Represented the 21st Congressional District of Texas for 32 years.
Served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the Science, Space, and Technology Committee as well as the Ethics Committee, making him the only recent member of the House of Representatives to have chaired three committees.
The Science, Space, and Technology Committee has jurisdiction over NASA, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over intellectual property, immigration policy, federal courts, administrative law and criminal law.
Served on the Homeland Security Committee.
Recognized as Texan of the Year in 2019 by the bipartisan Texas Legislative Conference.
Ranked the most effective member of the House in the 112th Congress (2011-2012) in a study that was jointly conducted by the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University. According to the same study, he was ranked in the top 10 percent in effectiveness in the last eight Republican Congresses.

Former U.S. Congressman Lamar Smith advises clients on a range of public policy and government relations issues.

Lamar was recognized as Texan of the Year in 2019 by the bipartisan Texas Legislative Conference. He was ranked the most effective member of the House in the 112th Congress (2011-2012) in a study that was jointly conducted by the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University. According to the same study, he was ranked in the top 10 percent in effectiveness in the last eight Republican Congresses.

He was named Policymaker of the Year by Politico and Politico Pro for his work on patent reform legislation. According to Politico, “the lawmakers’ America Invents Act became the only major piece of tech legislation signed into law in 2011—a rare instance in which a bipartisan effort bore fruit.”

Education
J.D., Southern Methodist University, 1975
B.A., Yale University, 1969

Recognitions

Texan of the Year, 2019 by the bipartisan Texas Legislative Conference.
Ranked the most effective member of the House in the 112th Congress (2011-2012) in a study jointly conducted by the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University.
Space Transportation Association, 2018 Leadership Award.
U.S. Association for Former Members of Congress, 2017 Statesmanship Award.
Nashville Songwriters Association International, 2013 White Hat Award.
Politico and Politico Pro, 2011 Policymaker of the Year in Technology for work on patent reform legislation.

Affiliations and Public Service