Gary Arthur Myers

Gary Arthur Myers (August 16, 1937 – October 31, 2020) was an American politician and engineer who served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania’s 25th congressional district from 1975 to 1979. During his two terms in Congress, he participated in the legislative process at a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his constituents in western Pennsylvania.

Myers was born on August 16, 1937, in Toronto, Ohio, and spent his formative years in Evans City, Pennsylvania. He pursued higher education in engineering and business, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1960. He continued his studies at the University of Pittsburgh, where he received a Master of Business Administration degree in 1964, combining technical training with managerial and economic expertise that would later inform both his industrial career and his legislative work.

Before entering elective office, Myers developed a professional career in mechanical and industrial engineering. He worked in the steel industry as a steel mill turn foreman, gaining firsthand experience with industrial operations and the concerns of blue-collar workers in a region heavily dependent on manufacturing. In addition to his civilian career, he served in the Air Force Reserve Command from 1961 to 1968, contributing to the nation’s defense during a period marked by the Cold War and the early stages of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. His initial attempt to enter Congress came in 1972, when he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Myers was elected to Congress in the 1974 elections as a Republican to the 94th Congress, defeating incumbent Democratic Congressman Frank M. Clark to represent Pennsylvania’s 25th congressional district. He took office on January 3, 1975, and served through January 3, 1979, encompassing the 94th and 95th Congresses. His tenure coincided with the post-Watergate era, ongoing economic challenges, and debates over federal regulation and government accountability, providing a consequential backdrop for his legislative priorities.

During his service in the House of Representatives, Myers served on the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the United States House Committee on Ways and Means. On the Oversight and Reform Committee, he worked to amend Title 39 of the United States Code to prohibit franked mailing by members of Congress and certain officers of the United States, reflecting his interest in government reform and limiting the use of taxpayer-funded privileges. On the Ways and Means Committee, he advocated for the Automobile Efficiency Tax Incentive Act, which sought to encourage improved fuel efficiency and technological innovation in the automotive sector. He also sponsored legislation that would prohibit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission from restricting the sale or manufacture of firearms or ammunition, underscoring his alignment with a more limited regulatory role for the federal government in matters affecting gun ownership and commerce.

Myers chose not to be a candidate for reelection in 1978, announcing that he would step away from Congress after his second term in order to spend more time with his wife and two children. He left office at the conclusion of the 95th Congress in January 1979 and returned to private life in Pennsylvania. The Myers family moved back to their home in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he resumed his connection to the steel industry. Within a few months of leaving Congress, he rejoined the Armco Steel Company, returning to work as a steel mill foreman and continuing the industrial career that had preceded his time in public office.

In his later years, Myers lived in Florida. He died in Sebastian, Florida, on October 31, 2020. His life and career reflected the trajectory of a mid-20th-century industrial professional who brought technical expertise and regional economic concerns to the national legislative arena, serving two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives during a period of significant political and economic change.