Vernon Ehlers

Vernon James Ehlers was a Republican member of the U. S. House of Representatives, representing the 3rd District of Michigan from 1993 to 2011. The district is based in Grand Rapids.

Iraq War
On October 10, 2002, Ehlers voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq. Ehlers justified his vote by explaining on the floor of Congress and in The Grand Rapids Press that Saddam Hussein was developing chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. Ehlers described the "destructive force of nuclear weapons" by describing what would happen if a bomb was detonated over Grand Rapids' Calder Plaza source:

...the blast would devastate all of Grand Rapids and the near suburbs, a firestorm would consume the rest of the suburbs and a lethal dose of radiation would envelop much of the downwind area. All told, upwards of 300,000 people would be killed. Prior to his vote, Ehlers was the target of letter writing by opponents of the war. In an October 11, 2002 article published in The Grand Rapids Press ("Local sentiment divided on next step," Ted Roelofs), Ehlers spokesperson admitted that calls, letters, and emails to the office were 50 to 1 against the war. He dismissed the opposition as being part of an "organized campaign" (source). Shortly before the invasion, antiwar protestors were arrested at Ehlers' Grand Rapids office where they claimed that he was violating international law and war crimes. The activists later detailed their charges in a publication and video titled The Trial of Vern Ehlers.

Through April 2007, Ehlers had voted in favor of all funding requests and had opposed an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. In 2006, Rep. Ehlers voted in favor of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which limited the Habeus Corpus rights of detainees in the War on Terror.

"Public Enemies of the Middle Class"
In response to his voting record in the 110th Congress, Representative Ehlers was named as one of 18 "Public Enemies of the Middle Class" by Americans United for Change. Ehlers was included on the list due to his vote against the Fair Minimum Wage Act and the Employee Free Choice Act.

2007 SCHIP Vote
In 2007, Congress took up the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health care for about 6 million children and 670,000 adults from families who earn too much money qualify for Medicare but not enough to afford health insurance. Congressional Democrats and many Republicans tried to use the opportunity to dramatically expand the program but were opposed by President George W. Bush and other Republicans. In 2006, 5.4 million children were eligible but not enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid and 9.4 million total children were uninsured.

Ehlers voted against the first House bill, which passed along party lines. It would have added $47 billion over five years to the $25 billion cost of the program and added about 5 million people to the program, including children, some legal immigrants, pregnant women and adults aged 18 and 19. The bill was financed mainly by an increase in cigarette taxes.

House Democrats, with 45 Republicans, later compromised and passed a bill which expanded the plan by $35 billion and would have insured about 3.5 million more children from families generally making between 250% and 300% of the federal poverty line (about $51,000 to $62,000 for a family of four). Most non-pregnant, childless adults were excluded, as were most legal immigrants and all illegal immigrants. Ehlers voted for the bill.

After President Bush vetoed the bill, Democratic leaders attempted to override the veto with the same bill but failed. Ehlers voted for the bill.

House Democrats then attempted to override it with another bill, which gave into Republican demands for increased checks for citizenship, the quick phasing-out of adult coverage, a hard limit of 300% of the federal poverty level and funding for families that covered their children through private insurance instead. Republicans, angry that the vote was scheduled during massive fires in California, blocked the veto override. Ehlers voted against the bill claiming that Democrats failed to get enough Republican input. For details on the bills and the debate, see the main State Children's Health Insurance Program page.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Contested elections
On March 16, 2007, Ehlers, as House Administration Committee Ranking Member, shot down a suggestion that the committee examine the contested 2006 election for Florida's 13th District between Democratic candidate Christine Jennings and Republican Vern Buchanan. Ehlers cited the standard of allowing states to complete their reviews before the committee takes up a case as the reason for dismissing the suggestion.

Bio
Ehlers was born February 6, 1934 in Pipestone, Minnesota. He attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids from 1952-1956. He earned an A.B. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1956, and a Ph.D. in nuclear physics from UC Berkeley in [1960. After six years of teaching and research at UC Berkeley, he moved to Calvin College in 1966 where he taught physics for 16 years and later served as chairman of the Physics Department.

He began his political career in 1974 while still at Calvin, when he was elected to the Kent County board of commissioners. He served four terms, then spent 10 years in the Michigan state legislature--two years in the state house and eight in the state senate.

Congressional career
In 1993, he won a special election for the 3rd District, which had been vacant since Congressman Paul B. Henry died six months into his fifth term. He won a full term in 1994 and has been reelected since with no significant Democratic opposition.

Ehlers is a moderate Republican. He has voted with congressional Democrats on issues such as affirmative action and environmental protection. He is one of the few Republicans to oppose the death penalty and he also opposes the Flag Desecration Amendment. In the 107th Congress, Ehlers led the development of the Great Lakes Legacy Act, which authorized spending $270 million over five years to clean up sediments in the Great Lakes.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated James Richard Rinck to face Ehlers in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Ehlers retained his seat.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Education and Labor
 * Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
 * Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness
 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
 * House Committee on Science and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation
 * Subcommittee on Research and Science Education - Ranking Member
 * House Committee on House Administration - Ranking Member

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Education and the Workforce
 * Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness
 * Subcommittee on Education Reform
 * House Committee on House Administration - Chair
 * House Committee on Science
 * Subcommittee on Energy
 * Subcommittee on Environment Technology and Standards - Chair
 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
 * Joint Committee on the Library of Congress

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Member, Christine Todd Whitman's Its My Party Too
 * Member, Republican Main Street Partnership
 * Member, Peak Oil Caucus

Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Eye on Ehlers
 * Michigan Liberal 3rd CD Section
 * Media Mouse
 * Coit Avenue
 * Democratic Edge
 * Scott Does Politics
 * West Michigan Politics
 * For My Amusement Only

Articles

 * Ehlers Praises NAFTA; Takes no Position on CAFTA at Town Hall Meeting Mediamouse.org, 04/24/05
 * Ehlers Helped Create Thomas.gov, Connected Congress to the Web WZZM13 News, 1/18/06
 * Vern Ehlers Answers Questions from Constituents at Annual "Town Hall" Meeting Mediamouse.org, 05/07/06
 * Michigan Representatives Ehlers and Hoekstra Split Vote on COPE Act; Both Vote against Net Neutrality Mediamouse.org, 06/12/06
 * Audio of 3rd US Congressional District Debate Featuring Vern Ehlers Mediamouse.org, 10/25/06
 * Republican Representative Vern Ehlers Debates Democratic Challenger Mediamouse.org, 10/27/06
 * Ehlers Claims War Vote a Mistake, Press Portrays him as Misled and Reluctant Supporter of War Despite his Consistent Record of Supporting the War Mediamouse.org, 02/16/07
 * Congressman Vern Ehlers Votes against Measure Opposing Escalation of Iraq War Mediamouse.org, 02/16/07
 * Antiwar March Confronts Congressman Ehlers at his Home Mediamouse.org, 04/05/07
 * Ehlers Addresses Iraq, Changes in Congress, and other Legislative Issues at Grand Rapids Meeting Mediamouse.org, 04/05/07
 * Rep. Vern Ehlers Refuses to do anything to End the Iraq War at Town Hall Meeting Mediamouse.org, 05/05/07
 * Audio of Ehlers 2007 Annual Town Hall Meeting Mediamouse.org, 05/05/07
 * Wall of the Fallen DailyKos.com, 05/05/07
 * Ehlers Supports Amendments Restricting War with Iran Mediamouse.org, 05/20/07
 * West Michigan Representatives and Michigan Senators Vote for Iraq Funding Bill, Mediamouse.org, 05/25/07.
 * Ehlers likes the cut of Romney's jib, The Grand Rapids Press, 06/03/07.
 * Ehlers Introduces Voting "Reform" Legislation, Mediamouse.org, 06/15/07.