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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Member, Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus

Member, Congressional Aluminum Caucus

Member, Congressional Automotive Caucus

Member, Congressional Boating Caucus

Member, Congressional Caucus on Community Health Centers

Member, Congressional Caucus on Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention

Member, Congressional Caucus on Unmanned Systems

Member, Congressional Creative Rights Caucus

Member, Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus

Member, Congressional Diabetes Caucus

Member, Congressional High Technology Caucus

Member, Congressional Home Protection Caucus

Member, Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus

Member, Congressional Internet Caucus

Member, Congressional Israel Allies Caucus

Member, Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus

Member, Congressional Media Fairness Caucus

Member, Congressional Natural Gas Caucus

Member, Congressional Navy and Marine Corps Caucus

Member, Congressional Ports Caucus

Member, Congressional Refinery Caucus

Member, Congressional Southwest Border Caucus

Member, Congressional STEAM Caucus

Member, Congressional Taiwan Caucus

Member, Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus

Member, Fourth Amendment Caucus

Member, House General Aviation Caucus

Member, House Military Depot and Industrial Facilities Caucus

Member, House Tea Party Caucus

Founder, I-69 Caucus

Member, I-69 Caucus

Former Member, Judiciary Committee, United States House of Representatives

Founder, Liquified Natural Gas Export Caucus

Member, Liquified Natural Gas Export Caucus

Former Member, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Aviation, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Information Technology, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, United States House of Representatives

Former Vice Chair, Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on the Interior, United States House of Representatives

Founder, Texas Maritime Caucus

Member, Texas Maritime Caucus

Former Member, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, United States House of Representatives

Member, United States - Mexico Friendship Caucus

Chair, Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy and Environment, United States House of Representatives, 2017-2018

Education

  • JD, Saint Mary's University School of Law, 1989
  • BS, Radio/Television/Film, University of Texas, Austin, 1985

Professional Experience

  • JD, Saint Mary's University School of Law, 1989
  • BS, Radio/Television/Film, University of Texas, Austin, 1985
  • President/Owner/Operator, Farenthold Consulting, Limited Liability Company, 1997-2010
  • Talk Show Contributor, Lago in the Morning, 1999-2010
  • Attorney, Law Offices of Blake Farenthold, 1997-2010
  • Attorney, The Kleberg Law Firm, 1989-1997
  • President, Austin Party Line, 1983-1985
  • Owner, BFP Mobile Entertainment, 1976-1984
  • Disk Jockey, KSJL, 1982
  • Disk Jockey, KITY, 1981
  • Disk Jockey, KITE, 1980
  • Disk Jockey, KZFM, 1978-1980
  • Disk Jockey, KRYS-AM, 1977-1978

Political Experience

  • JD, Saint Mary's University School of Law, 1989
  • BS, Radio/Television/Film, University of Texas, Austin, 1985
  • President/Owner/Operator, Farenthold Consulting, Limited Liability Company, 1997-2010
  • Talk Show Contributor, Lago in the Morning, 1999-2010
  • Attorney, Law Offices of Blake Farenthold, 1997-2010
  • Attorney, The Kleberg Law Firm, 1989-1997
  • President, Austin Party Line, 1983-1985
  • Owner, BFP Mobile Entertainment, 1976-1984
  • Disk Jockey, KSJL, 1982
  • Disk Jockey, KITY, 1981
  • Disk Jockey, KITE, 1980
  • Disk Jockey, KZFM, 1978-1980
  • Disk Jockey, KRYS-AM, 1977-1978
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 27, 2011-2018

Former Committees/Caucuses

Member, Bi-Partisan Privacy Caucus

Member, Congressional Aluminum Caucus

Member, Congressional Automotive Caucus

Member, Congressional Boating Caucus

Member, Congressional Caucus on Community Health Centers

Member, Congressional Caucus on Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention

Member, Congressional Caucus on Unmanned Systems

Member, Congressional Creative Rights Caucus

Member, Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus

Member, Congressional Diabetes Caucus

Member, Congressional High Technology Caucus

Member, Congressional Home Protection Caucus

Member, Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus

Member, Congressional Internet Caucus

Member, Congressional Israel Allies Caucus

Member, Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus

Member, Congressional Media Fairness Caucus

Member, Congressional Natural Gas Caucus

Member, Congressional Navy and Marine Corps Caucus

Member, Congressional Ports Caucus

Member, Congressional Refinery Caucus

Member, Congressional Southwest Border Caucus

Member, Congressional STEAM Caucus

Member, Congressional Taiwan Caucus

Member, Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus

Member, Fourth Amendment Caucus

Member, House General Aviation Caucus

Member, House Military Depot and Industrial Facilities Caucus

Member, House Tea Party Caucus

Founder, I-69 Caucus

Member, I-69 Caucus

Former Member, Judiciary Committee, United States House of Representatives

Founder, Liquified Natural Gas Export Caucus

Member, Liquified Natural Gas Export Caucus

Former Member, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Aviation, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Information Technology, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, United States House of Representatives

Former Vice Chair, Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on the Interior, United States House of Representatives

Founder, Texas Maritime Caucus

Member, Texas Maritime Caucus

Former Member, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, United States House of Representatives

Member, United States - Mexico Friendship Caucus

Chair, Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy and Environment, United States House of Representatives, 2017-2018

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • JD, Saint Mary's University School of Law, 1989
  • BS, Radio/Television/Film, University of Texas, Austin, 1985
  • President/Owner/Operator, Farenthold Consulting, Limited Liability Company, 1997-2010
  • Talk Show Contributor, Lago in the Morning, 1999-2010
  • Attorney, Law Offices of Blake Farenthold, 1997-2010
  • Attorney, The Kleberg Law Firm, 1989-1997
  • President, Austin Party Line, 1983-1985
  • Owner, BFP Mobile Entertainment, 1976-1984
  • Disk Jockey, KSJL, 1982
  • Disk Jockey, KITY, 1981
  • Disk Jockey, KITE, 1980
  • Disk Jockey, KZFM, 1978-1980
  • Disk Jockey, KRYS-AM, 1977-1978
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 27, 2011-2018
  • Basketball Referee
  • Former Member, Board, Art Museum of South Texas
  • Former Member, Board, Texas State Aquarium
  • Former Electronic Publications Editor, Computer Section, State Bar of Texas
  • Former Board Member, Computer Section, State Bar of Texas
  • Former Treasurer, Corpus Christi Lawyer Magazine
  • Former Editorial Board Member, Corpus Christi Lawyer Magazine
  • Technical Volunteer, Senior Citizens
  • Member, State Bar of Texas
  • Volunteer Computer Instructor, 1999-2010
  • Leadership Team, Social Media Club, Corpus Christi, 2009-2010
  • Board Member, Saint James Episcopal School, 1992-2000
Policy Positions

2021

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

Crime

1. Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders?
- Yes

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

2. Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you generally support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy

1. Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline?
- Yes

2. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

Environment

Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

Guns

Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

Health Care

Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes

Marriage

Do you support same-sex marriage?
- No

National Security

Do you support increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support?
- Unknown Position

Social Security

Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
- Yes

Texas Congressional Election 2010 Political Courage Test

Abortion

1. Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
- Pro-life

2. Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Should federal subsidies be prohibited from being used for abortion procedures?
- Yes

Budget, Spending, and Tax

SpendingIndicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.2) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.

1. Agriculture
- Greatly Decrease

2. Arts
- Slightly Decrease

3. Defense
- Maintain Status

4. Intelligence operations
- Greatly Increase

5. Military hardware
- Maintain Status

6. National missile defense
- Maintain Status

7. Salary and benefits for active duty personnel
- Maintain Status

8. Programs to improve troop retention rates
- Maintain Status

9. Research and development of new weapons
- Maintain Status

SpendingIndicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.2) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.

1. Education
- Greatly Decrease

2. Environment
- Greatly Decrease

3. Homeland security
- Slightly Increase

4. International aid
- Eliminate

5. Medical research
- Greatly Decrease

6. Scientific research
- Greatly Decrease

7. Space exploration
- Slightly Decrease

8. United Nations
- Greatly Decrease

9. Welfare
- Greatly Decrease

10. Other or expanded categories
- Slightly Decrease

11. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

12. Capital gains taxes
- Eliminate

13. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

14. Corporate taxes
- Greatly Decrease

15. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

16. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

17. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

18. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

19. Do you support the elimination of the federal estate tax?
- Yes

20. Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
- Yes

21. Do you support using government funds in an effort to stimulate and improve the economy?
- No

SpendingIndicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.2) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.

1. Taxes are too high and must be lowered. Our existing income tax system has become too complicated and burdensome. It must be simplified. I believe a flat tax or fair tax (national sales tax) would be better for America and would support either as a replacement of the current system. If we maintain the current system, it must be simplified and rates lowered to encourage economic growth.
- Our social safety net has become a hammock. It is much too easy to stay at home, collect unemployment, and sip pina coladas than go out and get a job. Our welfare programs must be focused on getting people back to work. While America is a compassionate nation, sometimes it is necessary for a person to hit bottom before they start pulling their life together. We need to offer a hand-up, not a hand out, in a manner that encourages families to stay together and people to seek meaningful employment.

Business and Employment

1. Do you support privatizing elements of Social Security?
- Yes

2. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing the federal minimum wage?
- No

4. Do you support the ability of workers to unionize?
- Yes

5. Do you support federal funding for job-training programs that retrain displaced workers?
- No

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

1. Do you support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns?
- Yes

2. Should Congress regulate indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- No

3. Do you support removing all contribution limits on federal campaigns?
- No

4. Should candidates for federal office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

5. Do you support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations?
- No

6. Do you support limiting the President's ability to define how legislation is applied through the use of signing statements?
- Yes

Crime

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related training and job-placement assistance when released?
- Yes

3. Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

4. Do you support reduced prison sentences for non-violent offenders?
- No

5. Do you support mandatory prison sentences for selling illegal drugs?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students?
- No

2. Do you support federal funding for universal pre-K programs?
- No

3. Do you support federal funding for charter schools?
- No

4. Do you support federal funding for K-12 school vouchers?
- No

5. Do you support the federal government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

Environment and Energy

1. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- No

2. Do you support international emissions targets aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- No

3. Do you support allowing energy producers to trade carbon credits under a "cap and trade" system?
- No

4. Do you support strengthening fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles?
- No

5. Do you support domestic oil exploration in federally-protected areas?
- Yes

6. Do you support federal funding for the development of alternative energy?
- No

7. Do you support the development of nuclear reactors?
- Yes

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No

2. Do you believe that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of individual citizens to own guns?
- Yes

3. Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Do you support a ban on assault rifles?
- No

Health

1. Do you support a publicly-administered health insurance option?
- No

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Should the federal government expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts?
- Yes

4. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

5. Do you support relaxing regulations on the importation of prescription drugs?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants?
- No

2. Do you support decreasing the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country?
- No

3. Do you support establishing English as the official national language?
- Yes

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

International Policy

1. Do you support United States military action in Afghanistan?
- Yes

2. Do you support increasing military assistance for Afghanistan?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing economic development assistance for Afghanistan?
- Yes

4. Should the United States continue to strike suspected terrorist targets in Pakistan?
- Yes

5. Do you support granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States?
- No

6. Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
- Yes

7. Do you support increasing sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
- Yes

8. Do you support the withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq?
- No

9. Do you support the United States' involvement in free trade agreements?
- Yes

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- Yes

2. Do you support allowing openly-gay men and women to serve in the United States military?
- No

3. Do you support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research?
- No

4. Should the federal government end affirmative action programs?
- Yes

Congress Bills
Speeches