31 Facts About Earl Blumenauer

Earl Francis Blumenauer is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the US representative for from 1996 to 2025.

Earl Blumenauer is known for his distinctive bow ties and neon bicycle lapel pins.

Since January 2025, Earl Blumenauer serves as a senior fellow at Portland State University and as special advisor to university president Ann Cudd.

Earl Blumenauer completed his education in 1976 when he earned a Juris Doctor degree from the school's Northwestern School of Law.

Earl Blumenauer was reelected in 1974 and 1976, and continued representing Portland and Multnomah County until the 1979 legislative session.

Earl Blumenauer lost a race for Portland City Council to Margaret Strachan in 1981.

Earl Blumenauer left the county commission in March 1986 to run again for city council.

Earl Blumenauer was elected to the Portland City Council in May 1986.

In 2010, Earl Blumenauer received The Ralph Lowell Award for outstanding contributions to public television.

Earl Blumenauer was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1996 in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Ron Wyden to the US Senate.

Earl Blumenauer served as Oregon campaign chair for both John Kerry's and Barack Obama's presidential campaigns.

In Congress, Earl Blumenauer is noted for his advocacy for mass transit, such as Portland's MAX Light Rail and the Portland Streetcar, and, as a strong supporter of legislation promoting bicycle commuting, cycles from his Washington residence to the Capitol and even to the White House for meetings.

Earl Blumenauer was active in pressuring the United States to take greater action during the Darfur conflict.

On September 24,2007, four labor and human rights activists were arrested in Earl Blumenauer's office protesting his support for the Peru Free Trade Agreement.

In February 2009, after a domesticated chimpanzee in Connecticut severely mauled a woman, gaining national attention, Earl Blumenauer sponsored the Captive Primate Safety Act to bar the sale or purchase of non-human primates for personal possession between states and from outside the country.

In June 2008, Earl Blumenauer had sponsored legislation to ban interstate trafficking of great apes, which had passed in the House but been tabled by the Senate.

Earl Blumenauer received some media attention during the political debate over health care reform for sponsoring an amendment to the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 to change procedures to mandate that Medicare pay for end-of-life counseling.

In July 2019, Earl Blumenauer voted against a House resolution introduced by Representative Brad Schneider opposing efforts to boycott the State of Israel and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting the existence of Israel, and the return of Jewish sovereignty.

In November 2020, Earl Blumenauer was named a candidate for Secretary of Transportation in the incoming Biden administration.

Earl Blumenauer voted to provide Israel with support following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

On October 30,2023, Earl Blumenauer announced he would not run for re-election in 2024.

On July 10,2024, Earl Blumenauer called for Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 United States presidential election.

On September 10,2024, Portland State University announced that following his term, Earl Blumenauer would be joining the faculty as a senior fellow and as special advisor to University President Ann Cudd.

Earl Blumenauer serves as a Presidential Fellow of the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies.

On October 1,2015, following the Umpqua Community College shooting, Blumenauer tweeted his report addressing the issue of gun violence in America, Enough is Enough: A Comprehensive Plan to Improve Gun Safety, which he had published earlier that year.

Earl Blumenauer has supported alternative energy sources, health care reform, and continuing federal support for education.

Earl Blumenauer has supported animal welfare, introducing the Captive Primate Safety Act in 2024.

Earl Blumenauer is known as one of the most fervent advocates for the legalization of marijuana, co-founding the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

Earl Blumenauer was the chief sponsor of a bill to expand the research of medical cannabis and its drug derivatives that passed the House in July 2022 and the Senate in November.

An avid cyclist, Earl Blumenauer is the founder and was co-chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus.

Each year, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, Earl Blumenauer bakes and delivers hundreds of fruitcakes to his colleagues on the Hill.