Mary Miller (politician)

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Mary Miller
Mary Miller 117th U.S Congress.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 15th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2021 (January 3, 2021)
Preceded byJohn Shimkus
Personal details
Born (1959-08-27) August 27, 1959 (age 62)
Oak Park, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1980)​
Children7
ResidenceOakland, Illinois
EducationEastern Illinois University (BS)
WebsiteHouse website

Mary E. Miller (née Meyer; born August 27, 1959) is an American farmer and politician serving as the U.S. Representative from Illinois's 15th congressional district. She is a member of the Republican Party and serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Education & Labor. Her term began on January 3, 2021.

Early life and education[]

Born in Oak Park, Illinois, to Annette and Harvey Meyer,[1][2] Miller graduated from Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois.[3] She earned a Bachelor of Science in business management and also completed graduate coursework in education at Eastern Illinois University.[4]

U.S. House of Representatives[]

Elections[]

2020
See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois § District 15
Miller speaking at a Turning Point USA event in 2020

Miller announced her candidacy to represent Illinois's 15th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives in the 2020 elections to succeed retiring incumbent John Shimkus.[5] She won the Republican Party nomination,[6] the real contest in the deeply Republican district, and won the general election with over 70% of the vote. She is the first Republican woman elected to represent Illinois in Congress since Judy Biggert left office in 2013.[7] Miller focused her campaign on providing support to farming and bringing manufacturing back to Illinois.[8]

Miller sided with President Donald Trump's view of the 2020 presidential election as having been compromised by voter fraud, calling it "tainted".[9]

Tenure[]

On January 6, 2021, when Congress met to formally count the votes of the Electoral College and certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, Miller was one of the members of the House of Representatives who objected to the votes of Arizona and Pennsylvania.[10]

On March 2, 2021, Miller introduced legislation for the Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act.[11] On March 19, 2021, she was one of 14 House Republicans to vote against a measure condemning the Myanmar coup d'état that overwhelmingly passed, for reasons reported to be unclear.[12]

In June 2021, Miller was one of 21 House Republicans to vote against a resolution to give the Congressional Gold Medal to police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on January 6.[13]

In June 2021, Miller was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal the AUMF against Iraq.[14][15]

Comment about Hitler[]

On January 5, 2021, two days into her House term, Miller issued a prepared speech to the conservative group .[16][17] She quoted Adolf Hitler, saying: "Each generation has the responsibility to teach and train the next generation. You know, if we win a few elections, we're still going to be losing unless we win the hearts and minds of our children. This is the battle. Hitler was right on one thing: he said, 'Whoever has the youth has the future.'"[18][19]

A number of groups and politicians strongly condemned the comment, harshly criticized Miller, and exhorted the Republican party to do likewise. Public statements were issued by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Anti-Defamation League (ADL), World Jewish Congress, and multiple lawmakers including Adam Kinzinger and Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker.[20][21][22][23][24][25] Representative Jan Schakowsky, Senator Tammy Duckworth, and the Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus called for Miller's resignation.[26][24][21] On January 14, Schakowsky said that she would introduce a measure to censure Miller.[27] ADL Midwest Regional Director David Goldenberg shared with Miller's office a list of 12 anti-Semitic incidents and 17 instances of white supremacist propaganda in the 15th District in 2019 and 2020 in an effort to make Miller aware of "what was going on in and around her district", he said, including information about extremist activity.[28]

On January 7, Miller's office tweeted that her remarks had been intended to compare alleged youth indoctrination efforts by unnamed "left-wing radicals" to those of Hitler, while nonetheless encouraging Republicans to even more aggressively appeal to the youth as a means to collective power.[17] On January 8, she apologized for having quoted Hitler in the message, but accused her critics of twisting her words.[16][29]

Caucus memberships[]

  • Freedom Caucus[30]
  • Republican Study Committee[31]

Personal life[]

Mary Miller is married to fellow Republican politician Chris Miller. They own a farm in Oakland, near Charleston, where they grow grain and raise cattle. They have seven children and 17 grandchildren.[3][8] Chris has served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 2019, representing most of the district's eastern portion.[32] The Millers are members of Oakland Christian Church, where Mary teaches Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.[33][34]

References[]

  1. ^ "Miller, Mary E. (1959– )". U.S. Congress. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "Mary Miller". Our Campaigns. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Perry, Scott. "Oakland woman announces bid for 15th Congressional District seat | Government and Politics". jg-tc.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  4. ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  5. ^ Joseph Bustos. Grain and cattle farmer from Oakland, Illinois, jumps into 15th District race. Belleville News-Democrat. 23, Oct 2019
  6. ^ Rubio, Karina (March 17, 2020). "Mary Miller to win Republican primary for Illinois 15th district". WCIA.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. ^ "Republican Mary Miller wins election to U.S. House in Illinois' 15th Congressional District | National/World News". The News-Gazette. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Stabile, Angelica (November 9, 2020). "13 GOP women join the House, dominating congressional elections, making history". FOX News. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  9. ^ Sweet, Lynn (January 3, 2020). "After Trump call, Republican Kinzinger says no member of Congress can object to election with a 'clean conscience'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  10. ^ Behrmann, Savannah; Santucci, Jeanine (January 14, 2021). "The Members of Congress Who Objected to Joe Biden's Electoral College Win Amid Capitol Riot". USA Today. Retrieved January 17, 2021.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Moore, Brenden (March 2, 2021). "Watch now: Rep. Mary Miller files bill that would require sex-segregated school bathrooms, sports teams". The Southern Illinoisan.
  12. ^ Diaz, Daniella; Wilson, Kristin (March 19, 2021). "14 House Republicans vote against a measure condemning military coup in Myanmar". CNN. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  13. ^ Grayer, Annie; Wilson, Kristin (June 16, 2021). "21 Republicans vote no on bill to award Congressional Gold Medal for January 6 police officers". CNN. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  14. ^ "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization".
  15. ^ "FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 172 | H R 256 YEA-AND-NAY 17-Jun-2021 11:27 AM | QUESTION: On Passage | BILL TITLE: To repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002". clerk.house.gov.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Pearson, Rick (January 8, 2021). "Rep. Mary Miller Apologizes for Using Adolf Hitler Reference in Speech, But Blames Others for Trying to Twist Her Words". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b Pearson, Rick (January 7, 2021). "Newly Inaugurated Illinois GOP Congresswoman Claims She Was Attacking Democrats in Citing Adolf Hitler". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 8, 2021 – via Yahoo! News.
  18. ^ "Illinois Congresswoman Says 'Hitler Was Right on One Thing'". NBC Chicago. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  19. ^ McGowan Staebler, Margot (January 6, 2021). ""Hitler was right," Illinois Republican Mary Miller says". Belleville News Democrat. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  20. ^ Petrella, Lisa; Donovan, Dan (January 6, 2021). "Days after she was sworn in, Illinois U.S. Rep. Mary Miller facing criticism for invoking Adolf Hitler during speech in Washington". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b Maxwell, Mark (January 7, 2021). "Duckworth calls on Congresswoman Miller to resign for quoting Hitler". WGN-TV. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  22. ^ Miller, Steve (January 6, 2021). "Illinois congresswoman's reference to Hitler condemned by Gov. Pritzker". WBBM Radio.
  23. ^ Samuels, Ben (January 6, 2021). "Republican Congresswoman at pro-Trump Rally Near U.S. Capitol: 'Hitler Was Right'". Haaretz. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b "Lawmakers, governor condemn Rep. Mary Miller's 'Hitler was right on one thing' comment". WCIA.com. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  25. ^ Budryk, Zack (January 7, 2021). "Newly sworn-in Republican lawmaker condemned by Holocaust Museum after Hitler quote". The Hill. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  26. ^ Sweet, Lynn; Boyle, Andy (January 6, 2021). "After Illinois Rep. Mary Miller praises Hitler, Rep. Jan Schakowsky calls on her to resign". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  27. ^ "Illinois Congresswoman Mary Miller, who quoted Hitler in speech, could be censured, fellow rep. says". January 14, 2021.
  28. ^ "Months after congresswoman's Hitler remarks, Jews' in pain". Daily Herald. Associated Press. April 24, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  29. ^ ""A poor start in Congress for Rep. Miller," Tribune-Star Editorial Board". January 25, 2021.
  30. ^ "Who is Mary Miller, Republican representative for Illinois' 15th Congressional District?". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  31. ^ "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  32. ^ "Mary Miller, wife of Rep. Chris Miller, to run in 15th Congressional District". East Central Reporter. November 11, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  33. ^ "Meet Mary". Mary Miller for Congress.
  34. ^ "Religious affiliation of members of 117th Congress" (PDF). /www.pewforum.org. Pew Research Center.

External links[]

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
John Shimkus 		Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 15th congressional district
2021–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Peter Meijer 		United States representatives by seniority
410th 		Succeeded by
Mariannette Miller-Meeks
  • v
  • t
Illinois's delegation(s) to the 117th–present United States Congresses (ordered by seniority)
117th
Senate:
  •   R. Durbin (D)
  •   T. Duckworth (D)
House:
Retrieved from ""