Lamar Smith
Lamar Seeligson Smith (born November 19, 1947) is an American politician and lobbyist who served in the United States House of Representatives for Texas's 21st congressional district for 16 terms, a district including most of the wealthier sections of San Antonio and Austin, as well as some of the Texas Hill Country. He is a member of the Republican Party. He sponsored the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act (PCIP). He also co-sponsored the Leahy–Smith America Invents Act.
Lamar Smith | |
|---|---|
| Chair of the House Science Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Ralph Hall |
| Succeeded by | Eddie Bernice Johnson |
| Chair of the House Judiciary Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | John Conyers |
| Succeeded by | Bob Goodlatte |
| Chair of the House Ethics Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | James V. Hansen |
| Succeeded by | Joel Hefley |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 21st district | |
| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Loeffler |
| Succeeded by | Chip Roy |
| Member of the Bexar County Commission from the 3rd district | |
| In office January 1983 – January 1985 | |
| Preceded by | Jeff Wentworth |
| Succeeded by | Walter Bielstein |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 57th district | |
| In office December 15, 1981 – November 15, 1982 | |
| Preceded by | James Nowlin |
| Succeeded by | Chock Word |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lamar Seeligson Smith November 19, 1947 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Shoults (died 1991) Elizabeth Schaefer (m. 1992) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Yale University (BA) Southern Methodist University (JD) |
As the head of the House Science Committee, Smith has been criticized for his denial of, and promotion of conspiracy theories about, climate change and for receiving funding from oil and gas companies. He is a former contributor to Breitbart News, a website known for publishing dubious claims about climate change.
In November 2017, Smith announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of his current term, and not seek re-election in 2018. In 2021, Smith registered as a lobbyist for the surveillance firm HawkEye 360 on behalf of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. In 2022, he officially registered as a foreign agent.