East Bay Congressman George Miller Announces His Retirement
WASHINGTON (CBS SF) - East Bay congressman Rep. George Miller announced Monday morning that he plans to retire after serving for 40 years in Congress.
"Now, I look forward to one last year on Congress fighting the good fight and then working in new venues on the issues that have inspired me. What a wonderful experience this has been," Miller said in a statement.
He said he won't seek re-election in the fall for a 21st term, but admits with 11 months left in office, that he still has plenty of work to do.
Miller, 68, was elected to the House of Representatives in 1974 at age 29, and said his top accomplishments include helping to craft and pass the Affordable Care Act.
"This decision was not easy to make, but I'm very comfortable with it and I think it's the right one. The U.S. Congress is a great institution," he said.
Among other accomplishments, Miller was the principle author of major laws that affected America's education system, labor and health policies, as well as the protection of the environment.
And if you think your commute is bad, you should consider this: Miller has come home to his Congressional District in the East Bay from Washington nearly every weekend for the duration of his career.
"It's been a hell of a ride. It's been magnificent," he said reflecting on his career.
Miller's Eleventh Congressional District stretches across the northwestern and central regions of Contra Costa County.
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