Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
november 2017

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congress

Texas 21st District Representative Lamar Smith will not seek re-election in 2018

November 2, 2017

Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX-21) announced in a statement shared on Twitter on November 2 that he will not seek re-election in 2018 for his seat representing the 21st district of Texas.

Representative Smith has served as a member of Congress since 1987, and will complete his six-year term as Chairman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology at the end of the 115th Congress, which will conclude on January 3, 2019. He also serves on both the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland Security in the House.

A strong supporter of immigration reform, Representative Smith recently introduced the Immigration in the National Interest Act (H.R.3775), a bill to ensure the U.S. immigration system prioritizes those with the highest skills and education. Earlier this year, Representative Smith also introduced the HONEST Act (H.R.1430), seeking to restrict the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to only propose, finalize, or disseminate rules that include transparent and reproducible science. This legislation passed the House on March 29 and was sent to the Senate, where it currently awaits consideration by the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Sources: CNN, Library of Congress, U.S. House of Representatives