Louis Gohmert

Louie Gohmert, a Republican, has represented the First Congressional District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Pays wife for campaign work
In October 2006, the Sunlight Foundation, a Washington-based non-profit organization which advocates better transparency in government, reported that Gohmert’s campaign committee paid his wife $53,261 to serve as the campaign’s assistant manager during 2005-2006. 

DC voting rights
When the District of Columbia Fair and Equal Voting Rights Act of 2007 came under consideration of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Gohmert threatened to introduce up to 43 amendments to the bill to protest granting a House vote to a non-state. Members voted on only one of the Gohmert amendments, a measure which would have made certain military installations congressional districts (it failed).

Bio
Prior to being elected to serve in Congress, Gohmert was elected to three terms as District Judge in Smith County, Texas. He was later appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to complete a term as Chief Justice of the 12th Court of Appeals.

In 2004, he successfully defeated Democratic incumbent 1st District Congressman Max Sandlin for his seat in Congress; becoming the first Republican since Reconstruction to represent the 1st District of Texas. Representative Louie Gohmert was first sworn in January 4, 2005 by Speaker Dennis Hastert as representative for the First District of Texas.

Now into his second term in the House of Representatives, Gohmert is assigned to three key House committees: Judiciary, Resources and Small Business. Gohmert is the only former judge on the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over matters such as constitutional issues, immigration, the Federal courts, crime, and law enforcement. He was named Ranking Member on the Judiciary subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security and also returns to the Judiciary subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims.

Rep. Gohmert sits on the House Committee on Natural Resources. He serves on two subcommittees: Energy and Mineral Resources as well as National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

Gohmert received his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, where he was class president, and served as a Brigade Commander of the Corps of Cadets. He was also Class President while attending Baylor School of Law. He is a veteran, having served his country as captain in the U.S. Army as a result of an Army scholarship at Texas A&M.

Having grown up in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, where he was an Eagle Scout, Gohmert has been an active volunteer in numerous civic organizations in East Texas.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated Roger L. Owen to face Gohmert in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)  Gohmert retained his seat.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
 * Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims
 * House Committee on Natural Resources
 * Subcommittee on Enery and Mineral Resources
 * Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lans
 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, Ranking Member

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Task Force on Antirust
 * Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law
 * Subcommittee on Crime Terrorism and Homeland Security
 * Subcommittee on Immigration Border Security and Claims
 * House Committee on Resources
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
 * Subcommittee on Water and Power
 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight

Articles and resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database
 * Sunlight Foundation: Congressional Family Business Project

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Burnt Orange Report