• 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.

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.

Licensed to practice in Texas only and under the supervision of the partners of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Application for admission to the District of Columbia Bar in process.