U.S. Congressman Kenny Hulshof
A Biography

Elected to Congress in 1996, Kenny Hulshof is serving his fifth term as the U.S. Representative serving the 25 counties in northeastern and central Missouri that make up Missouri's Ninth Congressional District.

In his first term, Congressman Hulshof secured a seat on the powerful U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, where he serves on the Heath and Social Security Subcommittees.  Early in 2003, Hulshof secured a seat on the House Committee on the Budget.  

In the 107th Congress, Hulshof’s co-authored legislation to expand Education Savings Accounts was signed into law by President Bush. This legislation give families another tax tool to save for their children’s education.  The House passed Hulshof's legislation to make permanent the 2001 tax relief plan several times.  He also introduced an initiative in 2002 that fosters expanded use of biodiesel--a renewable fuel made from soybeans.  

In the 106th Congress, Congressman Hulshof was a co-author of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act. This landmark legislation which helps individuals with disabilities lead independent lives, was signed into law by former President Clinton. 

In Congress, Hulshof's legislative record reflects the diverse interests of the district he represents.  He is the author of the Farm and Ranch Risk Management (FARRM) Act, which establishes tax-deferred accounts to help farmers manage risk. Other legislation he’s co-sponsored includes a move to repeal outdated fuel taxes and provide incentives for low and middle income taxpayers to increase their personal savings.  He is also the lead sponsor of legislation in the House to permanently repeal the federal Death Tax.

After earning an undergraduate degree in Agriculture Economics at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1980, Hulshof enrolled in the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he graduated in 1983. After a successful stint with both the Cape Girardeau County Public Defender's Office and the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Hulshof joined the Missouri State Attorney General's Office in July 1989.

From 1989 to January 1996, Hulshof served as a Special Prosecutor for the Missouri Attorney General's Office. In this capacity, Hulshof's duties included prosecuting difficult murder cases across Missouri, handling sensitive or specially assigned cases, and assisting other attorneys in areas of criminal law. Hulshof handled cases in 53 Missouri counties and has tried and convicted violent criminals in more than 60 felony jury trials. In 1992 the Missouri Bar Association awarded Hulshof the prestigious Lon O. Hocker Award for Trial Advocacy. In 2001 he was awarded the Distinguished Non-Alumnus Award from the University of Missouri School of Law.

Certified as a Missouri Specialist Instructor in Criminal Law, Hulshof frequently lectured at law enforcement conferences and seminars and has instructed prosecutors from Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah in trial advocacy and ethics.

A native of Bertrand, Missouri, Hulshof is married to Renee (Howell) Hulshof, of Hannibal, Missouri, and a graduate of the Journalism School at the University of Missouri. Residents of Columbia, Missouri, the Hulshofs’ have two daughters, Casey Elizabeth Hulshof, born Oct. 30, 1999, and Hanna McKinley, born December 7, 2002.  

Hulshof is active in the Newman Center Catholic Church in Columbia, and serves on the board of the MU Farmhouse Foundation.