Bill Flores facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Flores
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Official portrait, 2011
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 17th district |
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| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Chet Edwards |
| Succeeded by | Pete Sessions |
| Chair of the Republican Study Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Rob Woodall |
| Succeeded by | Mark Walker |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Hose Flores
February 25, 1954 Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Gina Flores |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Texas A&M University (BBA) Houston Baptist University (MBA) |
William "Bill" Flores (born February 25, 1954) is an American businessman. He is currently the Vice Chair and interim Chair of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which manages Texas's electric power grid.
Before this, he served as a U.S. Representative for the 17th district of Texas from 2011 to 2021. A U.S. Representative is a person elected to speak for their local area in the U.S. Congress. Flores decided not to run for re-election in 2020 after serving five terms. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was also the former chief executive officer (CEO) of Phoenix Exploration Company, a business that looked for oil and natural gas.
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Early Life and Education
Bill Flores was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at an Air Force base where his father was serving in the military. He grew up in Stratford, a town in the northern part of Texas. His family has a long history in Texas, with ancestors coming from Spain in 1725. Flores has said he considers himself "an American first."
He went to Texas A&M University, where he earned a degree in accounting in 1976. While there, he was very active, joining the Corps of Cadets and serving as the Student Body Vice-President of Finance. He later earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Houston Baptist University in 1985. He has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) since 1978, which means he is an expert in managing money for businesses.
Business Career and Leadership
Flores has had a long career in business, especially in the energy field. From 1990 to 1998, he was the chief financial officer (CFO) for two large energy service companies. A CFO is the person in charge of a company's money.
In 2006, Flores became the president and CEO of Phoenix Exploration Company. This company explored for oil and gas along the Gulf Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. He led this company until he retired in 2009 to run for public office.
Besides his work in energy, Flores has also served on many important boards. He was a commissioner for the Texas Real Estate Commission, which oversees real estate in Texas. He also led the board of the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University. He has been a board member for several other companies and organizations, including the Alley Theater in Houston. He continues to serve on the board of trustees for Houston Baptist University.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Running for Congress in 2010
In 2009, Bill Flores decided to run for Congress in Texas's 17th District. He wanted to help protect "the American dream" for future generations. He even used a lot of his own money to help fund his campaign.
He won the Republican primary election, which is when members of a political party choose their candidate. He then received support from important political figures like former President George H. W. Bush.
On November 2, 2010, Flores won the main election, defeating the long-time Democratic representative, Chet Edwards. This was a big victory, showing how much support he had.
Re-election Victories
Flores was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives several times.
- In 2016, he won his fourth term with 60.8 percent of the votes.
- In 2018, he won his fifth term with 56.9 percent of the votes.
His Political Ideas
When Flores took office, he was the first Republican to represent the city of Waco in Congress since the Reconstruction period after the Civil War.
Flores believes in making the U.S. more energy independent. He supports building new nuclear power plants and also encourages the development of solar and wind power. He is a member of the Conservative Republican Study Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Conference, groups that share similar political goals.
National Security Views
Flores supported a temporary ban on immigration from certain countries in 2017. He believed it was a good idea to take a break and check if the process for allowing people into the country was strong enough.
Legislation He Supported
In 2013, Flores introduced a bill called the "Protecting States’ Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act." This bill would let individual states decide their own rules for hydraulic fracturing (a way to get oil and gas from the ground). The House of Representatives passed this bill.
Leadership Role: Republican Study Committee
In 2014, Flores was chosen to be the Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee. This is an important leadership role within the Republican Party in the House of Representatives.
Committees He Served On
While in Congress, Flores served on important committees. These committees study specific topics and help create laws.
- Committee on Energy and Commerce
- Subcommittee on Energy and Power
- Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs
- Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
- Subcommittee on Health
Groups He Joined
Flores was also a member of several "caucuses," which are groups of lawmakers who share common interests.
- House Baltic Caucus
- Congressional Western Caucus
- Veterinary Medicine Caucus
- Congressional Hispanic Conference
Personal Life
Bill Flores is married to Gina, whom he met when they were in high school. They have two sons. He attends Central Church in Bryan.
Flores has stayed very involved with Texas A&M University, serving on various advisory boards and associations for former students. In recognition of his achievements, he was honored as an "outstanding alumnus" in 2003 and a "Distinguished Alumnus" in 2010 by the university.
Images for kids
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Official portrait of Bill Flores, 2011.
