Biography

04/04/1962 -

Melissa Ann Hart (R40) Allegheny (Part), Armstrong (Part) and Westmoreland (Part) Counties 1991-1992 (R40) Allegheny (Part), Butler (Part) and Westmoreland (Part) Counties 1993-2000 

Early Life:

Melissa Ann Hart, born April 4, 1962, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; daughter of Donald P. and Albina Simone Hart; North Allegheny High School; Washington and Jefferson College (B.A.), 1984; University of Pittsburgh (J.D.), 1987; admitted, Allegheny County, Bar Association, joined Pittsburgh law firm, real estate law, Hergenroeder, Rega, Ewing and Kennedy; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1990- resigned, January 2, 2001; elected, Republican, United States House of Representatives, 2001-2007; unsuccessful candidate, reelection, One Hundred Tenth Congress, 2006; unsuccessful candidate, election, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, 2008; elected, Board of Directors, Enterprise Bank, 2018; co-founded, political strategy, creative, and media firm, RPC Strategies, LLC.; unsuccessful candidate, nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania, 2022.

Early Career:

Attorney; member, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Bar Associations, Women’s Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania, North Suburban Builder’s Association, Real Estate Education Advantage Project, Delta Gamma, Amen Corner, St. Alexis Roman Catholic Church, McCandless Republican Committee, University of Pittsburgh Alumni Association, North Allegheny Church of Christ, Italian American Education Society of Arnold, Italian Sons and Daughters of America; vice-chair, Allegheny County Young Republicans, 1986-1991; board member, Community College of Allegheny County, Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program, Southwestern Pennsylvania Veterans council, University of Pittsburgh Trustees, Pennsylvania Partnership for Economic Education, Children’s Cancer Foundation, University of Pittsburgh Dental School Board of Visitors.

Awards:

Vectors, Pittsburgh Woman of the Year in Law and Government, 1994, Pennsylvania Leadership Council People Leading Change Award, 1994.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 40th district, Allegheny (Part), Armstrong (Part) and Westmoreland (Part) Counties, 1991-1992, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 40th district, Allegheny (Part), Butler (Part) and Westmoreland (Part) Counties, 1993; elected at 28 years old, her first run for political office, defeated, incumbent, John W. Regoli; committee assignments, Banking and Insurance, Finance (Chairman) Judiciary, Public Health and Welfare, Rules and Executive Nomination, Urban Affairs and Housing (Vice Chairman); resigned, January 2, 2001, Jane Orie seated April 3, 2001. 

Unsuccessful campaign, Republican primary, Pennsylvania State Senate, 40th district, Special Election, Randy Vulakovich, 2012.

Unsuccessful candidate for nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania, 2022.

National Politics:

Elected, Republican, United States House of Representatives, 107th, 108th, 109th, 110th Congresses, 2001-2007; Only days after her election in November 2000, Republican leaders chose Hart to respond to President William J. (Bill) Clinton’s weekly radio address, a major platform for a member-elect; 107th Congress, 2001–2003, appointed, committees, Science; Judiciary; Financial Services; 108th Congress, 2003–2005, appointed, Republican Whip team, vice chair, Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, used her seat on the Judiciary Committee to help draft the USA PATRIOT Act. 

Unsuccessful candidate for reelection, One Hundred Tenth Congress, 2006. 

Unsuccessful candidate for election, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, 2008. 

Legacy:

Her Pennsylvania State Senate, chief of staf, Philip Sheridan English, later served alongside her, United States House of Representatives.

First elected, Republican woman, to represent Pennsylvania, United States House of Representatives.

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members H". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1999-2000). Crowell, G.; Secretary, Department of General Services. (Volume 114) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 3-37, 3-41; Biographies of Members of the Senate, page 3-15.