Mark Schauer

Mark Schauer is a former urban planner, who was elected to the the United States House of Representatives from Michigan's 7th Congressional District.http://www.senate.michigan.gov/schauer/ Schauer served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2008 to 2010 before losing his seat to Republican challenger Tim Walberg.http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/house/michigan/7 Schauer previously defeated Walberg in the 2008 election, taking 49 percent of the vote.http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/house/michigan/7

The 2010 House of Representatives race between Representative Schauer and challenger Walberg was the most expensive district race in the nation.http://www.wwmt.com/articles/mark-1383366-west-michigan.html The two spent a combined 6.5 million dollars on their campaigns.http://www.wwmt.com/articles/mark-1383366-west-michigan.html Schauer ran on his track record of advocating local economic development projects, as well as fighting for good-paying jobs, fair trade policies, access to affordable health care, and early childhood education.http://schauer.house.gov/Biography/

Mark Schauer was born in Howell, Michigan in 1961.http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12023 He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy and Service at Albion College.http://schauer.house.gov/Biography/ He also holds master's degrees in Political Science from Michigan State University and Public Administration from Western Michigan University.http://schauer.house.gov/Biography/ Schauer served as an urban planner for Calhoun County, Michigan from 1984 to 1986. http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12023 He was the Executive Director of the Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan from 1987 to 1992.http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12023 In 1992, Schauer became the coordinator of the Calhoun County Human Services Coordinating Council; he held the position until 1997. http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12023

Schauer took public office in 1994, when he became the Commissioner of the city of Battle Creek, a position he held until 1996.http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12023 He served as a representative in the Michigan State House of Representatives from 1997 to 2002.http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12023 Schauer held a seat in the Michigan State Senate from 2002 to 2009; he served as the Minority Leader of the Michigan State Senate from 2007 to 2009.http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12023 He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 and served one term before losing his seat in the 2010 general election. http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=12023Schauer resides in Battle Creek, Michigan with his wife, Christine, and their three children.http://congress.org/congressorg/bio/id/4664

During his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, Schauer served as a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure, and Agriculture Committees.http://schauer.house.gov/Biography/committees.htm He introduced the Food Protection Training Institute Act of 2009, H.R.2513.http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:1:./temp/~bdPTm4:@@@D&summ2=m& The bill creates a uniform food protection training standard for FDA officials and increases funding to facilitate training of the new standards.http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:1:./temp/~bdPTm4:@@@D&summ2=m& Schauer voted with the majority of Democrats in favor of President Barack Obama's health care reform bill and stimulus package.http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/house/michigan/7