37 Facts About Vern Buchanan

Vernon Gale Buchanan is an American businessman and politician serving as the US representative for Florida's 16th congressional district since 2013.

Vern Buchanan served as a member of the board and the executive committee of the United States Chamber of Commerce.

Vern Buchanan grew up in Inkster, Michigan, a small town outside Detroit, the son of a factory foreman in a family of six children.

Vern Buchanan got a bachelor's degree in business administration from Cleary University and a master's in business administration from the University of Detroit.

Vern Buchanan reported ownership interests in about 50 other businesses, including offshore reinsurance companies and a charter-jet business.

Vern Buchanan reported receiving at least $19.5 million in income from these businesses in 2006.

In May 1976, Vern Buchanan convinced the owner of a Michigan printing company, Jim McDonald, that he could help the business grow.

In 1992, Vern Buchanan bought a Honda and Acura dealership in Ocala, Florida.

Vern Buchanan continued to acquire dealerships after that, but in 2006 he sold five dealerships and other businesses in order to concentrate on politics.

Vern Buchanan's dealerships had $756 million in sales in 2005.

Vern Buchanan invests some of the proceeds from his reinsurance companies in real estate developments in the Bahamas.

In 1999, Vern Buchanan was approached to help to finance the Ritz-Carlton condo-hotel development in Sarasota.

Per a structured settlement, Vern Buchanan bought a condo from a nephew of Buford's for $5 million; the nephew had purchased it the day before for $2.368 million.

Vern Buchanan owned the unit for a little more than a year and then sold it to another member of Buford's family for $6.35 million.

The arrangement resulted in Vern Buchanan paying taxes on his gain at the reduced long-term capital gains rate.

Vern Buchanan ran in the 13th congressional district in Florida to replace incumbent Republican Katherine Harris, who was the Republican nominee for the US Senate.

Vern Buchanan put more than $5 million of his own money into his campaign.

On November 20,2006, the Florida Department of State certified the results of the recount, which showed Vern Buchanan winning by 369 votes.

The US House of Representatives had the right to make the final determination as to whether Vern Buchanan would hold the seat for the remainder of the term or be replaced by Jennings.

In February 2021, Vern Buchanan announced his candidacy for reelection in 2022.

Vern Buchanan was sworn in as Representative for Florida's 13th Congressional District on January 3,2007.

Vern Buchanan secured federal funding of $2 million for reimbursement for cleanup efforts in Anna Maria Island and $4 million for cleaning up Wares Creek in Manatee County.

Vern Buchanan introduced a constitutional amendment in January 2007 that would require Congress to pass a balanced budget if ratified.

Vern Buchanan introduced legislation to create a postage stamp honoring and assisting disabled veterans, and secured funding for the construction of a national veterans' cemetery in Sarasota County.

Vern Buchanan introduced a bill to increase federal assistance for fighting gang crime and secured grant funding for local anti-gang efforts in Manatee County.

On September 29,2008, Vern Buchanan voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, but changed his vote to support the bill in the October 3 second House vote.

Vern Buchanan sponsored several bills in the 111th Congress, including House Resolution 1839, a Bill to Amend the Small Business Act to Improve SCORE, which was introduced on April 1,2009c.

Vern Buchanan was asked by NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions to serve as vice chair of the committee.

In January 2011, Vern Buchanan helped secure the construction of Sarasota National Cemetery through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In October 2011, Vern Buchanan "played a large role" in the passage of free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

Vern Buchanan voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Vern Buchanan has a "C" rating from marijuana legalization advocacy group National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws for his voting history regarding cannabis-related issues.

The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting reported that Vern Buchanan received a total of $25,830 for his campaigns in 2010 and 2012 in the form of direct contributions or independent expenditures from NRA-affiliated PACs.

In March 2021, Vern Buchanan was one of eight Republicans to join the House majority in passing the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021.

Vern Buchanan is a former board member of the chamber, which endorsed him in his 2006 and 2008 campaigns for the 13th Congressional District seat.

On July 19,2021, Vern Buchanan announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated, becoming the first member of Congress to do so.

Vern Buchanan began quarantining at home and urged Americans to remain vigilant despite the vaccines' efficacy.