George Miller (California politician)

Miller's official portrait in the 95th Congress, 1977

In 1974, incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Jerome Waldie gave up his seat to make an unsuccessful run for Governor of California. Miller decided to run for the open seat, which had been renumbered from the 14th congressional district to the 7th congressional district in a mid-decade redistricting. He won the primary with a plurality of 38%.[2] In the general election, he defeated Republican Gary Fernandez 56% to 44%,[3] the lowest winning percentage of his career. He went on to win reelection 18 times and never won with less than 60% of the vote.[4]

On April 10, 1975, Miller walked out of the House chamber during President Ford's State of the World speech when he requested military aid for Vietnam.[5]

2012

After redistricting, Miller's district was redrawn and renumbered the 11th. He ran against, and defeated, Republican Virginia Fuller in the general election.[6]

In a 2012 campaign ad, Miller said that the main challenge the U.S. faces is the need “to correct the disparities that exist in our country.”[7]

Fuller has spoken of her inspiration to run against Miller: "We are going deeper and deeper into a debt our children will never be able to pay." Democratic primary challenger John Fitzgerald, for his part, said that “people like us” need to run for Congress because D.C. pols are no longer in touch with the world.[8]

Miller at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2014

According to the National Journal, Miller is one of seven members of the House of Representatives who tie for most liberal.[9]

In 2011–12, Miller sponsored 10 bills (placing him at #40 out of 440 House members), none of which were made into law (ranks 18 of 440). He co-sponsored 199 bills (placing him at #138 out of 440), 4 of which were made Into law (ranks 17 of 440).[10]

During Miller's 1974 campaign, he routinely disclosed his donors and expenses, taking advantage of the Watergate scandal that was still in the minds of voters. This helped get him a seat in the House at the age of 29, becoming one of the Watergate Babies. At the time of his retirement, he was one of the last surviving members of the large Democratic freshman class of 1974, and had spent over half of his life in Congress.[11] Miller has been described as someone who has "proven himself both a liberal lion ...and savvy about working both sides of the aisle.”[12]

With his father being the former chairman of the state Senate Finance Committee and mentor Phillip Burton being an integral part of liberal politics in the 1970s, Miller has been described as the “heir to a tradition of Bay Area working-class politics.” Miller had one of the most liberal voting records in the House, and brings "a zest for political combat." A review of Miller's career states that, although he has been unsuccessful in his pursuit of top party positions, he has "learned a legislator’s virtues of patience, timing, and creativity."[13]

Environmental issues

In the House, Miller was a member of the Natural Resources Committee; he was that Committee's chairman from 1991 to 1994. Miller supported efforts to preserve public lands such as the 1994 California Desert Protection Act, which among other things created Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park. In addition, Miller was the chief sponsor of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992, which mandated that the federal government's Bureau of Reclamation manage the Central Valley Project in order to better protect the fish and wildlife populations of California's Bay-Delta region.[14] Miller lost his chairmanship when Republicans won control of Congress in 1994. He stayed as the committee's Ranking Member until 2000. and remained on the committee as a member until 2015. Miller was also a member of the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus.

Labor issues

From 2001 to 2006, Miller was the ranking Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee. With that committee's chairman and their Senate counterparts, Miller helped draft the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 and 2002. Miller has focused on pension issues, reinstating Davis-Bacon Act wage protections for Gulf Coast workers in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In addition, Miller has worked on education issues such as protesting student aid cuts,[15] increasing No Child Left Behind Act funding, and investigating the Bush administration's hiring of Armstrong Williams to promote that law. Miller has also been a vocal advocate of labor and immigration reform in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.[16] In 2007, as chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, Miller sponsored the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, which was enacted into law as an amendment to another bill. In 2001, Miller said, "The secret ballot is absolutely necessary in order to ensure that workers are not intimidated into voting for a union they might not otherwise choose." He was an "outspoken critic of the apparel industry record on worker safety in foreign factories, most recently in Bangladesh."[17]

Education

Miller's biggest defeat was when he lost 424-1[18] in congress for his amendment to House Resolution 6 of 1994.[19] His refusal to make provision for homeschooling caused the national home school community to lobby the whole congress against Miller's amendment[20] to the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994. Miller sponsored the Protecting Students from Sexual and Violent Predators Act, a bill that would require school districts receiving federal funds to give all employees criminal background checks.[21] The bill passed the House of Representatives on October 22, 2013.[21]

Port Chicago disaster

Miller has petitioned to clear the names of the sailors of the World War II Port Chicago disaster in which more than 200 black men were court-martialed and 50 convicted of mutiny for refusing to continue to load ammunition onto warships after a tremendous explosion killed hundreds. For the most part, Miller's efforts failed, and fewer than four of the sailors convicted of mutiny are still alive. However, in 1999, President Bill Clinton pardoned Freddie Meeks, one of the 50 mutineers.[22] In addition, Miller wrote the legislation to designate the site of the event as a National Memorial.[23][24]

Native American gaming

Miller was a supporter of Native American gaming. In 2000, as ranking member of the House Resource Committee, Miller inserted an amendment to the Omnibus Indian Advancement Act that took an existing cardroom into federal trust for the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians. The amendment made the land acquisition retroactive to 1987, stating that "[s]uch land shall be deemed to have been held in trust and part of the reservation of the Rancheria prior to October 17, 1988."[25] This allowed the Lyttons to open a casino at the cardroom under the terms of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. Some members of Congress and the gambling industry have called the amendment "underhanded," while other politicians have called the maneuver nothing out of the ordinary.[26]

2008 presidential election

Miller, a superdelegate in the Democratic Party's 2008 presidential primary, pledged his support to Barack Obama despite the fact that his district voted for Hillary Clinton. Miller cited Obama's grassroots fundraising campaign, first-place win in the Iowa caucus and strong showing in the New Hampshire primary, leadership style and opposition to the Iraq War as reasons for his endorsement. The endorsement was first reported in the Contra Costa Times on January 9, 2008.[27]

Relationship with Nancy Pelosi

Miller has been considered Nancy Pelosi's most trusted confidant, with conservative columnist Robert Novak describing him as "her consigliere, always at her side."[28] Pelosi receives advice from Miller as well as protection from potential adversaries in the Democratic Caucus. Miller describes her as the leader he has been waiting for 30 years and supported her when the Democrats lost the majority in 2010, saying that the Obama administration did not defend her or her accomplishments. Pelosi also named Miller chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, where he had an influential role in preparing the "New Direction" for the 2006 election.[13]

Their friendship has spanned "over 30 years and many plane trips to Washington from their neighboring California districts," with some colleagues saying that they have become so close that they finish each other's sentences. The New York Times reported that "In the concerns of some Democrats — and the I-told-you-so’s of some Republicans — Mr. Miller represents Mrs. Pelosi’s true liberal soul.”[12]

SunPower controversy

It was reported that Miller and his son, George Miller IV, a lobbyist, were involved in the controversy surrounding the U.S. Department of Energy awarding a $1.2 billion loan to the struggling SunPower Corporation.[29] The loan was awarded hours before the DOE program was set to expire. It was reported that by April 2012, the company's stock had fallen nearly 50% since the loan had been awarded. SunPower has paid Miller's son and his lobbying firm US$138,000 to represent them. Miller asserts that he and his son never discusses legislation; his son, however, does boast of political connections in Washington openly.[29]

Accepting free travel

In January 2012, Miller was cited as one of the members of Congress who had accepted the most free travel the previous year.[30]

• Committee on Education and Labor (ranking member)
  • As ranking member of the full committee, Miller may serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees of which he is not already a voting member.
  • Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
  • Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
• United States House Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families (Chair)[31]

• Congressional Progressive Caucus
• Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus
• International Conservation Caucus
• House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee (Co-Chair for Policy)