in a statement Monday that rather than focusing on a re-election campaign, he thought it wiser to spend my last year as chairman 鈥渇ocusing 100 percent鈥� on working with President Donald Trump and Republican and Democratic colleagues in both chambers to pass an infrastructure bill to 鈥渞ebuild America.鈥�
鈥淚t was a difficult decision because of my love of this nation and the people I serve,鈥� Shuster said.
Shuster thanked the citizens of the 9th District for 鈥減utting their faith in me鈥� and thanked his House colleagues for trusting him to be chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
鈥淚 want to express my deep appreciation for the hard work my staff has put in over the years,鈥� Shuster said. 鈥淭o my friends, I am grateful for your loyal support. Most of all, my love and deep affection to my entire family, especially my daughter Ali and my son Garrett, for their unconditional love, patience, and guidance over the years.鈥�
Shuster鈥檚 office has expressed support in recent years for rehabilitation of Uniontown鈥檚 White Swan Apartments, whose restoration reached a turning point with a groundbreaking ceremony last month.
Shuster joined Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Chao, airline industry leaders and others at the White House in June to announce the administration鈥檚 plan to privatize the air traffic control system.
The 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act, would create an independent nonprofit organization to govern air traffic control instead of the Federal Aviation Administration. But the bill has not advanced since being introduced in June.
Shuster won a three-way race to represent the 9th District in 2016 against Republican Art Halvorson, who won the Democratic Party nomination, and write-in candidate Adam Sedlock, a Fayette County resident.
Shuster succeeded his father Bud Shuster in the U.S. House of Representatives. The elder Shuster served in the House from 1973 to 2001.
The 9th Congressional District contains all of Fayette and part of Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties, in addition to all or parts of eight other Pennsylvania counties.
鈥淚 commend Congressman Shuster for his years of service and dedication to the people of Pennsylvania,鈥� National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers said in a statement Monday. 鈥淗is leadership on infrastructure and other major legislative priorities has cemented his legacy for decades to come.鈥�
The neighboring 18th Congressional District has been vacant since Tim Murphy resigned in October. A special election will be held Mar. 13 to determine Murphy鈥檚 successor featuring Democratic candidate Conor Lamb and Republican candidate Rick Saccone.
鈥�(The 9th District) is a solidly red district and we look forward to electing the next Republican leader to represent it,鈥� Stivers said.
鈥淢ay God bless the people of the 9th Congressional District and the United States of America,鈥� Shuster said. 鈥淭hank you.鈥�