Sander Levin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sander Levin
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan |
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| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | William M. Brodhead |
| Succeeded by | Andy Levin |
| Constituency | 17th district (1983–1993) 12th district (1993–2013) 9th district (2013–2019) |
| Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee | |
| In office March 4, 2010 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Charlie Rangel |
| Succeeded by | Dave Camp |
| Member of the Michigan Senate from the 15th district |
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| In office January 13, 1965 – January 13, 1971 |
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| Preceded by | John W. Fitzgerald |
| Succeeded by | Daniel S. Cooper |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sander Martin Levin
September 6, 1931 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Vicki Schlafer
(m. 1958; died 2008)Pamela Cole
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 4, including Andy |
| Relatives | Carl Levin (brother) |
| Education | University of Chicago (BA) Columbia University (MA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Signature |  |
Sander Martin Levin (born September 6, 1931) is an American politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives for many years. He represented parts of Michigan from 1983 to 2019.
Levin was a member of the Democratic Party. He was also the chairman of an important group called the House Ways and Means Committee. His younger brother, Carl Levin, was a U.S. Senator. His son, Andy Levin, later took his place in Congress. Sander Levin decided to retire from Congress in December 2017.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sander Levin was born in Detroit, Michigan. His parents were Jewish. He went to Central High School in Detroit.
He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in 1952. Then, he got a master's degree in international relations from Columbia University in 1954. He also earned a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1957. After finishing school, he started his own law practice in Detroit.
Starting in State Politics
Levin began his political career in Michigan. In 1962, he became the chairman of the Democratic Party in Oakland County.
In 1964, he was elected as a State Senator for the 15th district. He served in this role until 1970. He also became the chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party in 1967. From 1969 to 1970, he was the Senate minority leader. This means he led the smaller party in the state Senate.
Levin ran for Governor of Michigan twice, in 1970 and 1974. He did not win either time. From 1977 to 1981, he worked for the Agency for International Development. This agency helps other countries.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Sander Levin served a long time in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was first elected in 1982. He won his first election with 67% of the votes.
He usually won re-election easily. His district changed numbers over the years. It was the 17th, then the 12th, and finally the 9th district. In 2012, his district merged with another. He still won re-election easily. He served 18 terms in Congress.
Important Committee Work
Levin was a key member of the Committee on Ways and Means. This committee handles important issues like taxes and trade.
He was the chairman of this committee from 2010 to 2011. Before that, he was the ranking member. This means he was the top member of his party on the committee. He also worked on subcommittees for trade and income security.
Political Views
Supporting Foreign Policy
As a member of Congress, Levin supported Israel. He also supported the nuclear deal with Iran. He believed this deal would make Israel and the world safer.
Personal Life and Family
Sander Levin was married to Vicki Schlafer for 50 years. She passed away in 2008. They had four children: Andy, Jennifer, Madeleine, and Matthew. They also had ten grandchildren.
In 2012, Levin married Pamela Cole. She is a psychology professor. They met through his first wife, Vicki.
The Levin family has many people involved in Michigan politics. His younger brother, Carl Levin, was a U.S. Senator. His uncle, Theodore, was a federal judge. His son, Andy Levin, followed in his footsteps. Andy was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018.
See also
- List of Jewish members of the United States Congress
