Bob Goodlatte | |
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Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee | |
Assumed office January 3, 2013 |
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Preceded by | Lamar Smith |
Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee | |
In office May 31, 2003 – January 3, 2007 |
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Preceded by | Larry Combest |
Succeeded by | Collin Peterson |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 6th district |
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Assumed office January 3, 1993 |
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Preceded by | Jim Olin |
Personal details | |
Born |
Robert William Goodlatte September 22, 1952 Holyoke, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Maryellen Flaherty |
Education |
Bates College (BA) Washington and Lee University (JD) |
Robert William Goodlatte /ˈɡʊdˌlæt/ (born September 22, 1952) is an American politician and lawyer. He is currently the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over legislation affecting the federal courts, administrative agencies and federal law enforcement entities. He serves as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Virginia's 6th congressional district, serving since 1993. A member of the Republican Party, Goodlatte's district represents Roanoke and also includes Lynchburg, Harrisonburg and Staunton.
A native of Massachusetts, Goodlatte attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, before graduating Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia. He entered private practice before receiving the Republican nomination for his current congressional seat. He has been reelected a total of eleven times, six of which were unopposed. Elected as the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee at the start of the 110th Congress in 2003, and during his tenure, he convened over 132 hearings and guided 38 bills to the President’s desk to be signed into law. He was elected as the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee in 2013 and has notably rejected calls for the impeachment proceedings of President Barack Obama, and IRS Commissioner John Koskinen due to lack of substantive cause. In 2017, Goodlatte presided over a GOP effort conducted in a secret session to weaken the independent Office of Congressional Ethics, a move widely criticized by House leaders and the opposition party. The proposal passed by a 119 to 74 vote, but was withdrawn the following day after widespread public criticism.