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BIOGRAPHY
Congressman George Radanovich (rah-DON-oh-vitch), a Republican, represents California’s 19th Congressional District and is currently serving his seventh term in Congress.
The 19th District is located in the Central Valley of California and contains all or parts of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties. The 19th District is one of the most diverse in the country. It includes Fresno, California’s sixth largest city and the largest agricultural producing county in the United States; the rugged mountains of the Sierra Nevada’s, Yosemite National Park- the crown jewel of the national park system; all or parts of three National Forests (Stanislaus, Sierra, & Sequoia,) and the historic gold country stretching from Mariposa through Sonora.
A California native, Radanovich was born in the Sierra foothills community of Mariposa in 1955 and is one of the eight children of Joan and George K. Radanovich, a Croatian immigrant. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business management from California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo in 1978. Radanovich is married to the former Ethie Weaver, a California political consultant. Their first child, George King, was born in May of 1998.
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Congressman Radanovich’s business background includes banking, building and substitute teaching. However, Radanovich is first and foremost a farmer. It was his observation of a microclimate in Mariposa that led the future Congressman to introduce grape growing to the area in 1982. Four years later he opened the region’s first winery. The Radanovich Winery produces now some 5,000 cases annually of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot, zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon. Radanovich is the first full-time winemaker to serve in Congress.
Congressman Radanovich was first elected to the House in 1994. Before coming to Congress he was a County Supervisor in Mariposa, and Chairman of the Mariposa County Planning Commission. He was reelected to his sixth congressional term in 2004 with 67% of the vote. Radanovich serves on the prestigious House Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as the Resources Committee, where he is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Water & Power.
Radanovich was elected President of the historic 74-member, 1994 House Republican Freshmen Class. This Freshman Class, elected to enforce the now-famous Contract With America, propelled the Republicans to their first majority in Congress in 40 years. As President of that Freshmen Class, Congressman Radanovich authored and advanced the "New America" vision statement. This set of principles called for a smaller federal government with a simultaneous strengthening of society’s non-governmental institutions - Family, Religious and Civic Groups and Business Enterprise.
IIn 1998, Radanovich was elected Chairman of the Western Caucus after being elected Vice-Chairman in 1997. The nearly 60 Representatives in the Western Caucus work together to protect jobs and promote the quality of life in small communities, through local empowerment, sound public land policy, property rights and environmental conservation. The Western Caucus advocates a new environmentalism that provides incentives for private property owners, and greater local control of the environmental decision making process, leading to a cleaner, healthier environment with less bureaucratic command and control. In 2001, Radanovich stepped down as Chairman of the Caucus after being named Chairman of the National Parks & Public Lands Subcommittee. Radanovich now is Chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee.
A Rotarian, Congressman Radanovich was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary International’s highest award. He also is a member of the California Agricultural Leadership Program Class XXI. His many other affiliations include his Co-Chairmanship of the Congressional Wine Caucus; the Armenian Caucus, and the Diabetes Caucus. He is also an Executive Committee Member of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Birthdate:
20 June 1955
Family:
Married since 1996 to Ethie; one child; son of George and Joan Radanovich
Hometown:
Mariposa, California
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business Management, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
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Congressman Radanovich,
Ethie and King.
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During his tenure in Congress, Congressman Radanovich has received numerous honors including the US Chamber of Commerce’s Spirit of Enterprise Award; the National Foundation of Independent Business’ Guardian of Business Award; an Appreciation Award from the Nisei Farmer’s League; the Fresno NAACP Chapter’s Image Award; the Legislator of the Year Award by the Community Medical Foundation; the Armenian National Committee’s Man of the Year; special honors from the Association of the US Army, and recognized as UC Merced’s Legislator of the Year.
110th
Congressional Committees:
Member of Committee on Energy and Commerce
Member of Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
Member of Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
Member of Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials
Leadership Positions:
Co-Chair of the Water Caucus
Co-Chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus
Co-Chair of the Congressional Croatian Caucus
Former Chairman of Water and Power Subcommittee
Member of NEPA (National Environment Policy Act) Task Force
Member of HEAT (House Energy Action Team)
Caucus Membership:
Co-Chair of the Water Caucus, Western Caucus, Co-Chair of the Wine Caucus, Co-Chair of the Croatian Caucus, Armenian Caucus, Diabetes Caucus, Courthouse Caucus, Scouting Caucus, Meth Caucus, National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus, Horticulture Caucus, Heart & Stroke Caucus, Fire Services Caucus, and Forest Caucus
Previous Elected Positions:
Mariposa County Supervisor
Awards:
109th Congress - Fresno NAACP's 2005 Image Award
108th Congress – Thomas Jefferson Award – Food Marketing Institute; Guardian of Small Business Award – National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB); Homeland Defenders Award – Freedom Foundation; National Leadership Award – Civil War Preservation Trust
107th Congress - Legislative Appreciation Award -- Agricultural Transporters Conference; Private Property Rights Champion -- The League of Private Property Voters; Eagle Award -- Associated Builders and Contractors; Leadership Award -- Armenian Technology Group, Inc.
106th Congress - Champion of the Merit Shop -- Associated Builders and Contractors; Legislative Excellence Award -- National Association of Manufacturers (NAM); Guardian of Small Business Award -- National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB); Hero of the Taxpayer Award -- Americans For Tax Reform; Spirit of Enterprise Award -- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
105th Congress - Legislative Excellence Award -- National Association of Manufacturers (NAM); Guardian of Small Business Award -- National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB); Hero of the Taxpayer Award -- Americans For Tax Reform; Spirit of Enterprise Award -- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
104th Congress - Legislative Excellence Award -- National Association of Manufacturers (NAM); Guardian of Small Business Award -- National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB); Hero of the Taxpayer Award -- Americans For Tax Reform; Spirit of Enterprise Award -- U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Paid for by Radanovich for Congress, PO Box 579729, Modesto, CA 95357-9729
Phone (209) 238-9200 Fax (209) 238-9500
Not paid for at taxpayers' expense - Betty Presley, Treasurer |
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