George Miller (California politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Miller
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| Chair of the House Education Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Buck McKeon |
| Succeeded by | John Kline |
| Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee | |
| In office May 4, 1991 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Mo Udall |
| Succeeded by | Don Young |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Jerome Waldie |
| Succeeded by | Mark DeSaulnier |
| Constituency | 7th district (1975–2013) 11th district (2013–2015) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 17, 1945 Richmond, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Cynthia Caccavo |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent | George Miller Jr. (father) |
| Education | Diablo Valley College San Francisco State University (BA) University of California, Davis (JD) |
George Miller III (born May 17, 1945) is an American politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for California for 40 years, from 1975 to 2015. As a member of the Democratic Party, he represented different parts of California. He was a leader in the House, serving as Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee.
Contents
Becoming a Politician
Early Life and Learning
George Miller was born in Richmond, California. His father, George Miller Jr., was also a politician and a strong supporter of liberal ideas in California. George Miller went to Diablo Valley Community College and then San Francisco State University.
After his father passed away in 1969, George Miller tried to win his father's old seat in the California State Senate. However, he did not win that election.
Later, he studied law at the University of California, Davis School of Law. Before becoming a U.S. Representative, he worked as a helper for California State Senate Majority Leader George Moscone.
Joining the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1974, the U.S. Representative for Miller's area decided not to run again. George Miller decided to run for the open seat. He won the election, becoming a U.S. Representative at 29 years old. He was part of a group of new Democratic members elected that year, sometimes called the "Watergate Babies." He was re-elected 18 times and always won with a large majority of the votes.
In 2012, his district was redrawn and changed its number. He ran again and won against his Republican opponent. During his campaign, Miller said that a big challenge for the U.S. was to fix the unfair differences that exist in the country.
Key Work in Congress
George Miller was known for being a strong supporter of liberal ideas in Congress. He was also good at working with members from both political parties. He spent more than half of his life serving in Congress.
Miller was seen as someone who continued the political traditions of his home area in California. He was known for his energy and determination in political debates. Even though he didn't always get the top leadership roles in his party, he learned to be patient, choose the right time, and be creative in his work.
Protecting Natural Resources
In the House, Miller was an important member of the Natural Resources Committee. He was the chairman of this committee from 1991 to 1994. This committee works on laws about public lands and the environment.
- He supported efforts to protect public lands, like the 1994 California Desert Protection Act. This act created new national parks, including Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park.
- He also led the effort for the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992. This law made sure that the government would manage California's water system to better protect fish and wildlife.
Miller lost his chairman position when the Republicans gained control of Congress in 1994. He continued to be a member of the committee until he retired. He was also part of the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus, which focuses on wildlife refuges.
Focus on Education and Workers
From 2001 to 2006, Miller was the top Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee. This committee deals with laws about schools, jobs, and workers' rights.
- He helped write the No Child Left Behind Act, a major education law passed in 2001 and 2002.
- He worked on issues related to pensions (retirement savings) and making sure workers were paid fair wages, especially after Hurricane Katrina.
- Miller also worked to prevent cuts to student financial aid and to increase funding for the No Child Left Behind Act.
- In 2007, as chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, Miller sponsored the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. This law increased the lowest amount of money workers could be paid per hour.
- He believed that workers should be able to vote secretly when deciding whether to join a union.
- He was also a strong critic of how clothing companies treated workers in factories in other countries, especially regarding safety.
Education Policy Challenges
One time, Miller faced a big challenge when he tried to pass an amendment (a change to a law) in Congress in 1994. This amendment did not include anything for homeschooling. Because of this, many homeschooling families and groups across the country worked together to convince Congress to vote against his amendment. Miller's amendment was defeated by a very large vote.
Helping the Port Chicago Sailors
Miller worked hard to clear the names of sailors involved in the World War II Port Chicago disaster. In this event, hundreds of Black men were accused of mutiny (refusing to obey orders) after a huge explosion killed many people while they were loading ammunition. They had refused to continue loading dangerous ammunition.
- Miller tried for many years to help these sailors.
- In 1999, because of Miller's efforts, President Bill Clinton pardoned Freddie Meeks, one of the sailors who had been convicted.
- Miller also wrote the law to make the site of the disaster a National Memorial.
Supporting Native American Gaming
Miller supported Native American gaming (casinos run by Native American tribes). In 2000, he helped pass a law that allowed the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians to open a casino on their land. Some people in Congress and the gambling industry disagreed with how this happened.
When Donald Trump questioned whether some Native Americans looked "Indian" enough to have gaming rights, Miller strongly disagreed. He said, "Thank God that's not the test of whether or not people have rights in this country or not – whether or not they pass your 'look' test."
2008 Presidential Election
In the 2008 presidential election, Miller was a "superdelegate" for the Democratic Party. This meant he had a special vote in choosing the party's presidential candidate. Even though his local district voted for Hillary Clinton, Miller decided to support Barack Obama. He explained that he supported Obama because of his fundraising, his wins in early elections, his leadership style, and his opposition to the Iraq War.
Friendship with Nancy Pelosi
George Miller was considered a very close and trusted friend of Nancy Pelosi, who was a powerful leader in the Democratic Party. Some people called him her "consigliere," meaning a trusted advisor. Pelosi often asked Miller for advice and relied on him for support.
Their friendship lasted for over 30 years. They were so close that some colleagues said they would often finish each other's sentences. Many believed that Miller represented Pelosi's strong liberal views.
Committee and Group Memberships
During his time in Congress, George Miller was part of several important committees and groups:
- Committee on Education and Labor (He was the top Democrat on this committee.)
- Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
- Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
- United States House Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families (He was the Chairman of this committee.)
He was also a member of these groups:
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus
- International Conservation Caucus
- House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee (He was a Co-Chair for Policy.)
Personal Life
For many years, George Miller owned a townhouse in Washington, D.C., near the Capitol. He rented rooms in his house to other members of Congress, including Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Dick Durbin. He bought the house in 1977 and sold it when he retired from Congress in 2014. Other politicians like Marty Russo, Leon Panetta, and Sam Gejdenson also lived there at different times.
Images for kids
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Miller's official portrait in the 95th Congress, 1977
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Miller at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2014
