Jack Bergman | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Bergman in 2025 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's1st district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Dan Benishek |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Warren Bergman (1947-02-02)February 2, 1947 (age 78) Shakopee, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Cindy Bergman |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Gustavus Adolphus College (BA) University of West Florida (MBA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1969–2009 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
Bergman supporting the FY2019National Defense Authorization Act. Recorded May 22, 2018 | |
John Warren Bergman (born February 2, 1947)[1] is an American politician and retiredUnited States Marine Corpslieutenant general serving as theU.S. representative fromMichigan's 1st congressional district since 2017.[2] He is a member of theRepublican Party.[3]
He served as commanding general of theMarine Forces Reserve and the Marine Forces North. He also served as anaval aviator, flying rotary-winged aircraft such as theCH-46 andUH-1, as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as theT-28 andKC-130.
Bergman was born on February 2, 1947, inShakopee, Minnesota,[4] and received hisBachelor of Arts degree in business fromGustavus Adolphus College in 1969.[5][6] He subsequently earned anMaster of Business Administration degree from theUniversity of West Florida.[7] His formal military education includes Naval Aviation Flight Training, Amphibious Warfare School,Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Landing Force Staff Planning (Marine Expeditionary Brigade [MEB] and Air Command Element [ACE]), Reserve Component National Security and Naval War College Strategy & Policy,Syracuse University National Security Seminar, Combined Forces Air Component Command, LOGTECH, and CAPSTONE.[citation needed]
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After graduating from college, Bergman was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in theMarine Corps Reserve in 1969[8] under thePlatoon Leaders Course program for aviation (PLC-Air) and entered active duty. Following completion of The Basic School (TBS) atMCB Quantico, Virginia and flight training atNAS Pensacola andNAS Whiting Field, Florida, he was designated as aNaval Aviator.
He then flewCH-46 helicopters withHMM-261 atMarine Corps Air Station New River,North Carolina, and withHMM-164 atMCAS Futenma inOkinawa, Japan, and theRepublic of Vietnam. Later assigned shore duty as a flight instructor, he flew theT-28 with Training Squadron Six (VT-6) at NAS Whiting Field, Florida. He left active duty in 1975 and flewUH-1 helicopters with theRhode Island Army National Guard, at the formerNAS Quonset Point inQuonset Point, Rhode Island.[citation needed]
After a 1978 civilian employment transfer toChicago, Bergman transferred from the Rhode Island Army National Guard back to theMarine Corps Reserve, where he served in several4th Marine Aircraft Wing units atNAS Glenview, Illinois:HML-776, flying the UH-1;VMGR-234, flying theKC-130; and Mobilization Training Unit IL-1. He was selected to stand up the secondKC-130 squadron in 4th MAW and in 1988 became the first commanding officer ofVMGR-452 atStewart Air National Guard Base inNewburgh, New York. From 1992 to 1994 he commanded Mobilization Station, Chicago.[citation needed]
In 1995, he was a special staff officer at Marine Corps Reserve Support Command atOverland Park,Kansas. In 1996, he became chief of staff/deputy commander ofI Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element,Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton,California. In 1997, he transferred to the4th Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters inNew Orleans, Louisiana to serve as assistant chief of staff/G-1. Promoted toBrigadier General, he became deputy commanding general of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.[citation needed]
Transferred in June 1998 to Headquarters, Marine Forces Europe,Stuttgart, Germany, Bergman served as deputy commander. Recalled to active duty from April to July 1999, he was dual-hatted asEUCOM, Deputy J-3A. He then commandedII Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element,Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune,North Carolina, until assuming command of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing,New Orleans, Louisiana in August 2000.[citation needed]
In September 2002, Bergman assumed command of the4th Force Service Support Group,New Orleans, Louisiana. He also served as chairman of thesecretary of the Navy's Marine Corps Reserve Policy Board from 2001 to 2003. Returning to active duty in October 2003, he served as director of Reserve Affairs,Quantico, Virginia. He began his final assignment, command of the Marine Forces Reserve/Marine Forces North, on June 10, 2005. He relinquished that command in October 2009 and retired from active duty in December of that year.[9]
Bergman won the Republican primary inMichigan's 1st congressional district in August 2016. The district covers all of Michigan'sUpper Peninsula and thenorthern part of theLower Peninsula. He defeated Democratic nomineeLon Johnson and Libertarian nominee Diane Bostow in the November general election.[2] Bergman, who was elected to succeed retiring Republican RepresentativeDan Benishek, won 55% of the vote to Johnson's 40% and Bostow's 4%.[10][11]
Bergman was uncontested in the Republican primaryin 2018, and was reelected against Democratic candidate Matthew Morgan with 56% of the vote.[12] He was again uncontested in the 2020 primary, and defeated Democratic candidate Dana Fergusonin 2020 with 62% of the vote.[13]
Representative Jack Bergman announced his candidacy for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 election. According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, his campaign reported record-breaking first quarter fundraising totals for the cycle.
The 1st congressional district shifted slightly in the2020 United States redistricting cycle following the2020 census, losingManistee County and part ofMason County, while gainingMissaukee County,Roscommon County,Ogemaw County,Iosco County,Arenac County, and part ofWexford County. This shift did not have a significant impact on the district's political leanings, remaining strongly Republican.[14] In the2022 election for the new district, Bergman faced only write-in opposition in the Republican primary,[15] and was reelected easily against Democratic candidate Bob Lorinser, winning 60% of the vote.[16]
In 2024, Bergman faced Josh Saul in the Republican primary, winning renomination with 79% of the vote.[17] He defeated Democratic candidate Callie Barr in the general election with 59% of the vote.[18]
In the 2023-2024 election cycle Bergman received $46,200 from members of the DeVos family, who also contributed substantially to republican-aligned super PACs.[19] Overall, 36.6% of Bergman's campaign funding was from PACs, 22% from large donors, and 11% from individual contributions under $200.[20]
Bergman assumed office on January 3, 2017. He is a member of theRepublican Study Committee, theClimate Solutions Caucus[21] and theU.S.–Japan Caucus.[22]
Bergman serves on the House Budget Committee, the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.[23]
In June 2017, Bergman was one of the Republican congressmen who were practicing on anAlexandria, Virginia, baseball field for the annualCongressional Baseball Game whenJames Hodgkinson began shooting at them, harming four people, including RepresentativeSteve Scalise.[24] Afterward, Bergman blamed the incident on anti-GOP rhetoric and the media.[25]
Bergman voted with PresidentJoe Biden's stated position roughly 6% of the time.[26]
InOctober 2023, Bergman unsuccessfully ran forSpeaker of the House.[27]
In early 2025 Rep Bergman was criticized for failing to attend "empty seat" town halls hosted by Democrat and left-leaning organizations such as Indivisible in Escanaba,[33] Houghton,[34] and Traverse City.[35]
In March 2016, Bergman said that cutting spending would be his top priority inCongress.[36]
In a July 2016 television interview, Bergman said his three top priorities were to "get Congress working together" instead of being preoccupied with partisan division, to "utilize the Constitution", and to pass abalanced budget amendment.[37]
In March 2021, all House Republicans including Bergman voted against theAmerican Rescue Plan Act of 2021, aneconomic stimulus bill aimed at speeding up the United States' recovery from theeconomic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoingrecession.[38]
Bergman opposes theAffordable Care Act and voted to repeal it in May 2017.[39]
In September 2017, Bergman became the 29th Republican to join theClimate Solutions Caucus.[40] However, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and the Vote Climate U.S. PAC both give him poor scores for environmental and climate votes.[41][42] In 2024 Bergman voted against funding to implement the Paris Climate Agreement, though the bill was never taken up by the Senate.[43]
Bergman voted in favor of the Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act, which would allow theDepartment of Commerce to award grants toNative American tribes forhistorical preservation,environmental protection, andclimate change mitigation in theGreat Lakes.[44][45]
In 2025, Bergman voted to nullify the EPA rule on "National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing"[46] and the EPA rule on "Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems", which would have helped decrease methane emissions, with a net benefits of $180 million.[47][48]
Bergman voted against the "Respect for Marriage Act" codifyingLoving v. Virginia andObergefell v. Hodges, recognizing marriages across state lines regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals."[49]
In August 2017, Bergman sided with then-PresidentDonald Trump on barringtransgender individuals from the military.[50]
AfterJoe Biden won the2020 presidential election[51] and Trump refused to concede, Bergman announced he would oppose the confirmation of theElectoral College's vote in Congress.[52]
In January 2021, Bergman announced his intention to object to thecertification of the Electoral College results.[52][53]
Bergman has been a vocal supporter of Israel's right to defend itself and voted to provide Israel with support following the2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[54][55]
Bergman's military awards include:
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| Naval Aviator Badge | Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge | |||||||||||
| Distinguished Service Medal (US Navy)[56] | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Air Medal w/Valor device andStrike/Flight numeral "1" | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | |||||||||
| Navy Unit Commendation | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 2 bronzeservice stars | Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal w/ 1 silver service star | National Defense Service Medal w/ 2 bronze service stars | |||||||||
| Vietnam Service Medal w/ 3 bronze campaign stars | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 1 bronze service star | Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ goldHourglass Devices | |||||||||
| Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ bronze star | Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation w/ bronze laurel leaf palm emblem | Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation w/ bronze laurel leaf palm emblem | Vietnam Campaign Medal w/ silver date bar | |||||||||
Bergman has lived in Watersmeet, Michigan for over 30 years.[57] They have ten grandchildren. Bergman is a Lutheran.[58]
GAO found that the final rule facilitates compliance with the requirements of the Waste Emissions Charge in the Clean Air Act's Methane Emissions Reduction Program.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's 1st congressional district 2017–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 161st | Succeeded by |
