George Miller (California politician)

For other politicians with this name, see George Miller (disambiguation).
George Miller
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 1975
Preceded by Ron Dellums
Chairman of House Education and Labor Committee
In office
January 4, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by Howard McKeon
Succeeded by John Kline
Chairman of House Natural Resources Committee
In office
1991–1995
Preceded by Mo Udall
Succeeded by Don Young
Personal details
Born May 17, 1945 (1945-05-17) (age 66)
Richmond, California
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Cynthia Caccavo Miller
Residence Martinez, California
Alma mater San Francisco State University, University of California, Davis School of Law (King Hall)
Profession attorney, politician
Religion Roman Catholic

George Miller III (born May 17, 1945) is the U.S. Representative for California's 7th congressional district, serving since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2007 through 2010, Miller served as chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, formerly known as the Education and the Workforce Committee.

Contents

Early life, education, and early career

The son of liberal State Senator and Democratic Party leader George Miller, Jr., he was born in Richmond, California in 1945. He was graduated from Diablo Valley Community College and San Francisco State University.

After he earned his bachelors degree, his father died in 1969. Miller ran to succeed his father in the March 1969 special election, but Republican John Nejedly defeated him 57% to 42% in California's 7th State Senate district.[1]

He then attended the University of California, Davis School of Law (King Hall), where he received his Juris Doctor. After admission to the university, served as legislative assistant to California Senate majority leader George Moscone before entering the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

In 1974, incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Ron Dellums decided to run in the newly redrawn 8th district. Miller decided to run for the open seat in California's 7th congressional district. He won the primary with a plurality of 38%.[2] In the general election, he defeated Republican Gary Fernandez 56% to 44%,[3] the lowest winning percentage of his career. He won re-election 18 times, and never won with less than 61% of the vote.[4]

Tenure

Environmental issues

In the House, Miller has been a member of the Natural Resources Committee; he was that Committee's chairman from 1991 to 1994. Miller has supported efforts to preserve public lands such as the 1994 California Desert Protection Act, which among other things created Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park. In addition, Miller was the chief sponsor of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992, which mandated that the federal government's Bureau of Reclamation manage the Central Valley Project in order to better protect the fish and wildlife populations of California's Bay-Delta region.[5] Miller lost his chairmanship when Republicans won control of Congress in 1994. He stayed as the committee's Ranking Member until 2000, and remains on the committee. Miller is also a member of the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus.

Labor issues

From 2001 to 2006, Miller was the ranking Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee. With that committee's chairman, and their Senate counterparts, Miller helped draft the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 and 2002. Miller has focused on pension issues, reinstating Davis-Bacon Act wage protections for Gulf Coast workers in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In addition, Miller has worked on education issues such as protesting student aid cuts,[6] increasing No Child Left Behind Act funding, and investigating the Bush administration's hiring of Armstrong Williams to promote that law. Miller has also been a vocal advocate of labor and immigration reform in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.[7] In 2007, as chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, Miller sponsored the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, which was enacted into law as an amendment to another bill. In 2001, Miller said, "The secret ballot is absolutely necessary in order to ensure that workers are not intimidated into voting for a union they might not otherwise choose."

Port Chicago disaster

Miller has petitioned to clear the names of the sailors of the World War II Port Chicago disaster in which more than 200 black men were court-martialed and 50 convicted of mutiny for refusing to continue to load ammunition onto warships after a tremendous explosion killed hundreds. For the most part, Miller's efforts failed, and fewer than four of the sailors convicted of mutiny are still alive. However, in 1999, during a flurry of pardons signed as he left office, President Bill Clinton pardoned Freddie Meeks, one of the 50 mutineers.[8] In addition, Miller wrote the legislation to designate the site of the event as a National Memorial.[9][10]

Indian gambling

Miller is a supporter of Indian gambling. In 2000, as ranking member of the House Resource Committee, Miller inserted an amendment to the Omnibus Indian Advancement Act that took an existing cardroom into federal trust for the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians. The amendment made the land acquisition retroactive to 1987, stating that "[s]uch land shall be deemed to have been held in trust and part of the reservation of the Rancheria prior to October 17, 1988."[11] This allowed the Lyttons to open a casino at the cardroom under the terms of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. Some members of Congress and the gambling industry have called the amendment "underhanded," while other politicians have called the maneuver nothing out of the ordinary.[12]

2008 presidential election

Miller, a superdelegate in the Democratic Party's 2008 presidential primary, pledged his support to Barack Obama despite the fact that his district voted for Hillary Clinton. Miller cited Obama's grassroots fundraising campaign, first-place win in the Iowa caucus and strong showing in the New Hampshire primary, leadership style and opposition to the Iraq War as reasons for his endorsement. The endorsement was first reported in the Contra Costa Times on January 9, 2008.[13]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Personal life

Miller owns a residence in Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. and rents rooms to other members of the U.S. House and Senate. As of April 2010, his tenant housemates are Senators Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin and Representative Bill Delahunt.[14] Miller purchased the residence in 1977, and his past housemates have included former Representatives Marty Russo, Leon Panetta and Sam Gejdenson.[15]

Electoral history

United States House of Representatives elections, 1974[16]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller 82,765 55.6%
Republican Mark C. Luce 66,115 44.4%
Totals 148,880 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1976[17]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 147,064 74.7%
Republican Robert L. Vickers 45,863 23.3%
American Independent Melvin E. Stanley 3,889 2.0%
Totals 196,816 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1978[18]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 109,676 63.5%
Republican Paula Gordon 58,332 33.7%
American Independent Melvin E. Stanley 4,857 2.8%
Totals 172,865 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1980[19]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 142,044 63.3%
Republican Giles St. Clair 70,479 31.4%
Libertarian Steve Snow 6,923 3.1%
American Independent Thomas J. "Tommy" Thompson 5,023 2.2%
Totals 224,469 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1982[20]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 126,952 67.2%
Republican Paul E. Vallely 56,960 30.2%
Libertarian Rich Newell 2,752 1.4%
American Independent Terry L. Wells 2,205 1.2%
Totals 188,509 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1984[21]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 158,306 66.7%
Republican Rosemary Thakar 78,985 33.3%
Totals 237,291 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1986[22]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 124,174 66.6%
Republican Rosemary Thakar 62,379 33.4%
Totals 186,553 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1988[23]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 170,006 68.4%
Republican Jean Last 78,478 31.6%
Totals 248,484 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1990[24]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 121,080 60.5%
Republican Roger A. Payton 79,031 39.5%
Totals 200,111 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1992[25]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 153,320 70.3%
Republican Dave Scholl 54,822 25.1%
Peace and Freedom David L. Franklin 9,840 4.6%
Totals 217,982 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1994[26]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 116,105 69.7%
Republican Charles V. Hughes 45,698 27.4%
Peace and Freedom William A. "Bill" Callison 4,798 2.9%
Totals 166,601 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1996[27]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 137,089 71.9%
Republican Norman H. Reece 42,542 22.3%
Reform William C. Thompson 6,866 3.6%
Natural Law Bob Liatunick 4,420 2.3%
Totals 190,917 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1998[28]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 125,842 76.7%
Republican Norman H. Reece 38,290 23.3%
Totals 164,132 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2000[29]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 159,692 76.5%
Republican Christopher A. Hoffman 44,154 21.2%
Natural Law Martin Sproul 4,943 2.3%
Totals 208,789 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2002[30]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 97,849 70.8%
Republican Charles R. Hargrave 36,584 21.2%
Libertarian Scott A. Wilson 3,943 2.8%
Totals 138,376 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2004[31]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 166,831 76.1%
Republican Charles R. Hargrave 52,446 23.9%
Totals 219,277 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2006[32]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 118,000 84.0%
Libertarian Camden McConnell 22,486 16.0%
Totals 140,486 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2008[33]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 170,962 72.9%
Republican Roger Allen Petersen 51,166 21.8%
Peace and Freedom Bill Callison 6,695 2.8%
Libertarian Camden McConnell 5,950 2.5%
Totals 234,773 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2010
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 90,504 67.4%
Republican Rick Tubbs 43,792 32.6%
Totals 134,296 100%
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=680338
  2. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=735206
  3. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=31768
  4. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=675
  5. ^ Reclamation MP Region CVPIA homepage
  6. ^ Romano, Lois (August 28, 2010). "Groups gird to battle Congress' proposed student aid cuts". The San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/27/MNGDSFTI2B1.DTL&feed=rss.news. 
  7. ^ Information from Congressman George Miller on the Northern Marianas Islands
  8. ^ Port Chicago Disaster - The Pardon
  9. ^ Congressman Miller's Port Chicago Page
  10. ^ Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial: World War II in the San Francisco Bay Area: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary
  11. ^ http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ568.106
  12. ^ https://san.secure.newtimes.com/issues/2001-06-06/news/feature_5.html
  13. ^ George Miller endorses Obama - ContraCostaTimes.com
  14. ^ Madden, Mike (April 23, 2010). "Schumer and Durbin: Roommates to rivals?Schumer and Durbin: Roommates to rivals?". Salon. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2010/04/23/chuck_schumer_dick_durbin_roommates_and_rivals. Retrieved September 18, 2010. 
  15. ^ Leibovich, Mark (January 18, 2007). "AT HOME WITH GEORGE MILLER, RICHARD J. DURBIN, CHARLES E. SCHUMER AND BILL DELAHUNT; Taking Power, Sharing Cereal". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E5DB1130F93BA25752C0A9619C8B63&pagewanted=all. Retrieved September 18, 2010. 
  16. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 4, 1974," (retrieved on August 1st, 2009).
  17. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 1976," (retrieved on August 1st, 2009).
  18. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 7, 1978," (retrieved on August 1st, 2009).
  19. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 4, 1980," (retrieved on August 1st, 2009).
  20. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 1982," (retrieved on August 1st, 2009).
  21. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 6, 1984," (retrieved on August 1st, 2009).
  22. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 4, 1986," (retrieved on August 1st, 2009).
  23. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 8, 1988," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  24. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 6, 1990," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  25. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 1992," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  26. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 8, 1994," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  27. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 5, 1996," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  28. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 1998," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  29. ^ Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  30. ^ Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  31. ^ Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  32. ^ Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).
  33. ^ Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on August 2nd, 2009).

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Ron Dellums		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 7th congressional district
1975–Present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Mo Udall
Arizona		 Chairman of House Natural Resources Committee
1991–1995		 Succeeded by
Don Young
Alaska
Preceded by
Howard McKeon
California		 Chairman of House Education and Labor Committee
2007–2011		 Succeeded by
John Kline
Minnesota
United States order of precedence
Preceded by
Don Young
R-Alaska		 United States Representatives by seniority
7th		 Succeeded by
Henry Waxman
D-California
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