Congressman Vern Buchanan was elected on Nov. 7, 2006 to serve the people of Florida’s 13th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Vern Buchanan grew up with five siblings in a blue collar household in a small town near Detroit, Michigan. He served six years in the Air National Guard and worked his way through college, where he met his wife Sandy. Prior to serving in Congress, he and Sandy raised a family and were active in their community.

Currently serving his first term, Congressman Buchanan was sworn in to office on Jan. 4, 2007. He quickly rolled up his sleeves and went to work as a conservative businessman who emphasizes common sense and constituent services.

For his first bill, he sponsored legislation with Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida to address the state’s insurance crisis. The Homeowners Insurance Protection Act would establish a federal reinsurance catastrophic fund to increase access to affordable property insurance in Florida by providing lower cost reinsurance to states.

A strong fiscal conservative, the Congressman has also introduced the Buchanan Balanced Budget Amendment Act to require a balanced federal budget and the Earmark Accountability and Reform Act to reform the process through which federal funds are “earmarked” for pet projects.

The Congressman’s other top legislative priorities are national security, maintaining tax relief, providing our seniors and veterans with the benefits they have earned, and protecting the environment, which is vital to Florida’s economy and quality of life.

Congressman Buchanan serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, through which he is fighting for Florida’s fair share of federal transportation dollars; the House Committee on Veterans, on which he is working to address the needs of the District’s more than 95,000 veterans; and the House Committee on Small Business.

The self-made businessman is a respected leader in Florida’s business community. He chaired both the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. He was also a member of the Board of the U.S. Chamber.

In addition, Congressman Buchanan has given both time and money to diverse community causes, including the Boys and Girls Club, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes, the American Heart Walk, the Mote Marine Laboratory, and the Ringling Museum of Art.

A husband and father, Congressman Buchanan lives in Longboat Key, Florida with his wife of more than 30 years. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan have two grown sons, James and Matt.

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