Former US Speaker of the House Hastert planning to retire
{{date|August 15, 2007}}

Republican officials announced today that Rep. [[w:Dennis Hastert|Dennis Hastert]] of [[Illinois]] will be leaving the [[w:United States Congress|United States Congress]] when his present congressional term concludes at the end of next year. 

Hastert has served in Illinois' 14th district since 1987 and his time as Speaker makes him longest serving [[w:Republican Party|Republican]] Speaker in history. Party officials have scheduled a formal announcement of Hastert's retirement for Friday, August 17.

Hastert's decision has been expected since the Republicans lost the elections last November and he was removed as Speaker. For eight years, he's been second in line of presidential succession behind only the vice-president.

The party officials who discussed his planned retirement did so on condition of anonymity because there had been no public announcement yet.

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-bc-us-hastert-tops,0,3985531.story
|title=Former US House Speaker Dennis Hastert leaving Congress after this term
|author=Associated Press
|pub=Newsday.com
|date=August 14, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.kxmb.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=152624
|title=Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert May Be Retiring
|author=
|pub=KXMB
|date=August 14, 2007}}

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[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Republican Party (United States)]]
Republican officials announced today that Rep. Dennis Hastert of Illinois will be leaving the United States Congress when his present congressional term concludes at the end of next year. 

Hastert has served in Illinois' 14th district since 1987 and his time as Speaker makes him longest serving Republican Speaker in history. Party officials have scheduled a formal announcement of Hastert's retirement for Friday, August 17.

Hastert's decision has been expected since the Republicans lost the elections last November and he was removed as Speaker. For eight years, he's been second in line of presidential succession behind only the vice-president.

The party officials who discussed his planned retirement did so on condition of anonymity because there had been no public announcement yet.
United States Politics and conflicts Republican Party (United States)