Born and raised in West Texas, Mike Conaway is proud to represent Texas’ 11th Congressional District since coming to Congress in 2005. He serves as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, where he strongly advocates for farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and consumers while ensuring programs under the committee’s jurisdiction are defensible and financially responsible.
Prior to becoming Agriculture Committee Chairman, Conaway served as Chairman of the House Ethics Committee and held leadership roles as Chairman or Ranking Member of two Agriculture Subcommittees since the 111th Congress. In addition to his role as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, he currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Conaway was instrumental in the passage of the 2008 and 2014 farm bills, in which he focused largely on strengthening the agricultural economy. He believes the benefits of a strong rural economy are felt in every community in America. A life-long fiscal conservative, Chairman Conaway is committed to sound farm policy, protecting taxpayer dollars, and overseeing implementation of the Agricultural Act of 2014 as well as agencies and projects at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This year, the Agriculture Committee also launched a top-to-bottom review of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in efforts to strengthen the program for individuals and families in need of temporary assistance.
Conaway graduated from East Texas State University, now known as Texas A&M University-Commerce, where he studied accounting and played football. He then served two years in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood and went on to become a Certified Public Accountant. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, where he served as a board member and chairman.
He and his wife Suzanne live in Midland and have four children and seven grandchildren.
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