Beth Van Duyne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beth Van Duyne
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 24th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Kenny Marchant
Mayor of Irving
In office July 7, 2011 – May 16, 2017
Preceded by	Herbert Gears
Succeeded by	Rick Stopfer
Personal details
Born	(1970-11-16) November 16, 1970 (age 54) Albany, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Casey Wallach ​ ​ (m. 1995; div. 2012)​
Domestic partner	Rich McCormick (2024-present)
Children	2
Education	Cornell University (BA)
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Elizabeth Ann Van Duyne (born November 16, 1970) is an American politician. She serves as a U.S. representative for Texas's 24th congressional district. She is a member of the Republican Party. Before becoming a representative, she was the mayor of Irving from 2011 to 2017. She also worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the first Donald Trump presidency.

Early Life and Education

Beth Van Duyne was born in upstate New York. She lived in Amsterdam, New York, until she was seven years old. Later, her family moved to Cooperstown.

In 1986, her family moved to Irving, Texas. She finished high school at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas. She then went to Cornell University. She graduated with high honors, earning a degree in city and regional planning, government, and law.

Political Career Highlights

Van Duyne as HUD Southwest Regional Administrator in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2019

Van Duyne first got involved in local politics in Irving, Texas. She ran for city council in 2004 and won. In 2011, she successfully ran for mayor of Irving. She was re-elected mayor in 2014.

During her time as mayor, she faced some important situations. In 2015, there was a discussion about a bill in the Texas Legislature to ban Sharia law. Van Duyne supported a city council vote to back this bill.

Also in 2015, a 14-year-old Muslim boy, Ahmed Mohamed, was arrested at school. He had brought a homemade clock that teachers thought looked like a bomb. Van Duyne defended the school and police actions. She was later removed from a lawsuit related to this event. A judge eventually dismissed the entire lawsuit.

In 2017, Van Duyne decided not to run for mayor again. That same year, President Donald Trump chose her for a role in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). She oversaw HUD operations in Texas and four other states.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Becoming a Representative

In 2019, the U.S. Representative for Texas's 24th district, Kenny Marchant, announced he would not seek re-election. Van Duyne then left her job at HUD to run for this seat. The 24th district covers suburban areas between Dallas and Fort Worth.

She received support from President Trump early in 2020. She won the Republican primary election on March 3, getting about 65% of the votes.

In the main election, Van Duyne ran against Candace Valenzuela, a Democrat. Van Duyne focused on public safety and the economy during her campaign. She won the election on November 3, 2020.

Re-election in 2022

On November 8, 2022, Van Duyne ran for re-election. She won against Democrat Jan McDowell. Her district was changed in 2021, making it more likely for a Republican to win.

Key Political Ideas

As a U.S. Representative, Van Duyne has taken stances on several issues.

Support for Ukraine

She voted against a bill in 2022 that would provide $40 billion in emergency aid to the Ukrainian government.

Immigration Views

Van Duyne supported a bill called the American Tech Workforce Act of 2021. This bill aims to change the H-1B visa program for skilled workers. It would set a minimum wage for these visas. It would also remove a program that lets foreign graduates work in the U.S. after finishing school.

Government Spending

In 2023, Van Duyne was one of the Republicans who voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act. This act dealt with government spending.

Committee Work

Beth Van Duyne works on several important committees in the House of Representatives:

• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Aviation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations and Regulations (Chair)
  • Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access
• Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress

Personal Life

Beth Van Duyne has two children. She was married to Chris "Casey" Wallach for 17 years before they divorced in 2012. In 2024, she confirmed she is in a relationship with Georgia Congressman Rich McCormick. She is an Episcopalian.

Electoral History

See also

• Women in the United States House of Representatives