History of Lee Zeldin in Timeline
Lee Michael Zeldin is an American attorney, politician, and officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. He is currently the 17th administrator of the EPA, starting January 29, 2025. A Republican, Zeldin previously served as the U.S. Representative for New York's 1st congressional district from 2015 to 2023. Prior to his time in Congress, he was a member of the New York State Senate, representing the 3rd Senate district from 2011 to 2014.
January 30, 1980: Lee Zeldin Born
On January 30, 1980, Lee Michael Zeldin was born. He is an American attorney, politician, and officer in the United States Army Reserve.
1998: Graduated High School
In 1998, Lee Zeldin graduated from William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, New York.
2001: Received Bachelor's Degree
In 2001, Lee Zeldin received a bachelor's degree in political science from the SUNY University at Albany.
May 2003: Received Juris Doctor
In May 2003, Lee Zeldin received a Juris Doctor from Albany Law School.
2003: Army Service
In 2003, Lee Zeldin received an Army ROTC commission as a second lieutenant and served in the United States Army, first in the Military Intelligence Corps.
2004: Admitted to New York State Bar
In 2004, Lee Zeldin was admitted to the New York State Bar.
2007: Attorney for Port Authority
In 2007, Lee Zeldin became an attorney for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
2007: Transitioned to Army Reserve
In 2007, Lee Zeldin transitioned from active duty to the Army Reserve, where he achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel.
2008: Challenged Tim Bishop
In 2008, Lee Zeldin challenged incumbent representative Tim Bishop in New York's 1st congressional district, but Bishop defeated Zeldin 58%–42%.
2008: Started Law Firm
In 2008, Lee Zeldin started a general-practice law firm in Smithtown, New York.
2010: Defeated Brian X. Foley
In 2010, Lee Zeldin ran in the New York State Senate's 3rd District, challenging Democratic incumbent Brian X. Foley and defeating him with 57% of the vote.
2010: Elected to State Senate
In 2010, Lee Zeldin was elected to New York's 3rd State Senate district.
January 2011: Property Tax Cap Bill
In January 2011, a bill co-sponsored by Lee Zeldin that provided for a 2% property tax cap became law.
June 2011: Voted Against Marriage Equality Act
In June 2011, Lee Zeldin voted against the Marriage Equality Act, which the Senate passed 33–29. He stated that marriage should be defined as between a man and a woman.
December 2011: Supported MTA Payroll Tax Cut
In December 2011, Lee Zeldin supported a $250 million cut to the MTA payroll tax.
2011: Voted Against Same-Sex Marriage in New York
As a New York state senator in 2011, Lee Zeldin voted against allowing same-sex marriage in New York during roll-call for the Marriage Equality Act, which legalized same-sex marriage in the state.
March 2012: Created Veterans Support Program
In March 2012, Lee Zeldin helped to create the PFC Joseph Dwyer PTSD Peer-to-Peer Veterans Support program.
2012: Re-elected in 2012
In 2012, Lee Zeldin was reelected, defeating Democrat Francis Genco with 56% of the vote.
January 14, 2013: Missed Vote on NY SAFE Act
On January 14, 2013, Lee Zeldin missed the vote on the NY SAFE Act, a gun control bill, because he was in Virginia on Army Reserve duty; he stated he would have voted against the measure.
October 6, 2013: Announced Run Against Bishop
On October 6, 2013, Lee Zeldin announced he would again seek the Republican nomination to run against Tim Bishop.
February 2014: Introduced Bill to Halt Common Core
In February 2014, Lee Zeldin introduced a bill that sought to halt implementation of the Common Core curriculum for three years.
March 2014: Voted Against New York Dream Act
In March 2014, Lee Zeldin voted against the New York Dream Act, which would allow undocumented students meeting in-state tuition requirements to obtain financial aid at the university level.
2014: Expressed Doubts About Severity of Climate Change
In 2014, Lee Zeldin "expressed doubts about the severity" of climate change.
February 2015: Introduced Bill to Eliminate Loan Limit for Veterans
In February 2015, Lee Zeldin introduced his first bill to eliminate the dollar limit for loans that the United States Department of Veterans Affairs can guarantee for a veteran.
February 2015: Joined Patriot Program
In February 2015, the National Republican Congressional Committee announced that Lee Zeldin was one of 12 members in the Patriot Program, designed to help protect vulnerable Republican incumbents in the 2016 election.
April 2015: Introduced the Fluke Fairness Act
In April 2015, Lee Zeldin and Senator Chuck Schumer introduced the Fluke Fairness Act. The bill aimed to change the system for managing fluke fishing quotas by creating a regional approach using geographic, scientific, and economic data, but it did not pass.
May 2015: Voted for Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
In May 2015, Lee Zeldin voted for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would prohibit abortions in cases where the fetus's probable age is 20 weeks or more.
June 2015: Declined Comment on Same-Sex Marriage After Supreme Court Ruling
In June 2015, after the United States Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that state-level bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, Lee Zeldin would not comment about his view of same-sex marriage, but indicated he believed the issue should have been decided at the state level.
July 15, 2015: Introduced the Exclusive Economic Zone Clarification Act
On July 15, 2015, Lee Zeldin introduced the Exclusive Economic Zone Clarification Act. This bill proposed amending the boundary in the federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), giving fisheries management of Block Island Sound exclusively to New York and Rhode Island. The bill died in committee.
July 2015: Attached Amendment to Student Success Act
In July 2015, Lee Zeldin attached an amendment to the Student Success Act to allow states to opt out of Common Core without penalty. The amendment was passed and signed into law.
September 2015: Condemned Proposed Federal Plan for Dumping Dredged Materials
In September 2015, Lee Zeldin and Citizens Campaign for the Environment executive director Adrienne Esposito condemned a proposed federal plan for dumping dredged materials, stating that they could not assume dumping waste spoils in the Long Island Sound was environmentally benign.
September 18, 2015: Voted for Defund Planned Parenthood Act
On September 18, 2015, Lee Zeldin voted for the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, a bill that would defund Planned Parenthood for one year unless the organization agreed not to provide abortion services.
2015: Co-sponsored Bills to Combat Lyme Disease
In 2015, Lee Zeldin co-sponsored two bills in Congress to combat Lyme disease: the Tick-Borne Disease Research and Accountability and Transparency Act of 2015 and the 21st Century Cures Act.
2015: New York state´s ban on hydraulic fracturing
In 2015, during his gubernatorial campaign in 2021, Lee Zeldin pledged to reverse New York state´s 2015 ban on hydraulic fracturing.
2015: No-show at House Committee hearings
In January 2016, the New York Post reported that Lee Zeldin was a no-show in 2015 at 12 of 18 House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearings that dealt specifically with ISIL and with Syria.
January 2016: Reported no-show at House Committee hearings
In January 2016, the New York Post reported that Lee Zeldin was a no-show in 2015 at 12 of 18 House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearings that dealt specifically with ISIL and with Syria.
February 2016: Sought Visas to Travel to Iran
In February 2016, Lee Zeldin and Representatives Mike Pompeo and Frank LoBiondo sought visas to travel to Iran to check the country's compliance with the Iran nuclear deal framework.
February 2016: Proposed Legislation to Fund Veterans' Peer-Support Program
In February 2016, Lee Zeldin proposed federal legislation to fund a three-year, $25-million nationwide veterans' peer-support program modeled on one he helped establish while in the New York State Senate.
April 2016: Introduced Legislation to Prevent Sale of Plum Island
In April 2016, Lee Zeldin introduced legislation to prevent the federal government's sale of Plum Island to the highest bidder. The next month, his bill unanimously passed the House.
May 3, 2016: Endorsed Donald Trump for President
On May 3, 2016, Lee Zeldin endorsed Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee. During the campaign, Zeldin faulted Trump for a comment about Khizr and Ghazala Khan, but said he would continue to support Trump's candidacy.
June 2016: Iran Denied Visa Request
In June 2016, Iran called the February visa request from Lee Zeldin, Mike Pompeo, and Frank LoBiondo a "publicity stunt" and said it would deny the visas.
2016: Alleged Investigations Were Launched With "insufficient intelligence and biased motivations"
During Trump's presidency, Zeldin was a staunch Trump ally. Also in 2016 Zeldin called for creating a special counsel investigation into the FBI and the Department of Justice regarding their investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. Zeldin said the investigations were launched with "insufficient intelligence and biased motivations", with surveillance warrants for Trump campaign staffers obtained in "deeply flawed and questionable" ways.
2016: Won General Election
In 2016, Lee Zeldin faced no opposition in the Republican primary. In the November 8 general election, he faced Democratic nominee Anna Throne-Holst and won with 58% of the vote.
2016: Spoke in Support of Anti-BDS Legislation
In 2016, Lee Zeldin spoke in support of the anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) legislation that passed the New York State Senate.
March 2017: Co-sponsored Israel Anti-Boycott Act
In March 2017, Lee Zeldin co-sponsored a bipartisan bill in the House, the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, to oppose boycotts of Israel and further combat the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.
May 4, 2017: Voted to Repeal Affordable Care Act
On May 4, 2017, Lee Zeldin voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and pass the American Health Care Act.
November 2017: Expressed Dissatisfaction with Proposed Republican Tax Bill
In November 2017, Lee Zeldin said he was unsatisfied with the proposed Republican tax bill, citing concerns with eliminating the state and local tax deduction. House Speaker Paul Ryan canceled plans to attend a fundraiser for Zeldin after Zeldin voted against the House version of the bill that same month.
December 2017: Voted Against Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
Lee Zeldin voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, passed in December 2017. He supported the corporate tax cuts in the bill but did not approve of the limit for property tax deductions, preferring a cap of $20,000 or $25,000 to the $10,000 cap in the bill.
2017: Supported Trump's Firing of FBI Director James Comey
During Trump's presidency, in 2017 Lee Zeldin supported Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, saying it offered the FBI a chance at a "fresh start" to rebuild trust.
April 2018: Expressed Disapproval of the Paris Agreement
In April 2018, Lee Zeldin stated he did not support the Paris Agreement in its existing form, citing concerns about other countries' contributions to climate impacts and their lack of responsibility in making positive changes.
May 2018: Called for Criminal Prosecution of Andrew McCabe and Special Counsel Investigation
In May 2018, Lee Zeldin called for the criminal prosecution of former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe. Also that month Zeldin called for creating a special counsel investigation into the FBI and the Department of Justice regarding their investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.
May 2018: Supported Relocation of U.S. Embassy in Israel
In May 2018, Lee Zeldin supported the Trump administration's decision to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as part of the United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel.
2018: Voted Against Appropriations Measure and Withheld Pay During Government Shutdown
During the 2018-19 U.S. government shutdown, Lee Zeldin voted with the Republican caucus against the appropriations measure to fund the federal government. He instructed the House to withhold his pay until the shutdown ended, saying: "It's crazy to me that members of Congress get paid while other federal employees do not."
2018: Ran Unopposed in Republican Primary
In 2018, Lee Zeldin ran unopposed in the Republican primary. In the November general election his chief opponent was Democratic nominee Perry Gershon.
2018: Fundraisers with Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka
In 2018, Lee Zeldin's campaign featured fundraisers with Breitbart News founder Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka.
May 2019: Voted Against the Equality Act
In May 2019, Lee Zeldin voted against the Equality Act.
October 2019: Defended Trump During Impeachment Hearings
In October 2019, Lee Zeldin defended Trump during his first impeachment hearings concerning the Trump–Ukraine scandal, stating, "It is crystal clear... that any allegation that President Trump was trying to get President Zelensky [sic] to manufacture dirt on the Bidens is just not true."
November 2019: Referenced More Than 550 Times in Impeachment Deposition Transcripts
As of November 2019, Lee Zeldin had been referenced more than 550 times in the seven impeachment deposition transcripts released, more than any other Republican.
January 1, 2020: Opposed New York's Bail Reform
On January 1, 2020, Lee Zeldin opposed New York's bail reform, which eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanor and nonviolent felony charges, and repeatedly called for its repeal.
January 2020: Joined Brief to Overturn Roe v. Wade
In January 2020, Lee Zeldin joined a "friend of the court" brief demanding that the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade.
February 1, 2020: Opined Republicans Should Expunge Impeachment
On February 1, 2020, Lee Zeldin opined that Republicans should expunge Trump's impeachment if they won a House majority in the upcoming 2020 House elections, tweeting, "The House of Representatives should EXPUNGE this sham impeachment in January 2021!"
April 2020: Helped Obtain PPE for Suffolk County
According to an April 2020 announcement by Lee Zeldin, he helped Suffolk County obtain more than 1.2 million pieces of personal protective equipment from the White House for Suffolk County to aid workers against the COVID-19 pandemic, after conversations with Jared Kushner.
August 2020: One of Two Jewish Republicans in Congress
As of August 2020, Lee Zeldin was one of two Jewish Republicans in Congress.
November 2020: Diagnosed with Leukemia
On September 18, 2021, Lee Zeldin announced that he had been diagnosed with leukemia in November 2020 but had achieved disease remission following treatment.
2020: Signed Amicus Brief Supporting Lawsuit Contesting Election Results
After Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and made false claims of fraud, Lee Zeldin was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the election.
2020: Participated in Rallies Without Mask or Social Distancing
During the 2020 election campaign, Lee Zeldin participated in campaign rallies without wearing a mask or adhering to social distancing.
January 6, 2021: Voted Against Certification of Electoral Votes
On January 6, 2021, after a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Lee Zeldin voted against certification of Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes. He disavowed the violence and argued with protesters at his Patchogue office.
January 2021: Tweeted about expunging Trump's impeachment.
On February 1, 2020, Lee Zeldin opined that Republicans should expunge Trump's impeachment if they won a House majority in the upcoming 2020 House elections, tweeting, "The House of Representatives should EXPUNGE this sham impeachment in January 2021!"
January 2021: Criticized Media Response to Trump's Call to Overturn Election
When asked in January 2021 to respond to the release of an audio recording of a phone call in which Trump pressured Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger to overturn the 2020 election, Lee Zeldin responded by criticizing the media.
April 2021: Announced Candidacy for Governor
In April 2021, Lee Zeldin announced he would run for governor of New York in 2022.
April 30, 2021: Endorsements for Governor
On April 30, 2021, Lee Zeldin announced that Erie and Niagara counties' Republican party chairs had endorsed his campaign, giving him the necessary 50% of state committee support to gain the Republican nomination for governor in 2022.
June 2021: Presumed Nominee
In June 2021, Republican state chair Nick Langworthy named Lee Zeldin the party's "presumed nominee" after he earned 85% of a straw poll vote of county leaders. Conservative state chair Gerard Kassar also called Zeldin the "presumptive nominee" of the Conservative Party of New York State.
July 1, 2021: Voted Against Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
On July 1, 2021, Lee Zeldin voted against the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
August 2021: Endorsements for Governor
As of August 2021, Lee Zeldin had been endorsed by 49 of New York's 62 county Republican party chairs for his run for governor in 2022.
September 18, 2021: Announced Leukemia Diagnosis and Remission
On September 18, 2021, Lee Zeldin announced that he had been diagnosed with leukemia in November 2020 but had achieved disease remission following treatment.
November 5, 2021: Voted Against Senate Amendment to Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
On November 5, 2021, Lee Zeldin voted against the Senate amendment to the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
November 2021: Declined Trump Campaign
In November 2021, Lee Zeldin declined to commit to campaigning with Donald Trump, saying, "There are plenty of New Yorkers who love him, there are plenty of New Yorkers out there who don't."
2021: Pledged to Reverse New York State´s Ban on Hydraulic Fracturing
During his gubernatorial campaign in 2021, Lee Zeldin pledged to reverse New York state´s 2015 ban on hydraulic fracturing.
March 1, 2022: Received Party Designation
On March 1, 2022, Lee Zeldin received the New York Republican State Committee's designation for governor of New York; 85% of the committee voted to back him.
April 2022: Appoint Health Commissioner
In April 2022, Lee Zeldin said it would be "a great idea" to appoint a health commissioner who opposed abortion.
June 2022: Overturning Roe v. Wade
In June 2022 when the Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Lee Zeldin said it was "a victory for life, for family, for the Constitution, and for federalism".
June 29, 2022: Won Republican Primary
On June 29, 2022, Lee Zeldin was declared the winner in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary against Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani, and Harry Wilson.
July 2022: Voted in Favor of the Respect for Marriage Act
In July 2022, Lee Zeldin was one of 47 Republican representatives who voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.
July 21, 2022: Attacked at Campaign Event
On July 21, 2022, Lee Zeldin was attacked at a campaign event in Perinton, New York, by David Jakubonis, who was wielding a pointed plastic key chain. The attacker was detained and later arrested on federal assault charges.
October 2022: Statement on Abortion Laws
In October 2022, Lee Zeldin stated that as governor, he would not change New York's abortion laws.
December 8, 2022: Did not vote on final passage of the Respect for Marriage Act
On December 8, 2022, Lee Zeldin did not vote on the final passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.
2022: Voted Against the Inflation Reduction Act
In 2022, Lee Zeldin voted against the Inflation Reduction Act.
April 24, 2023: Endorsed Donald Trump on X
On April 24, 2023, Lee Zeldin endorsed Donald Trump in a post on X (Formerly Twitter).
2023: Launched Leadership America Needs PAC
In 2023, Lee Zeldin launched Leadership America Needs, a PAC aimed at increasing Republican turnout among the young and voters of color.
November 2024: Nominee for EPA Administrator
In November 2024, CNN reported that Lee Zeldin was Trump's nominee for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
January 16, 2025: Confirmation Hearing
On January 16, 2025, Lee Zeldin's confirmation hearing was held for the position of Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
January 29, 2025: Appointed as EPA Administrator
On January 29, 2025, Lee Zeldin began serving as the 17th administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
February 2025: Charged Agencies with Conspiracy to Defraud
In February 2025, Lee Zeldin, working with the FBI, charged nonprofit and state government agencies that had legally received funding from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund with conspiracy to defraud the United States.
March 2025: Announcement of Deregulation
In March 2025, Lee Zeldin, as the EPA Administrator, presented what he described as the "largest deregulatory announcement in U.S. history," reframing the EPA's purpose towards deregulation and energy production.
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