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United States Congressman Wally Herger announced Tuesday morning that he will not seek another term in the House of Representatives, bringing to an end his 35 year public service career that included six years in the California State Assembly and 13 two-year terms in the House of Representatives.
Herger said he asked State Senator Doug LaMalfa to consider running for the seat he will leave and LaMalfa agreed. “Doug has my endorsement and full support,” said Herger.
Herger’s years in the House spanned the terms of seven US Presidents.
“I have been blessed with the privilege of serving my community, district, state and country for 35 years and being part of some of the most important events in our nation’s history,” said Herger.
“That privilege came with many sacrifices, the foremost of which was all the time spent away from my family and my home here in Northern California. I want to focus on my family and enjoy spending time with my grandchildren before they grow up.”
Herger and his wife Pamela reside in Chico. They are the parents of nine children and have eleven grandchildren.
He said his “most important concern when making the decision to retire from Congress was that the North State continue to be represented by a conservative who fully understands, and appreciates, our agricultural and natural resources-based economy and who has the proven ability to represent such a vast and unique area.”
California 2nd District Assembly member Jim Nielsen said in a press release, “Wally Herger has served the people of northern California with dedication and honor for more than 35 years. I’m grateful for his steadfast commitment to our conservative Northstate values and for his long record of fighting for the unique people and resources of our area. I know Wally will continue to be a leader and strong voice for the region.”
Herger was born in Sutter County in 1945 and raised on a cattle ranch in the small community of Rio Oso. He worked on his family's ranch while growing up and later ran the family's small business, Herger Gas Company.
He saw his role in Washington as fighting “the negative impact of high taxes, overregulation, and big government,” according to a press release from his office.
He was a longtime member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, the current Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health and an opponent of President Obama’s health care plan.
United States Congressman Wally Herger announced Tuesday morning that he will not seek another term in the House of Representatives, bringing to an end his 35 year public service career that included six years in the California State Assembly and 13 two-year terms in the House of Representatives.
Herger said he asked State Senator Doug LaMalfa to consider running for the seat he will leave and LaMalfa agreed. “Doug has my endorsement and full support,” said Herger.
Herger’s years in the House spanned the terms of seven US Presidents.
“I have been blessed with the privilege of serving my community, district, state and country for 35 years and being part of some of the most important events in our nation’s history,” said Herger.
“That privilege came with many sacrifices, the foremost of which was all the time spent away from my family and my home here in Northern California. I want to focus on my family and enjoy spending time with my grandchildren before they grow up.”
Herger and his wife Pamela reside in Chico. They are the parents of nine children and have eleven grandchildren.
He said his “most important concern when making the decision to retire from Congress was that the North State continue to be represented by a conservative who fully understands, and appreciates, our agricultural and natural resources-based economy and who has the proven ability to represent such a vast and unique area.”
California 2nd District Assembly member Jim Nielsen said in a press release, “Wally Herger has served the people of northern California with dedication and honor for more than 35 years. I’m grateful for his steadfast commitment to our conservative Northstate values and for his long record of fighting for the unique people and resources of our area. I know Wally will continue to be a leader and strong voice for the region.”
Herger was born in Sutter County in 1945 and raised on a cattle ranch in the small community of Rio Oso. He worked on his family's ranch while growing up and later ran the family's small business, Herger Gas Company.
He saw his role in Washington as fighting “the negative impact of high taxes, overregulation, and big government,” according to a press release from his office.
He was a longtime member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, the current Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health and an opponent of President Obama’s health care plan.
Among the highlights of Herger’s career, the press release from his office points to:
• His sponsorship of H.R. 674 last year, to repeal the 3% withholding tax that required government agencies at all levels to withhold 3% of their payments to businesses for goods and services.
• His role in the reauthorization and expansion of the 1996 welfare reform law.
• Being a champion of the “Criminal Welfare Prevention Act” enacted in 1996 which was “designed to stop the fraudulent payment of Social Security benefits to incarcerated individuals (and) has saved billions of taxpayer dollars.”
• “He has been a proponent of better balance in federal environmental laws and policies and a critic of laws and regulations that needlessly harm farmers and small business owners, particularly the Endangered Species Act. He has been a vocal and active supporter of efforts to enhance and improve flood control and water storage infrastructure to meet the public health and safety needs of growing communities in Northern California.”
• He “championed several pieces of common sense forest health legislation including the Herger-Feinstein Quincy Library Group Forest Recovery Act of 1998 and the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act of 2000.”
In August 2008 Herger was caught in a swirl of media attention when, at a “health care town hall” meeting held in Redding, he said, “Amen. God bless you. There goes a great American” to a man who proclaimed, “I am a proud right wing terrorist” at the end of his remarks.
Published in the Mount Shasta Area Newspapers, Herger’s remarks were picked up by the national media and generated fierce denunciations and lively debate.
The man who spoke, Bert Stead, later said it was not his intention to use the word “terrorist” and his remarks were in response to Democratic policies and pronouncements.
