U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over all tax and trade measures, as well as Social Security and Medicare. He is ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Human Resources, which has jurisdiction over issues that relate to child care, child and family services, child support, foster care, adoption, and unemployment compensation.
In fact, for his work on this subcommittee and leadership on issues important to children, Rep. Doggett was named a 2012 “Champion of Children” by the First Focus Campaign, a national, bipartisan child advocacy group. He was also named the Public Official of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers Texas recognizing his work to advance the cause of social justice for working Texas families through his commitment to health care, public and higher education, civil and human rights, and social practice.
As a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Doggett has been a vocal advocate for tax code reform and has sought to close tax loopholes that favor large corporate interests to the detriment of small businesses and individual taxpayers. He was featured in a CBS News 60 Minutes segment by Lesley Stahl and on MSNBC’s Morning Joe regarding his longstanding efforts to address multinational corporate tax abuse. He has also been a leading advocate of budget scrutiny of “tax expenditures” made available through preferential treatment in the Tax Code.
Rep. Doggett has long opposed efforts to privatize Social Security, promoted affordable prescription drug coverage for seniors, and worked to boost federal support for education maintaining that America’s competitiveness begins with an opportunity for students to achieve all of the education for which they are willing to work. President Obama has called for a permanent extension of the tax cut that Rep. Doggett authored, known as the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides an annual $2,500 tax credit for students seeking more education after high school.
Last year, he received the American Bar Association’s Justice Award for his work on legislation that assists with funding for legal services to the disadvantaged.
Rep. Doggett has also worked to ensure our local vets have better access to healthcare facilities and the educational benefits they earned.
Congressman Doggett has been honored with the national AARP 2008 Legislative Achievement Award for his leadership on Medicare. For his work ensuring families have access to health care, he received awards from the National Association of Community Health Centers and the Texas Association of Community Health Centers. For his work protecting the environment, Doggett was honored in 2006 by the Texas League of Conservation Voters with its inaugural Environmental Champion Award.
Austin Chronicle readers again named Lloyd Doggett as the "Best Elected Official for 2012," saying that during his career in Congress he has always risen "to defend the values of Austin, Travis County, and his entire district, no matter how hard the Republicans have tried to take him out of the game." Austin Chronicle readers also named him as the Best Elected Official for 2011 calling him "a constant presence at community events." 2012 was the seventh time that he has been so honored in a publication that noted in 2008 he serves “with distinction, courage, and forthrightness."
His strong defense of consumer rights earned Doggett a "Public Interest Champion" award in 2003 from the Public Interest Research Group. For his efforts on behalf of small business and economic development in Central Texas, the Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce honored Doggett as the 2006 Business Advocate of the Year in government. For his support of the San Antonio VIA Metropolitan Transit system, he was given an “Excellence Award.” This commitment to public service is a tradition for Congressman Doggett. At the University of Texas in Austin, Doggett was elected Student Body President in 1967 and graduated first in his class from the College of Business Administration. Later, he graduated from the UT School of Law with honors, while serving as an associate editor of the Texas Law Review. Elected to the Texas Senate, he became known for his untiring work ethic. He authored 124 state laws, including the creation of the Texas Commission on Human Rights to prohibit discrimination and the Texas Sunset Act, which continues to seek greater efficiency and accountability by requiring periodic review of government agencies.
Elected in 1988 to serve as Justice to the Texas Supreme Court, he wrote opinions supporting the right to a trial by jury and authored an important rule bolstering the public's access to information. Lloyd Doggett served as Chair of the Supreme Court Task Force on Judicial Ethics and was recognized as an "Outstanding Judge in Texas" by the Mexican-American Bar of Texas, awarded the James Madison Award from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, and received the First Amendment Award from the National Society of Professional Journalists.
Doggett’s wife, Libby, serves as Director of an initiative at the Pew Charitable Trusts to promote smart state policies and investments in quality, home-based programs for new and expectant families. They have two daughters. Lisa, an Austin physician, directs a clinic that focuses on treating the uninsured. Cathy, a former schoolteacher, now trains teachers how to be more effective in the classroom. The Doggetts have three granddaughters, Ella, Clara, and Zayla.
