Charles Albert Vanik was a Democratic politician from Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

. He served in the United States House of Representatives

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...

.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...

, Vanik completed undergraduate studies and a law degree at Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...

. After serving on the Cleveland City Council from 1938 to 1939 and the Ohio State Senate from 1940 to 1942, Vanik enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, seeing action in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. After the war, Vanik served as a city judge from 1946 to 1954. In 1954, he was elected to the House from the on Cleveland's East Side. He shifted districts in 1968 to the neighboring , to make way for Louis Stokes

Louis Stokes

Louis Stokes is a Democratic politician from Ohio. He served in the United States House of Representatives....

 whose growing political operation had challenged him in previous races, defeating Frances P. Bolton

Frances P. Bolton

Frances Payne Bolton , born Frances P. Bingham, was a Republican politician from Ohio. She served in the United States House of Representatives. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Ohio. She was also the oldest woman to date to serve in the House of Representatives.Born in Cleveland,...

, who had served the district since 1939. Vanik served in the district until 1981.

In 1974, Vanik sponsored the Jackson-Vanik amendment

Jackson-Vanik amendment

The Jackson–Vanik amendment is a 1974 provision in United States federal law, intended to affect U.S. trade relations with countries with non-market economies that restrict freedom of emigration and other human rights...

 with Sen. Henry "Scoop" Jackson

Henry M. Jackson

Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson was a U.S. Congressman and Senator from the state of Washington from 1941 until his death...

, which denied normal trade relations to certain countries with non-market economies that restricted the freedom of emigration. The amendment was intended to allow refugees, particularly religious minorities, to escape from the Soviet Bloc. During this time, Vanik was the chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade.

In 1982, Vanik contested for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant-governor of Ohio as running mate with Ohio Attorney General William J. Brown who was running for governor. The ticket lost to Richard F. Celeste

Dick Celeste

Richard Frank "Dick" Celeste is an American politician from Ohio, and a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the 64th Governor of Ohio from 1983-1991.-Early life and career:...

 and Myrl Shoemaker

Myrl Shoemaker

Myrl Howard Shoemaker was an American politician of the Democratic party who served as the 57th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.Shoemaker served for 24 years in the Ohio House of Representatives...

. Vanik was known for wearing black bow ties with every suit.

Vanik died in his sleep on August 30, 2007 at his home in Jupiter, Florida

Jupiter, Florida

Jupiter is a town located in Palm Beach County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 39,328. The estimate population for 2009 is 50,606. As of 2006, the population had grown to 50,028, according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research....

. He was 94. He was survived by his wife, Betty, one son, one daughter and two grandchildren.

External links

• Charles A. Vanik A Memorial site created by the Vanik Family Retrieved on 2009-5-16
• Obituary from The Cleveland Plain Dealer