Detailed Biography
Congressman John Conyers, Jr., Democrat, represents Michigan’s 13th Congressional District which encompasses a large portion of Detroit, as well as Dearborn Heights, Ecorse, Garden City, Highland Park, Inkster, Melvindale, Redford, River Rouge, Romulus, Wayne, and Westland. In November 2014, Congressman Conyers was elected to his 26th consecutive term, making him the first African-American to hold the distinction as Dean (most senior member) of Congress.
Leadership In Congress
From 1989 to 2004, Congressman Conyers served as Chair of the Committee on Government Operations (now the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform). In 2006, Congressman Conyers was elected by his congressional colleagues to lead, as Chairman of the pivotal House Committee on the Judiciary in the 110th and 111th Congress. The Judiciary Committee oversees the Department of Justice, FBI, and the Federal Courts. Additionally, the committee has jurisdiction over copyright, civil rights and liberties, consumer protection, and constitutional issues. Congressman Conyers was also a member of the Judiciary Committee in its 1974 hearings on the Watergate impeachment scandal and played a prominent role during President Clinton's impeachment process, giving him the distinction as the only Judiciary Committee Member to have served on both panels. Currently, he serves as the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee
Congressman Conyers is one of the 13 Founding Members and the Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).The CBC was formed in 1969, the CBC was founded to strengthen African-American law makers' ability to address the legislative concerns of Black and minority citizens.
Accomplishments
In Mr. Conyers' 50 plus years in Congress, some of his major accomplishments include: the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, the Motor Voter Bill of 1993, the Martin Luther King Holiday Act of 1983, the Alcohol Warning Label Act of 1988, and the Jazz Preservation Act of 1987. He was also the driving force behind the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
In recent years, Mr. Conyers has focused his efforts on promoting economic development in Southeast Michigan, fighting for equal justice and the protection of the civil rights for all Americans, and promoting peace around the world.
Congressman Conyers is dedicated to improving the lives of the people of the 13th Congressional District. During the 113th Congress, he worked tirelessly to secure $300 million in funding for deserving groups and organizations in the Detroit Metropolitan Area.
Legislation
Congressman Conyers is the principal author of the "End Racial Profiling Act," legislation that would ensure that the rights of all Americans are protected by banning racial profiling nationwide and by requiring all federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to take administrative steps to eliminate the practice. He recently introduced the “Youth Jobs Act,” establishing in the Department of Treasury the Youth Jobs Fund to be awarded to local entities for work-based training and activities of demonstrated effectiveness to provide unemployed, low-income young adults and youth with skills that will lead to employment.
Personal and Professional
Congressman Conyers was born on May 16, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Northwestern High School in Detroit. Upon graduation, he went to Wayne State University for his undergraduate (1957) and legal studies (1958). Congressman Conyers served in the National Guard and the United States Army Corps of Engineers during the Korean War. Congressman Conyers is married to Monica, and they have two sons John III and Carl Edward.
Congressman Conyers has received numerous honors for his leadership, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Award, which was presented to him by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He has also been awarded numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities throughout the nation. Congressman Conyers has two sons, John III and Carl Edward.