William M. Thomas
| Bill Thomas | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee | |
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In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Speaker | Dennis Hastert |
| Preceded by | Bill Archer |
| Succeeded by | Charlie Rangel |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 22nd district |
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In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Lois Capps |
| Succeeded by | Kevin McCarthy |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 21st district |
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In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Elton Gallegly |
| Succeeded by | Devin Nunes |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 20th district |
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In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Barry Goldwater, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Calvin M. Dooley |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 18th district |
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In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | William M. Ketchum |
| Succeeded by | Richard H. Lehman |
| Member of the California State Assembly | |
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In office 1974–1978 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 6, 1941 Wallace, Idaho |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Sharon Thomas |
| Residence | Morro Bay, California |
| Alma mater | Garden Grove High School, Santa Ana College, San Francisco State University |
| Occupation | Professor |
| Religion | Baptist |
William Marshall "Bill" Thomas (born December 6, 1941) is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 2007, finishing his tenure representing California's 21st congressional district and as the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Thomas was born in Wallace, Idaho, moving with his parents to the Southern California area. He graduated from Garden Grove High School, attended Santa Ana College, earning an associate's degree before transferring to San Francisco State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree and master's degree in political science in 1963 and 1965, respectively. He became an instructor at Bakersfield College before running for and winning a seat in the California State Assembly in 1974. He won election to the House of Representatives in 1978, representing the 18th congressional district.
Thomas married the former Sharon Lynn Hamilton in 1968. They have two grown children. He and his wife are Baptists.
When Washingtonian magazine polled congressional aides on the "best and worst" of Congress, Thomas was voted #2 for "brainiest", #3 for "workhorse", and #1 for "meanest" and overwhelmingly for "hottest temper" in the House. Thomas is known for being able to comprehend and communicate the intricacies of obscure legislative matters, studying testimony and research reports himself instead of relying on executive summaries from his aides. Thomas is also known for losing his temper when people are unprepared, earning a reputation for sharp interrogations. "He's revered, but he's also reviled to some degree", fellow representative Mark Foley told CQ Weekly.
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