Dick Armey was a member of the House of Representatives for eighteen years, acting as the House Majority Leader from 1995 to 2003. Since 2003, he has been the chairman of FreedomWorks, a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. that fights for less government and lower taxes.

 

After receiving his Ph.D in economics from the University of Oklahoma, Armey began his teaching career at the University of Montana. Armey became the chairman of the economics department at the University of North Texas in 1977, exposing him to a more “political” environment.

 

He was first elected to Congress in 1984, and quickly solidified a reputation for himself in Washington as a conservative member dedicated to good public policy. After winning re-election in 1986, he had his first legislative victory: the passage of an amendment with Congressman Jack Kemp and Delegate Walter Fauntroy to reform public housing.

 

Also during this second term, Armey passed landmark legislation that propelled him to national recognition—he collaborated with key Democrats and fought against the Reagan Defense Department to pass legislation to close down obsolete military bases. As a result, more than 100 obsolete bases are being closed, saving taxpayers more than $4 billion a year.

 

The Wall Street Journal wrote in 1988, “By tempering his tactics without abandoning his goals, [Armey] is getting legislation passed.” 

 

Armey’s next goal was to fight federal farm reforms in 1990. Along with other conservative Republicans, he teamed up with urban liberals like Charles Schumer and Barney Frank to form a bipartisan coalition, pressuring agricultural committees to bring forward leaner bills. Their efforts laid the groundwork for the free market reforms in the 1996 Freedom to Farm legislation.

 

In January 1991, Armey was appointed ranking Republican on the Joint Economic Committee after leading the opposition to President Bush’s tax increases. He decided to run for Conference Chairman in June of 1992, and was elected in December of the same year.

 

In 1994, he was the main author of the republican Contract with America—a list of ten bills that Republicans would bring up for vote during the first 100 days of a Republican-controlled Congress. The Contract was a success, and the Republicans controlled the House for the first time in 40 years. Armey became the Majority Leader of the 104th Congress.

 

Armey has written four books: Price Theory: A Policy--Welfare Approach; The Freedom Revolution; The Flat Tax; and Armey’s Axioms.