Wally Herger: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox congressmanofficeholder

| occupation= Oil Executiveexecutive

| term_start2= December 1, 1980

| term_end2 = November 30, 1986

| succeeded2 = [[Christopher Chandler (politician)|Christopher Chandler]]

'''Walter William Herger Jr.''' (born May 20, 1945) is an [[United States of America|American]] politician. Hewho wasserved aas the [[RepublicanUnited PartyStates (UnitedHouse States)of Representatives|RepublicanU.S. representative]] member of thefor [[UnitedCalifornia's States2nd Housecongressional of Representativesdistrict]] from 1987 untilto 2013,. representingA member of the [[California'sRepublican 2ndParty congressional(United districtStates)|Republican Party]], his district was the state's largest congressional district by area in California. It coverscovered almost all of interior northern[[Northern California]] including, [[Chico, California|Chico]], [[Redding, California|Redding]] and [[Red Bluff, California|Red Bluff]]. On January 10, 2012, Herger announced he would not seek re-election to the House in November.<ref>[http://www.redding.com/news/2012/jan/09/herger-announce-retirement-lamalfa-run-his-seat Herger announces he will not seek re-election in 2012], redding.com; accessed August 9, 2017.</ref>

Herger was born in [[Yuba City, California]]. He is of [[Swiss people|Swiss]] descent; his paternal grandfather emigrated to the US from the [[canton of Uri]] in the late 19th century. He is also of [[Germany|German]] and [[Ireland|Irish]] descent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/FOREST+SERVICE+SEMINAR+BERATED;+CONGRESSMAN+SAYS+MOTIVATIONAL...-a083891297|title=FOREST SERVICE SEMINAR BERATED; CONGRESSMAN SAYS MOTIVATIONAL ENCOUNTER IS WASTE OF MONEY. - Free Online Library|website=www.thefreelibrary.com|accessdateaccess-date=3 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/herger.htm|title=Ancestry® {{!}} Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records|website=freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-11}}</ref> Herger was raised on his family's {{convert|200|acre|km2|adj=on}} cattle ranch and plum farm in the [[northern California]] town of [[Rio Oso, California|Rio Oso]] (between Yuba City and Sacramento). He worked in the family's oil and gas exploration business.<ref name="official bio">Representative [http://herger.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=89 Wally Herger 2007 bio (2nd District of California)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210030024/http://herger.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=89 |date=2011-02-10 }}; retrieved February 11, 2011, from</ref>

He joined [[Thethe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] when he was about 20 years old.<ref>''[[Church News]]'', March 29, 2008.{{full citation needed|date=December 2016}}</ref> He graduated from [[American River College]] with an Associate of Arts. He also attended [[California State University, Sacramento]] for a year. His political career started in 1976, with his election to the East Nicolaus School Board. He also served northern California in the [[California State Assembly]] from 1980–861980 to 1986.

Herger was easily reelected to Congress due to the "safe" Republican voter registration advantage in this district, but his election campaigns were challenged by DemocratDemocratic candidates in his last campaigns. The district often fields a candidate registered with a third party, such as the Libertarian party and, during the 1990s, the Natural Law Party.

In 2002 and 2004, Herger defeated Democrat Mike Johnson, garnering 67% of the vote in 2004. In 2006, Herger faced Arjinderpal Sekhon and received 64% of the vote.<ref>CA Secretary of State – Statement of Vote – 2006 General Election. Retrieved March 4, 2008, from http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2006_general/congress.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115135046/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2006_general/congress.pdf |date=2012-11-15 }}</ref> In 2008, Herger faced Trinity County Supervisor Jeff Morris, who did somewhat better, holding Herger to 57% of the vote.<ref>CA Secretary of State – Statement of Vote – 2008 General Election; retrieved January 10, 2009, from http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2008_general/23_34_us_reps.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221042514/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2008_general/23_34_us_reps.pdf |date=2008-12-21 }}</ref>

Herger served on the influential [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means]] since his tenure began as a federal representative. Within Ways and Means, Representative Herger served on two subcommittees, the [[United States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade|Subcommittee on Trade]], and the [[United States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support|Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support]]. In the 110th Congress he was named the Ranking Member of the Republican (minority) delegation to the Trade Subcommittee. Representative Herger's participation in full committee is limited to Ways and Means, in accordance with the rules of the Committee on Ways and Means. While he chaired the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support (called the Subcommittee on Human Resources during his watch) beginning with the [[107th United States Congress|107th Congress]], he played a leading role in the reauthorization and expansion of the 1996 welfare reform law. He sponsored the [https://web.archive.org/web/20131021194803/http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/query/z ''Criminal Welfare Prevention Act''], passed as part of the larger 1996 Welfare Reform Law. This bill gave additional financial incentives to law enforcement agencies that identitiedidentified fraudulent recipients of aid].<ref name="official bio"/><ref>Herger, W. (May 25, 1999); retrieved July 24, 2007</ref>

On August 18, 2009, Herger triggered controversy when he attended a town hall meeting in Redding, California, where an audience member introduced himself as a "proud right-wing [[terrorist]]"<ref name="terrorist">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1566714064/Right-wing-terrorist-says-he-misspoke|title=Right wing "terrorist" says he misspoke|accessdateaccess-date=August 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831090111/http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1566714064/Right-wing-terrorist-says-he-misspoke|archive-date=2009-08-31|deadurl-url=yes|dfstatus=dead}}</ref> [https://web.archive.org/web/20161022122047/http://pubrecord.org/multimedia/4211/im-proud-right-wing-terrorist/ The person admitted] to reporters in a private interview ten days latterlater, after the controversy had reached national attention, that he had misspoken, having intended to say "extremist". Herger did not immediately distance himself from the remark then and there, but, instead, after the constituent's lengthy comment, responded by saying, "Amen. God bless you. There goes a great American." Many people, both inside and outside Herger's congressional district found his failure to respond immediately unacceptable.<ref name="Redding Record Searchlight">{{cite web|url=http://www.redding.com/news/2009/aug/28/tv-commentator-calls-hergers-resignation/|title=TV Commentator Calls for Herger's Resignation|accessdateaccess-date=August 28, 2009}}</ref> Herger's gaffe attained the apotheosis of national media attention when Keith Olbermann picked the story up for his show [httphttps://www.msnbc.msnnbcnews.com/id/32595883/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann/#.Tr3dm2Cf8t8wbna32595883 ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann''] on August 28, 2009.

Congressmen Herger and Meek (D-FL) drafted a bill to repeal the three percent withholding tax scheduled to begin in 2011. The withholding tax would apply to governments with expenditures of greater than US$100&nbsp;million USD on services from for-profit companies. The law mandates that governments will only deliver 97&nbsp;percent of a contract to the contractor, and send the remaining 3% to the [[IRS]]. Vendors and contractors are expected to increase their bid values to cover this new cost. The National Association of Counties thinks that this will give Counties a competitive disadvantage when dealing with vendors and contractors. (Counties assess costs of federal '3-percent withholding law')<ref>[http://www.house.gov/herger/hottopics_ Wally Herger 2nd District of California.] (January 2, 2007), retrieved July 24, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=21305 ThreePercentWithholding.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903042005/http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?template=%2FContentManagement%2FContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=21305 |date=2009-09-03 }} (January 1, 2007); retrieved March 4, 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.org/Government_Affairs/Issues/ABC_Priority_Issues/Three_Percent_Withholding.aspx "Counties assess costs of federal '3-percent withholding law'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316070434/http://www.abc.org/Government_Affairs/Issues/ABC_Priority_Issues/Three_Percent_Withholding.aspx |date=2008-03-16 }} (January 1, 2007), retrieved March 4, 2008.</ref>

** [[United States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health|Subcommittee on Health]] (Chairmanchairman)

Herger wasis married to Pamela Sargent, with whom he has 9 children and 919 grandchildren. {{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and used to sit on the [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means]].<ref name="official bio"/>

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* [http://www.house.gov/herger/ Congressman Wally Herger] official U.S. House sitewebsite

* [http://www.wallyherger.com/ Wally Herger for Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018175932/http://www.wallyherger.com/ |date=2006-10-18 }}

* {{CongLinks | congbio=h000528 | votesmart=26728 | fec=H6CA02010 | congress=wally-herger/533 }}<!--

{{Succession box|title=California State Assemblyman, 3rd District |before=[[Eugene A. Chappie]] |after=[[Christopher Chandler (politician)|Christopher Chandler]] |years=1980–1986}}

[[Category:MembersRepublican Party members of the UnitedCalifornia StatesState House of Representatives from CaliforniaAssembly]]

[[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California]]