Mariannette Miller-Meeks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mariannette Miller-Meeks
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Dave Loebsack |
| Constituency | 2nd district (2021–2023) 1st district (2023–present) |
| Member of the Iowa Senate from the 41st district |
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| In office 2019–2020 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Chelgren |
| Succeeded by | Adrian Dickey |
| Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health | |
| In office January 15, 2011 – January 9, 2014 |
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| Governor | Terry Branstad |
| Preceded by | Tom Newton |
| Succeeded by | Gerd W. Clabaugh |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mariannette Jane Miller
September 6, 1955 Herlong, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Curt Meeks
(m. 1983) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Texas Christian University (BSN) University of Southern California (MS) McGovern Medical School (MD) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1974–1998 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | Army Medical Department |
Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks (born September 6, 1955) is an American doctor and politician. She serves as a U.S. Representative for Iowa. She has been in this role since 2021.
Mariannette Miller-Meeks is a member of the Republican Party. She represents Iowa's 1st congressional district. Before this, she was a state senator in Iowa from 2019 to 2021. She is known for supporting issues like immigration and LGBT rights.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks was born in Herlong, California, on September 6, 1955. She was the first in her family to go to college.
She earned a nursing degree from Texas Christian University. Later, she got a master's degree in education from the University of Southern California. She also earned a medical degree from McGovern Medical School.
Career Before Politics
At 18, Miller-Meeks joined the United States Army. She served for 24 years as a nurse and a doctor. She retired as a lieutenant colonel.
After her military service, she opened her own eye doctor's office in Ottumwa, Iowa. She was also the first woman to lead the Iowa Medical Society. She worked as a professor at the University of Iowa in the eye care department. In 2010, Iowa's Governor Terry Branstad made her the director of the Iowa Department of Public Health. She left this job in 2014 to run for Congress.
Iowa State Senate
In 2018, Miller-Meeks ran for the Iowa Senate, District 41. She won against her opponent, Mary Stewart. She served in the Iowa Senate from 2019 to 2020.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
First Attempts (2008, 2010, 2014)
Mariannette Miller-Meeks ran for the U.S. House of Representatives three times. She ran in 2008, 2010, and 2014. In all three elections, she lost to Dave Loebsack.
During her 2014 campaign, she spoke about her views. She was against the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). She also opposed same-sex marriage at that time. She criticized rules about waterways and coal plants. She felt these rules made things difficult for farmers.
Winning in 2020
In 2020, Miller-Meeks ran for Congress again. This time, Dave Loebsack was not running. She won the Republican primary election in June.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she said she followed safety rules. She practiced social distancing and wore a mask. However, she did not support making masks mandatory for everyone.
In the main election, she faced Rita Hart. The election was very close. Miller-Meeks won by only six votes. The state of Iowa confirmed this result. Rita Hart challenged the result, saying some votes were not counted. However, she later withdrew her challenge. Miller-Meeks was officially seated in Congress on January 3, 2021.
Re-election in 2022
After new district maps were drawn, Miller-Meeks' district changed. It became Iowa's 1st district. In 2022, she won her re-election. She defeated her Democratic opponent, Christina Bohannan, by a clear margin.
Re-election in 2024
In 2024, Miller-Meeks ran against Christina Bohannan again. This election was also very close. After a recount, Miller-Meeks was confirmed to have won her third term. She won by 801 votes.
Time in Office
Miller-Meeks voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This plan was about helping the country recover from the pandemic.
In May 2021, she was one of 35 Republicans who voted for a special group. This group was formed to investigate the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
Infrastructure
In 2020, Miller-Meeks said improving roads and bridges was a top goal. She suggested raising fuel taxes to pay for these projects. However, in 2021, she voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Immigration
In 2021, Miller-Meeks helped create a bill called the America's CHILDREN Act. This bill aims to help children of long-term visa holders. It would stop their visas from expiring when they turn 21. If they meet certain conditions, they could apply for permanent residency.
LGBT Rights
In 2021, Miller-Meeks voted to renew the Violence Against Women Act. This law helps protect people from violence. It also expanded protections for transgender people.
In 2022, she was one of many Republicans who voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. This law made the right to same-sex marriage legal across the country.
Committee Work
Mariannette Miller-Meeks serves on several important committees in Congress:
- Committee on Energy and Commerce
- Subcommittee on Health
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs
- Subcommittee on Health (She is the leader of this subcommittee.)
- Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic
Groups She Belongs To
Miller-Meeks is part of many different groups in Congress. These groups focus on specific topics. Some examples include:
- Conservative Climate Caucus (She is a leader here.)
- Pandemic Preparedness Caucus (She is a co-leader here.)
- Congressional Western Caucus (She is a vice chair.)
- For Country Caucus (She is a vice chair.)
- Climate Solutions Caucus
- GOP Doctors Caucus
- Main Street Caucus
- Rare Disease Caucus
- Taiwan Caucus
Personal Life
Mariannette Miller-Meeks is married to Curt Meeks. They have two children. She is a Roman Catholic.
She has also worked to bring more doctors to southeast Iowa. She has volunteered to help children in court as a special advocate.
Images for kids
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Mariannette Miller-Meeks' signature
See also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
