Mike McCormack (politician)
Encyclopedia
C.G. Mike McCormack is a retired American
politician, who served as U.S. Representative
from the State of Washington's Fourth Congressional District from 1971 to 1981. He is a Democrat
. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000365
and English descent. As a young man he attended schools in Toledo, Ohio
, graduating from Waite High School. He began college at the University of Toledo
in 1939, worked for two years, and then entered military service in 1943. He attended OCS
and was commissioned as second lieutenant, parachute infantry, United States Army, with occupation duty in Germany until 1946, at which time he was discharged as first lieutenant. From 1946 to 1949, he attended Washington State College
and received Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Physical Chemistry. He worked briefly at the University of Puget Sound
, and then spent twenty years as a research chemist with the atomic energy facilities of the Atomic Energy Commission
at Hanford
, during which time he resided in Richland, Washington
.
In 1956, at age 35, McCormack was first elected to a public office as member of the Washington State House of Representatives
, and was re-elected in 1958. During this period he sponsored successful legislation to allow automobiles by default to make right-turns at red lights, a novel idea at the time, in order to conserve energy by reducing time spent idling.
In 1960, at age 39, McCormack was elected to the State Senate, and was re-elected in 1964 and 1968. While serving in the State Senate, McCormack was a member of several important committees, including the Interim Budget Committee and the Joint Committee on Higher Education. He was often associated with public higher education in press coverage. He was a principal author of the legislation that combined and extended the junior colleges of the state into the Community College System during 1967 and 1968.
In 1970, at age 49, McCormack was elected to the United States House of Representatives. His election was an upset victory over five-term Republican Representative Catherine May.
McCormack entered the United States Congress in 1971 as the only Member with a degree in Science, emerging as an expert on energy matters, a prominent issue during the years of his congressional service. He was a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy Research and Production. He was an author of laws that authorized efforts which included matters such as solar energy, electric cars and fusion power
, and his expertise on overall energy issues was acknowledged by Members of Congress of both political parties.
McCormack was a cosponsor in a successful attempt to pass legislation intended to facilitate general conversion of the United States to the metric system
of measurement. HR 8674, the Metric Conversion Act of 1975
, was ultimately signed by President Ford into public law 94-168. http://icreport.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d094:HR08674:@@@L&summ2=m&
At times, McCormack took positions that were critical of the policies advocated by presidents and administrations of both political parties.
In 1980, at age 59, during the "Reagan
landslide
", McCormack's fifth election campaign was unsuccessful.
In 1981, McCormack's Congressional papers were transferred to the Washington State University Library. He then worked in Washington DC through the 1980s, during which time he was a member of the Space Telescope Institute Council, an advisory group of the Space Telescope Science Institute
. During the 1990s he lived in Ellensburg, Washington
where he created and ran the Institute for Science and Society, which was primarily involved in teaching science literacy
to K-12
teachers.
In 1999, McCormack received the Charles Lathrop Parsons Award, the purpose of which is: "To recognize outstanding public service by a member of the American Chemical Society
."
McCormack currently resides in Medford, Oregon
with his wife Margaret.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, who served as U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from the State of Washington's Fourth Congressional District from 1971 to 1981. He is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000365
Biography
McCormack was born on December 14, 1921 at Basil, Ohio (now part of Baltimore, Ohio); his parents were of Scots-IrishScots-Irish American
Scotch-Irish Americans are an estimated 250,000 Presbyterian and other Protestant dissenters from the Irish province of Ulster who immigrated to North America primarily during the colonial era and their descendants. Some scholars also include the 150,000 Ulster Protestants who immigrated to...
and English descent. As a young man he attended schools in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, graduating from Waite High School. He began college at the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
in 1939, worked for two years, and then entered military service in 1943. He attended OCS
Officer Candidate School (U.S. Army)
The United States Army's Officer Candidate School , located at Fort Benning, Georgia, provides training to become a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army...
and was commissioned as second lieutenant, parachute infantry, United States Army, with occupation duty in Germany until 1946, at which time he was discharged as first lieutenant. From 1946 to 1949, he attended Washington State College
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
and received Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Physical Chemistry. He worked briefly at the University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
, and then spent twenty years as a research chemist with the atomic energy facilities of the Atomic Energy Commission
United States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
at Hanford
Hanford Site
The Hanford Site is a mostly decommissioned nuclear production complex on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, operated by the United States federal government. The site has been known by many names, including Hanford Works, Hanford Engineer Works or HEW, Hanford Nuclear Reservation...
, during which time he resided in Richland, Washington
Richland, Washington
Richland is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,058. April 1, 2011 estimates from the Washington State Office of Financial Management put the...
.
In 1956, at age 35, McCormack was first elected to a public office as member of the Washington State House of Representatives
Washington State Legislature
The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a bipartisan, bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 Representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, with 49 Senators.The State Legislature...
, and was re-elected in 1958. During this period he sponsored successful legislation to allow automobiles by default to make right-turns at red lights, a novel idea at the time, in order to conserve energy by reducing time spent idling.
In 1960, at age 39, McCormack was elected to the State Senate, and was re-elected in 1964 and 1968. While serving in the State Senate, McCormack was a member of several important committees, including the Interim Budget Committee and the Joint Committee on Higher Education. He was often associated with public higher education in press coverage. He was a principal author of the legislation that combined and extended the junior colleges of the state into the Community College System during 1967 and 1968.
In 1970, at age 49, McCormack was elected to the United States House of Representatives. His election was an upset victory over five-term Republican Representative Catherine May.
McCormack entered the United States Congress in 1971 as the only Member with a degree in Science, emerging as an expert on energy matters, a prominent issue during the years of his congressional service. He was a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy Research and Production. He was an author of laws that authorized efforts which included matters such as solar energy, electric cars and fusion power
Fusion power
Fusion power is the power generated by nuclear fusion processes. In fusion reactions two light atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus . In doing so they release a comparatively large amount of energy arising from the binding energy due to the strong nuclear force which is manifested...
, and his expertise on overall energy issues was acknowledged by Members of Congress of both political parties.
McCormack was a cosponsor in a successful attempt to pass legislation intended to facilitate general conversion of the United States to the metric system
Metric system
The metric system is an international decimalised system of measurement. France was first to adopt a metric system, in 1799, and a metric system is now the official system of measurement, used in almost every country in the world...
of measurement. HR 8674, the Metric Conversion Act of 1975
Metric Conversion Act
The Metric Conversion Act is an Act of Congress that then–U.S. President Gerald Ford signed into law on December 23, 1975. It declared the Metric system "the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce", but permitted the use of United States customary units in...
, was ultimately signed by President Ford into public law 94-168. http://icreport.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d094:HR08674:@@@L&summ2=m&
At times, McCormack took positions that were critical of the policies advocated by presidents and administrations of both political parties.
In 1980, at age 59, during the "Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
landslide
Landslide victory
In politics, a landslide victory is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming margin in an election...
", McCormack's fifth election campaign was unsuccessful.
In 1981, McCormack's Congressional papers were transferred to the Washington State University Library. He then worked in Washington DC through the 1980s, during which time he was a member of the Space Telescope Institute Council, an advisory group of the Space Telescope Science Institute
Space Telescope Science Institute
The Space Telescope Science Institute is the science operations center for the Hubble Space Telescope and for the James Webb Space Telescope...
. During the 1990s he lived in Ellensburg, Washington
Ellensburg, Washington
Ellensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 18,174 at the 2010 census. The population was 18,250 at 2011 Estimate from Office of Financial Management. Ellensburg is located just east of the Cascade Range on I-90 and is known as the...
where he created and ran the Institute for Science and Society, which was primarily involved in teaching science literacy
Scientific literacy
Scientific literacy encompasses written, numerical, and digital literacy as they pertain to understanding science, its methodology, observations, and theories.-Definition:...
to K-12
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
teachers.
In 1999, McCormack received the Charles Lathrop Parsons Award, the purpose of which is: "To recognize outstanding public service by a member of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
."
McCormack currently resides in Medford, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
with his wife Margaret.
Elections
| Date | Position | Status | Opponent | Result | Vote share | Opponent vote share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | WA Representative | Challenger | Defeated | |||
| 1956 | WA Representative | Elected | ||||
| 1958 | WA Representative | Incumbent | Re-elected | |||
| 1960 | WA Senator | Elected | ||||
| 1964 | WA Senator | Incumbent | Re-elected | |||
| 1968 | WA Senator | Incumbent | Re-elected | |||
| 1970 | U.S. Representative | Challenger | Catherine May (R) | Elected | 53% | 47% |
| 1972 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | Stewart Bledsoe (R) | Re-elected | 52% | 48% |
| 1974 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | Floyd Paxton Floyd Paxton Floyd G. Paxton is the inventor of the bread clip, a notched plastic tag used for sealing bags of bread worldwide. It is manufactured by the Kwik Lok corporation, and part of the proceeds for each clip go to the John Birch Society, of which Paxton was a director and past President.Floyd Paxton was... (R) |
Re-elected | 59% | 41% |
| 1976 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | Dick Granger (R) | Re-elected | 58% | 41% |
| 1978 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | Susan Roylance (R) | Re-elected | 61% | 39% |
| 1980 | U.S. Representative | Incumbent | Sid Morrison Sid Morrison Sidney Wallace "Sid" Morrison is an American politician and a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Washington. He was elected as a Republican to the 97th United States Congress and to the five succeeding Congresses... (R) |
Defeated | 43% | 57% |