The wave of retirements rocking the U.S. House of Representatives continued Tuesday as Rep. Vern Buchanan, a veteran Florida Republican, announced he will step away from Congress at the end of his current term, joining more than 40 lawmakers who have already signaled they will not return next year.
Buchanan, who has represented Florida’s 16th Congressional District since 2007, said after two decades in Washington it was time to “pass the torch and begin a new chapter.” His decision adds to a growing exodus that is reshaping the House ahead of the 2026 elections, with senior members from both parties opting to leave rather than seek reelection.
“Serving the people of Southwest Florida has been the honor of my lifetime,” Buchanan said in a statement announcing his retirement. “I came to Congress to solve problems, to fight for working families, and to help ensure this country remains a place where opportunity is available to everyone willing to work for it.”
During his 20 years in office, Buchanan built a reputation as a policy-focused lawmaker with influence on some of Congress’s most powerful committees. He currently serves as vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and chairs its Health Subcommittee, placing him at the center of debates over taxes, trade, health care and Medicare.
Buchanan’s office highlighted a legislative record that includes 51 bills and initiatives signed into law under four presidents: George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Among his most notable achievements was his role in shaping the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the sweeping overhaul of the U.S. tax code passed during Trump’s first term. He also worked closely with the White House on passage of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, which replaced NAFTA.
Beyond fiscal and trade policy, Buchanan was a leading advocate on health care issues, pushing bipartisan measures aimed at protecting Medicare, expanding access to care for seniors and veterans, and reducing prescription drug costs. For more than a decade, he also served as co-chair of the Florida Congressional Delegation, helping coordinate federal priorities for the state.
Buchanan carved out a distinct profile on animal welfare, sponsoring bipartisan legislation to ban animal cruelty nationwide. That measure became law in 2019, and he remains the only House member to receive the Humane Society’s national Legislator of the Year award twice.
His record also includes securing federal funding for a national veterans cemetery in Sarasota, supporting Florida’s citrus industry, backing military readiness initiatives, and advocating for environmental protections tied to water quality, red tide, and coastal ecosystems critical to Southwest Florida.
Before entering politics, Buchanan built a successful business career after serving in the Air National Guard. Raised in a working-class family in Michigan, he later moved to Florida, where he became active in civic and business leadership, including serving as chairman of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Alongside his wife, Sandy, he also founded the Buchanan Foundation, a major philanthropic force in the region.
There has been a noticeable uptick in Republicans leaving or preparing to leave the U.S. House, and it is beginning to shape the political landscape heading into the next election cycle. A growing number of GOP lawmakers have announced they will not seek re election in 2026, either choosing to retire, step away early, or pursue higher office. With Republicans holding a very slim majority, even a handful of departures has outsized consequences for leadership and vote counting.
