Earl Pomeroy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Earl Pomeroy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota's at-large district
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Byron Dorgan
Succeeded by	Rick Berg
Insurance Commissioner of North Dakota
In office January 1, 1985 – December 15, 1992
Governor	George Sinner
Preceded by	Jorris Wigen
Succeeded by	Glenn Pomeroy
Member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
In office 1980–1985
Personal details
Born	Earl Ralph Pomeroy III (1952-09-02) September 2, 1952 (age 72) Valley City, North Dakota, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (D-NPL)
Spouse	Mary Berglund
Children	2
Education	Valley City State University University of North Dakota (BA, JD)

Earl Ralph Pomeroy III (born September 2, 1952) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for North Dakota from 1993 to 2011. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. Today, he works as a senior lawyer for Alston & Bird in Washington, D.C..

Earl Pomeroy was the last Democrat to represent North Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives. This was true as of 2025.

Early Life and Education

Earl Pomeroy was born in Valley City, North Dakota. This city is in Barnes County. He first attended Valley City State University. Later, he went to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. There, he earned a degree in political science. He also studied legal history in England at Durham University.

Pomeroy returned to North Dakota to study law. He received his law degree in 1979 from the University of North Dakota School of Law. In 2011, the University of North Dakota gave him an honorary degree.

Serving in State Government

Earl Pomeroy began his political career in North Dakota. In 1980, he was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives. This is part of the state's law-making body.

In 1985, he became the North Dakota Insurance Commissioner. This job involves overseeing insurance companies in the state. He held this position until 1992.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Earl Pomeroy was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1992. He represented all of North Dakota. He served in Congress for 18 years, from 1993 to 2011.

What He Did in Congress

As a U.S. Representative, Pomeroy worked on important committees. These committees help create laws for the country.

• Committee on Agriculture: This committee deals with farming and food issues.
  • He worked on subcommittees for conservation, credit, and research.
  • He also worked on subcommittees for farm goods and managing risks.
• Committee on Ways and Means: This is a very important committee. It handles taxes and other money matters.
  • He was part of subcommittees for trade and health.
  • He was also the chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security. This group looks after the program that helps retired people and others.

Working with Other Lawmakers

Pomeroy was part of groups that worked together.

• He was a co-chair of the Rural Health Care Coalition. This group focused on health care for people in rural areas.
• He was also a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. This was a group of Democrats who often held more moderate views.

Earl Pomeroy's Views

Earl Pomeroy shared his opinions on important national issues.

Views on the Iraq War

In 2002, Pomeroy supported the decision to use force in Iraq. However, he later spoke out more and more against the war. In 2007, he opposed a plan to send more troops to Iraq.

He said that Congress should make sure soldiers' missions have a good chance of success. He believed that sending more troops would only lead to more American lives lost. He also thought it would strain the military and cost too much money. He felt that without peace between fighting groups in Iraq, more soldiers would not bring lasting peace.

Views on Health Care

In November 2009, Pomeroy voted for the Affordable Health Care for America Act. This bill aimed to change the health care system. He said that while the bill was not perfect, the current system also had problems.

Views on Adoption

Pomeroy strongly supported laws that helped parents deduct adoption costs. He even brought his daughter, whom he and his wife adopted from South Korea, to the House floor on the day of a vote. This showed how important the issue was to him.

Political Campaigns

Earl Pomeroy was first elected to the U.S. House in 1992. He won his first five elections. In 2004, he was reelected with almost 60 percent of the vote.

2006 Election

In 2006, Pomeroy ran against Republican Matthew Mechtel. He easily won his eighth term. He received a higher percentage of votes than in his earlier elections.

2008 Election

Pomeroy kept his seat in the House in 2008. He defeated Republican Duane Sand.

2010 Election

In 2010, Pomeroy was defeated by Republican Rick Berg. This was the first time in 30 years that a Republican held this seat. Many people believed his loss was because he voted for the health care reform bill.

After Congress

After leaving Congress in 2011, Earl Pomeroy joined a law firm called Alston & Bird. He works there as a lobbyist for hospitals. A lobbyist tries to influence lawmakers on behalf of a group or business. Pomeroy started this new job very quickly after leaving Congress.

Personal Life

Earl Pomeroy is a Presbyterian. He has two children, Kathryn and Scott. In 2009, he married Mary Berglund. They had a private ceremony at his family's old homestead in Valley City, North Dakota.

Pomeroy also played rugby. He was a founding member of the rugby club at the University of North Dakota. He also played rugby when he was studying in England.

See also

• United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota, 2004
• United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota, 2002
• United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota, 2000