CHET EDWARDS Texas State Senator 1983-1990 U. S. Congressman since 1991 Biography Note: Biography from Chet Edwards web site.   Photographs | Collection Statement | Scope and Content | Series Outline | Series Statement | Preliminary Inventory Papers closed until processed

Chet Edwards has represented the 11^th Congressional District of Texas since January of l99l. During his service in the U.S. House of Representatives, Edwards has developed a reputation as a fiscal conservative who  fights hard for his district, while being a leader on national issues such as the budget, defense, veterans, education and religious liberty.

A member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Edwards presently holds several key leadership positions. He is one of the four Democratic Chief Deputy Whips and is co-chairman of the House Army Caucus. He also co-chairs the National Security Caucus and the bipartisan House Impact Aid Coalition. Edwards is a member of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee which makes all House Democratic committee assignments.

 

As the top-ranking moderate/conservative in the House Democratic leadership, Edwards is known as a bridge builder between conservative, moderate and liberal Democrats. Edwards considers his greatest legislative achievement to be his defense of religious liberty. He was the leader of the bipartisan effort that soundly defeated Representative Ernest Istook's resolution to amend the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights has never been amended in our nation's history. Edwards strongly believes that America's greatest contribution in our nation's experiment in democracy is the religious freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution which reads: "Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . ."

 

In his Central Texas district, Edwards is known as a hard worker who has been effective in fighting for important federal programs and for average working families. In particular, he has been given credit for leading the effort to keep Fort Hood as the only two-division installation in the U.S. Army.

 

His work has also led to major construction projects at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, the building of a new regional VA office, major renovations of the Waco airport and Lake Waco dam and the future joint civilian-military use of the Robert Gray Army Airfield near Fort Hood.

 

Edwards has obtained funding for a major water study that will be the foundation of long-term plans to improve and protect water quality at Lake Waco, Belton Lake, Stillhouse Hollow Lake and Whitney Lake. He has also been nationally recognized for his leadership in the fight to protect military retiree benefits and education programs for the children of military families.

 

Because of his fight to balance the budget, Edwards received the "1998 Deficit Hawk Award" given by the Concord Coalition, a national, non-partisan group dedicated to reducing federal spending and cutting the federal debt.

 

With a focus on service to his district, Edwards considers constituent casework to be one of the most important responsibilities of his job. In Central Texas he is well known for returning to his district almost every weekend.

 

Edwards is a l974 graduate of Texas A&M University, where he received the Earl Rudder Award as one of two outstanding graduates. In l981, he received an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

 

As a businessman he worked in commercial real estate with the Trammell Crow Company and was later president of Edwards Communications Company, which owned an AM/FM radio station. From l983 to l990 he served in the Texas State Senate and was named "One of Ten Outstanding Legislators" by Texas Monthly magazine.

Edwards is married to the former Lea Ann Wood. They have two young sons, John Thomas and Garrison.