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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Former Member, Agriculture Committee, United States House of Representatives

Member, Congressional Air Force Caucus

Member, Congressional Bipartisan Pro-Life Caucus

Member, Congressional Fire Services Caucus

Former Member, Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Executive Committee, Illinois State House of Representatives

Member, Farmers Cooperative Caucus

Former Member, General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Health and Healthcare Disparities Committee, Illinois State House of Representatives

Member, House General Aviation Caucus

Member, House Rural Education Caucus

Member, House Rural Health Care Coalition

Member, House Steel Caucus

Member, Mississippi River Caucus

Member, Pilots Caucus

Former Member, Public Utilities Cellular Service Subcommittee, Illinois State House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit, United States House of Representatives

Former Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Veterans' Affairs), United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Veterans Committee, Illinois State House of Representatives

Education

  • Certified, Firefighter II Academy, University of Illinois, 1993
  • Graduated, Murphysboro High School, 1979

Professional Experience

  • Certified, Firefighter II Academy, University of Illinois, 1993
  • Graduated, Murphysboro High School, 1979
  • Owner, White House Salon, present
  • Former Dispatcher/Truck Manager/Accountant, Bost Trucking
  • Firefighter, Murphysboro Fire Department, 1988-2006
  • Treasurer, Murphysboro Township, 1989-1992
  • Served, United States Marine Corps, 1979-1982

Political Experience

  • Certified, Firefighter II Academy, University of Illinois, 1993
  • Graduated, Murphysboro High School, 1979
  • Owner, White House Salon, present
  • Former Dispatcher/Truck Manager/Accountant, Bost Trucking
  • Firefighter, Murphysboro Fire Department, 1988-2006
  • Treasurer, Murphysboro Township, 1989-1992
  • Served, United States Marine Corps, 1979-1982
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 12, 2014-present
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Illinois, District 12, 2018, 2020
  • Representative, Illinois State House of Representatives, District 115, 1995-2014
  • Trustee, Murphysboro Township, 1993-1997
  • Member, Jackson County Board, 1984-1988

Former Committees/Caucuses

Member, Congressional Air Force Caucus

Member, Congressional Bipartisan Pro-Life Caucus

Member, Congressional Fire Services Caucus

Former Member, Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Executive Committee, Illinois State House of Representatives

Member, Farmers Cooperative Caucus

Former Member, General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Health and Healthcare Disparities Committee, Illinois State House of Representatives

Member, House General Aviation Caucus

Member, House Rural Education Caucus

Member, House Rural Health Care Coalition

Member, House Steel Caucus

Member, Mississippi River Caucus

Member, Pilots Caucus

Former Member, Public Utilities Cellular Service Subcommittee, Illinois State House of Representatives

Former Member, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Veterans Committee, Illinois State House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

Member, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

Member, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

Member, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Vice Chair, Veterans' Affairs

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • Certified, Firefighter II Academy, University of Illinois, 1993
  • Graduated, Murphysboro High School, 1979
  • Owner, White House Salon, present
  • Former Dispatcher/Truck Manager/Accountant, Bost Trucking
  • Firefighter, Murphysboro Fire Department, 1988-2006
  • Treasurer, Murphysboro Township, 1989-1992
  • Served, United States Marine Corps, 1979-1982
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 12, 2014-present
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Illinois, District 12, 2018, 2020
  • Representative, Illinois State House of Representatives, District 115, 1995-2014
  • Trustee, Murphysboro Township, 1993-1997
  • Member, Jackson County Board, 1984-1988
  • Member, The Vine Community Church, present
  • Member, Precinct Committee, Murphysboro Precinct #4, 1985-1989
  • President, Jackson County Republican Boosters, 1986
  • Treasurer, Jackson County Young Republicans, 1986

Other Info

Names of Grandchildren:

Spencer, Lydia, Sidney, Wiley, Stanley, Lillyauna, Londyn, Tinley, Abraham

  • Nine

Policy Positions

2021

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- No

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position

Crime

1. Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- Unknown Position

Defense

Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Yes

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy and Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position

Trade

Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes

Illinois State Legislative Election 2000 National Political Awareness Test

Abortion

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

1. Abortions should always be illegal.
- X

2. Abortions should always be legally available.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer

4. Abortions should be legal when pregnancy results from incest, rape or the life of the woman is endangered.
- X

5. Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and notification requirements as decided by each state government.
- X

6. Prohibit the dilation and extraction procedure, also known as "partial-birth" abortion.
- X

7. Support "buffer zones" at abortion clinics by requiring demonstrators to remain a certain distance from doorways and driveways.
- No Answer

8. Prohibit public funding for abortions and organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
- X

9. Other
- No Answer

Budget and Tax

State Budget: Indicate the funding levels you will support for the following general categories.State Taxes: Indicate the tax levels you will support.

1. Education (Higher)
- Greatly Increase Funding

2. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Increase Funding

3. Environment
- Maintain Funding Status

4. Health care
- Greatly Increase Funding

5. Law enforcement
- Greatly Increase Funding

6. Transportation and Highway infrastructure
- Slightly Increase Funding

7. Welfare
- Maintain Funding Status

8. Other
- No Answer

9. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

10. Capital gains taxes
- Slightly Decrease

11. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

12. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Decrease

13. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

14. Riverboat gambling taxes
- Maintain Status

15. Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
- Slightly Decrease

16. Income taxes (incomes over $75,000)
- Slightly Decrease

17. Inheritance taxes
- Eliminate

18. Property taxes
- Greatly Decrease

19. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

20. Vehicle taxes
- Maintain Status

21. Should Internet sales be taxed?
- No

22. Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?
- Yes

23. Would you support returning any operating surplus to Illinois taxpayers?
- Yes

24. Would you support placing any operating surplus into a "rainy day" fund?
- Yes

25. Do you support removing the sales tax on motor fuels?
- Yes

Crime

Indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime.

1. Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
- X

2. Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
- No Answer

3. End parole for repeat violent offenders.
- X

4. Support the use of the death penalty in Illinois.
- X

5. Support the moratorium on the death penalty.
- No Answer

6. Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- X

7. Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
- X

8. Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- X

9. Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
- No Answer

10. Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
- X

11. Support .08 blood-alcohol-content limit defining drunk driving.
- X

12. Prosecute as adults, youths accused of a felony.
- X

13. Increase penalties for crimes committed on school grounds.
- X

14. Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, or disability be prosecuted as hate crimes.
- No Answer

15. Support programs that provide job training and placement services for at-risk youth.
- X

16. Ban the use of racial profiling by law enforcement officers.
- No Answer

17. Increase funding for DNA evidence testing.
- X

18. Require videotaping of any interrogations or confessions that occur after an arrest for murder, rape, or juvenile felony charges.
- No Answer

19. Require that illegal possession of guns be prosecuted as a felony.
- No Answer

20. Other
- No Answer

Education

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

1. Increase state funds for professional development of public school teachers and administrators.
- X

2. Encourage private or corporate investment in public school programs.
- X

3. Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
- No Answer

4. Support charter schools where teachers and professionals receive authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- X

5. Increase state funds for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings and infrastructure).
- X

6. Increase state funds for hiring additional teachers.
- X

7. Endorse teacher-led voluntary prayer in public schools.
- No Answer

8. Support posting the Ten Commandments in public schools.
- No Answer

9. Require public schools to administer high school exit exams.
- X

10. Support national standards and testing of public school students.
- No Answer

11. Support teacher testing and reward teachers with merit pay.
- X

12. Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
- X

13. Other
- No Answer

Employment and Affirmative Action

Employment: Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning employment.Affirmative Action: Which of the following state agencies should take race and sex into account when making employment decisions?

1. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
- X

2. Reduce state government regulations on the private sector to encourage investment and economic expansion.
- X

3. Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
- X

4. Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
- X

5. Support an early retirement plan for state government employees.
- X

6. Reduce the unemployment insurance surplus by lowering employer payments to the unemployment insurance fund.
- X

7. Use the unemployment insurance surplus to provide paid parental leave.
- No Answer

8. Other
- No Answer

9. College and university admissions
- Yes

10. Public employment
- Yes

11. State contracting
- Yes

Environment & Energy

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

1. Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
- X

2. Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
- X

3. Require a cost/benefit analysis to determine the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
- X

4. Require states to fully compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses on privately owned land.
- X

5. Support funding for recycling programs in Illinois.
- X

6. Request added flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
- X

7. Suspend participation in un-funded, federally-mandated environmental protection legislation.
- No Answer

8. Support legalization of industrial hemp.
- No Answer

9. Other
- No Answer

10. Should state environmental regulations be stricter than federal law?
- Undecided

Government Reform

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding government reform.c) Do you support limiting the following types of contributions to state legislative candidates?

1. Do you support the current limit on terms for Illinois Governors?
- Undecided

2. Do you support limiting the number of terms for Illinois State Senators and Representatives?
- Undecided

3. Individual
- Undecided

4. PAC
- Undecided

5. Corporate
- Undecided

6. Political Parties
- Undecided

7. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

8. Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
- Undecided

9. Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
- Undecided

10. Do you support voting on-line?
- Undecided

11. Do you support on-line voter registration?
- Undecided

12. Do you support banning political contributions from the gambling industry?
- Yes

13. Other
- No Answer

Gun

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

1. Ban the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
- No Answer

2. Maintain and strengthen the enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- X

3. Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer

4. Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer

5. Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
- No Answer

6. Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns.
- No Answer

7. Require background checks of gun buyers at gun shows.
- No Answer

8. Require a license for gun possession.
- No Answer

9. Other
- No Answer

Health

Indicate (ü) which principles you support (if any) regarding health issues.

1. Provide tax incentives to small businesses that provide health care to their employees.
- X

2. Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
- No Answer

3. Transfer more existing Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
- X

4. Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
- X

5. Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- X

6. Support a patient's right to sue his or her HMO.
- No Answer

7. Support a patient's right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied.
- X

8. Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
- X

9. Expand the state's Circuit Breaker program which provides prescription drug coverage to low-income seniors.
- X

10. Require drug manufacturers to provide prescription medications to senior citizens at the same discounted rate given to HMOs and corporations.
- No Answer

11. Support the Bernardin amendment to the Illinois Constitution which would require the state to ensure health care for every resident.
- No Answer

12. Require all hospitals to offer emergency contraception to rape victims.
- No Answer

13. Other
- No Answer

Social

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

1. Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
- X

2. Increase state funds to provide child care for children in low-income working families.
- X

3. Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
- No Answer

4. Increase state funding for Head Start in order to serve additional children and/or increase services from a half to a full day.
- X

5. Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
- X

6. Support state funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans, and job training and placement.
- X

7. Other
- No Answer

8. Should physician assisted suicide be legally available in Illinois?
- No Answer

9. Should Illinois include sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination laws?
- No Answer

10. Should Illinois recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
- No Answer

11. Should Illinois restrict marriage to a relationship only between a man and a woman?
- No Answer

Welfare and Poverty

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare.

1. Maintain current time limits on welfare benefits.
- X

2. Maintain the requirement that able-bodied recipients work in order to receive benefits.
- X

3. Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
- X

4. Provide tax incentives to businesses that hire welfare recipients.
- X

5. Provide child care for welfare recipients who work.
- X

6. Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
- X

7. Allow welfare recipients to remain eligible for benefits while saving money for education, starting a business, or buying a home.
- X

8. Limit benefits given to recipients if they have additional children while on welfare.
- X

9. Eliminate government-funded welfare programs.
- X

10. Redirect welfare funding to faith-based and community-based private organizations.
- X

11. Use federal TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds to expand state services to include the working poor.
- X

12. Other
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected. Please explain how you would obtain any additional government funding needed to implement these priorities.
- No Answer

2019

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- No

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy & Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes

Marijuana

Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- Yes

Congress Bills
Endorsements
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R)
U.S. Rep. Ronny L. Jackson (R)
U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R)
Speeches
Articles

Electoral vote certification on January 6-7, 2021

Jan. 1, 1900

Congress convened a joint session on January 6-7, 2021, to count electoral votes by state and confirm the results of the 2020 presidential election. Bost voted against certifying the electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania. The House rejected both objections by a vote of 121-303 for Arizona and 138-282 for Pennsylvania.

Tested positive for coronavirus on October 12, 2020

Jan. 1, 1900

Coronavirus pandemic Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryDaily updatesElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsSubmit On October 12, 2020, Bost announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.

Events

2019

May 9
Seniors Tele-Town Hall

Thur 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM EDT

bost.house.gov/participate

Mar. 12
Tele-Town Hall

Tue 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT

bost.house.gov/participate

Jan. 8
Tele-Town Hall

Tue 7:20 PM – 8:20 PM EST

bost.house.gov/participate