Biography

Hometown:  Democrat from Flint, Michigan.  Represents the State's 5th Congressional District

Born:  September 16, 1929, in Flint.

Education:  Sacred Heart Seminary, B.A.; University of Detroit, Teacher's Certificate; University of Michigan, M.A.; graduate studies in history and political science at the University of Peshawar, Pakistan, under a Rotary Foundation Fellowship.

Profession:  Teacher, University of Detroit High School, 1954-1956, and Flint Central High School, 1956-1964.

Religion:  Roman Catholic.

Family:  Married Gayle C. Heyn, February 27, 1965. Three adult children: David, Laura, and Paul; eight grandchildren.

Community Affiliations:  Member of Optimists, Urban League, Knights of Columbus, Phi Delta Kappa (national honorary fraternity), and American Federation of Teachers. A life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Political Accomplishments:  In 1964, elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, 81st District, and re-elected to four succeeding terms.

Elected to the Michigan State Senate, 25th District in 1974.

Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 and each succeeding term in the 7th and 5th Congressional Districts.

Committees:  Currently is a senior member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education and as a member of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions. He is also a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, where he sits on the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands and the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans.

Serving since 1993 as co-chair of the Congressional Automotive Caucus. Elected by his colleagues in 1997 to serve as co-chair of the Native American Caucus.

Committee Assignments:

Committee on Education and the Workforce
Committee on Resources

Congressional Caucus Assignments:

The Native American Caucus
The Automotive Caucus