Vern Ehlers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vern Ehlers
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 3rd district |
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| In office December 7, 1993 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Henry |
| Succeeded by | Justin Amash |
| Member of the Michigan Senate from the 32nd district |
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| In office 1985–1993 |
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| Preceded by | Paul B. Henry |
| Succeeded by | Glenn Steil Sr. |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 93rd district |
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| In office 1983–1985 |
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| Preceded by | John Otterbacher |
| Succeeded by | Richard Bandstra |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Vernon James Ehlers
February 6, 1934 Pipestone, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | August 15, 2017 (aged 83) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Johanna Ehlers |
| Alma mater | Calvin College University of California, Berkeley |
| Occupation | College Professor |
Vernon James Ehlers (February 6, 1934 – August 15, 2017) was an American scientist and politician. He represented Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served there from 1993 until he retired in 2011.
Ehlers was a member of the Republican party. Before joining the U.S. House, he worked in Michigan's state government. He served eight years in the Michigan Senate and two years in the Michigan House of Representatives.
He was the first research physicist to be elected to Congress. Later, other physicists like Rush Holt, Jr. and Bill Foster also joined Congress.
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Vern Ehlers' Early Life and Education
Vernon James Ehlers was born in Pipestone, Minnesota. He started his college studies at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. After three years, he moved to the University of California, Berkeley.
At Berkeley, he earned a degree in physics. In 1960, he received his Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in nuclear physics. After finishing his studies, he taught and did research at Berkeley for six years.
In 1966, Ehlers returned to Michigan. He began teaching physics at Calvin College. He taught there for 16 years. He also became the head of the Physics Department.
Vern Ehlers passed away on August 15, 2017, when he was 83 years old.
Vern Ehlers' First Steps in Politics
Vern Ehlers started his political career in local government. He served on the Kent County Board of Commissioners. This was from 1975 to 1982.
After that, he moved to state politics. He served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1983 to 1985. Then, he became a member of the Michigan Senate. He served there from 1985 to 1993.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1993, Vern Ehlers was elected to the United States House of Representatives. This is part of the U.S. Congress, where laws are made. He represented Michigan's 3rd District.
What Committees Did Vern Ehlers Work On?
In the House, members work in different groups called committees. These groups focus on specific topics. Vern Ehlers was part of several important committees:
- Committee on Education and Labor: This committee deals with schools, jobs, and training.
- Committee on House Administration: This committee manages the daily operations of the House. Ehlers was even a leader (Chairman) of this committee for a time.
- Committee on Science and Technology: This committee focuses on science, research, and new technologies.
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: This committee works on roads, bridges, airports, and other public structures.
Vern Ehlers' Group Memberships
Members of Congress often join groups called caucuses. These groups share common interests or goals. Vern Ehlers was a member of:
- The STEM Ed Caucus: This group supports education in science, technology, engineering, and math. He was a co-chair of this caucus.
- The Peak Oil Caucus: This group focused on energy issues.
Vern Ehlers' Political Views
Vern Ehlers was known as a moderate Republican. This means his political views were often in the middle, not extremely conservative or liberal. He sometimes voted with Republicans and sometimes with Democrats.
He was part of groups like the Republican Main Street Partnership. This group supports moderate Republican ideas. He also belonged to Republicans for Environmental Protection. This showed his interest in protecting the environment.
For example, Ehlers was the only Michigan representative from either party to vote for higher fuel economy standards for cars. This happened in both 2001 and 2005. This vote aimed to make cars use less fuel.
Vern Ehlers' Elections
In 1993, Vern Ehlers won a special election. This election was held because the previous Congressman, Paul B. Henry, had passed away. Ehlers then won a full term in 1994.
He was re-elected six more times after that. He usually faced little strong competition from the Democratic party. Vern Ehlers decided to retire from Congress in 2010.
Images for kids
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Chairman Ehlers greets Ranking Member Juanita Millender-McDonald at a hearing of the House Administration Committee.
