Served as a member of Congress representing Texas’s 34th congressional district.
Served on the House Agriculture, Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, and as Deputy Head of the U.S. Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Focuses on commerce, energy, economic, agriculture, transportation, infrastructure and national security and defense issues.

A former U.S. Representative (D-TX), Rep. Filemon Vela was first elected to serve the 34th Congressional District of Texas in 2012, and was re-elected four times. Prior to serving in Congress, Rep. Vela spent more than 20 years as a litigator in private practice. He advises on commerce, energy, economic, agriculture, national security and defense issues.

During his time on Capitol Hill, Rep. Vela was a member of the House Agriculture Committee, where he served as chairman on the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee and as a member of the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry. Rep. Vela also served on the House Armed Services Committee and served as the Deputy Head of the U.S. Delegation to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Parliamentary Assembly (PA). Previously, he served on the House Homeland Security Committee, where he was the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.

Rep. Vela has deep relationships across the Democratic Caucus, particularly with pro-business Democrats and members of the Hispanic Caucus. He was appointed Vice-Chair of the Democratic National Committee by President Biden in 2021.

Hailing from a family dedicated to public service, Rep. Vela has followed in the footsteps of his parents. Rep. Vela’s father, the Honorable Filemon B. Vela Sr., was one of the first Hispanic federal judges in the country. Rep. Vela’s mother, Blanca S. Vela, was the first and only woman to have served as the Mayor of the City of Brownsville, Texas.

Representative Work

U.S. House of Representatives Experience

Served on the House Agriculture Committee, where he served as chairman on the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry. Rep. Vela joined the panel at the start of his congressional career, and later on served as the Vice-Ranking Member of the full committee during the 115th Congress.
Was the only Texas Democrat appointed by the House of Representatives’ Leadership to serve as a negotiator on the Conference Committee that drafted the 2014 Farm Bill and was closely involved in its reauthorization in 2018.
Sat on the House Armed Services Committee, where he fought to ensure that U.S. service members are prepared to respond to a range of military operations. Served on the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations.
Served on the House Homeland Security Committee, where he was the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security. Rep. Vela chaired the Border Caucus for several years and focused on trade and commerce between the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Served as the Deputy Head of the U.S. Delegation to the NATO PA. The NATO PA comprises over 250 delegates from 30 NATO countries who provide oversight of NATO operations and act as a conduit between the alliance and legislators of member countries.