Michael Bilirakis

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Michael Bilirakis

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1983–January 4, 2007
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	Gus Bilirakis

Born	July 16, 1930 (1930-07-16) (age 77) Tarpon Springs, Florida
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Evelyn Bilirakis
Religion	Greek Orthodox

Michael Bilirakis (born July 16, 1930), American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1983 until 2007, representing the 9th District of Florida.

He was born in Tarpon Springs, Florida, was educated at the University of Pittsburgh, George Washington University, and the University of Florida, served in the United States Air Force,^[1] and was a steelworker, engineer, college instructor, lawyer, and judge before entering the House.

He made his first run for office in 1982, contesting the newly created 9th District. He narrowly defeated State Representative George Sheldon by 4,300 votes. However, he was reelected with 78 percent of the vote in 1984 and was reelected 10 more times, never facing serious opposition. He even ran unopposed in 1988, 1994, 1998 and 2004.

In 1999, Bilirakis wrote a letter in which he presented William Hammesfahr to the Norwegian Nobel Committee for consideration for the "Nobel Peace Prize in Medicine." (There is no such award.) Hammesfahr later said that he had been nominated for the Nobel Prize, claiming that this letter constituted a nomination, even though Bilirakis was not eligible to actually nominate him. (Dr. Hammesfahr claimed that Terri Schiavo was in a minimally conscious state and that she might recover.) Biliraki's other contribution to medicine was HR 5213, which focused on inflammatory bowel disease.

Bilirakis retired in 2006. His son, Gus, a Florida state representative, defeated Democrat Phyllis Busansky in the 2006 congressional race for the elder Bilirakis's House seat.

[edit] Notes

List of Former Staffers of Michael Bilirakis: 1. llen, Jeremy; 2. W Bill,Aaron 3. M Braxton, Lindsey 4. D Brown, Elizabeth 5. F Caccamo, M Patricia 6. Colen, Robert L 7. Eatman, Patricia L 8. Esposito, Anne E 9. Friel, Michael S 10. Grenelle, Rosalie T 11. Haggerty, Jeanne M 12. Hyder, Rebecca 13. Konkodiakos, Theresa A 14. Kumar, Robby 15. Lucas, Jeff 16. Martin, Katherine M 17. Melvin, Carrie E 18. Menorca, Douglas 19. Miaoulis, Shirley A 20. Ockunzzi, Erin 21. Owen, Sarah Anne 22. Owens, Angeline A 23. Paul, Thomas M 24. Pope, Barbara S 25. Robertson, James E 26. Stefadouros, Chrysoula 27. Stefanadis, Sonja B 28. Tilton, Steven G 29. Towles, Justin M 30. Trimis, Diane D 31. Troy, Jackie R 32. Weldon, Cameron T 33. White, Jerry L 34. Patty DeLoatch 35. Tuten, Todd 36. Mayer, Karen 37. Ardouny, Bryan