Dick Armey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dick Armey
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Armey in 1997
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| Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee | |
| In office June 19, 2002 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Christopher Cox |
| House Majority Leader | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Speaker | Newt Gingrich Dennis Hastert |
| Preceded by | Dick Gephardt |
| Succeeded by | Tom DeLay |
| Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Deputy | Bill McCollum |
| Leader | Bob Michel |
| Preceded by | Jerry Lewis |
| Succeeded by | John Boehner |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 26th district |
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| In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Tom Vandergriff |
| Succeeded by | Michael C. Burgess |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Keith Armey
July 7, 1940 Cando, North Dakota, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Susan Armey |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Jamestown College (BA) University of North Dakota (MA) University of Oklahoma (PhD) |
| Profession | Economist |
Richard Keith Armey (born July 7, 1940) is an American economist and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for Texas from 1985 to 2003. He was also the House Majority Leader from 1995 to 2003.
Armey was a key figure in the "Republican Revolution" of the 1990s. This was when Republicans won majorities in both houses of Congress for the first time in 40 years. He also helped write the "Contract with America", a plan of goals for the Republican Party. After leaving Congress, Armey worked as an advisor and lobbyist.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Armey was born on July 7, 1940, in Cando, North Dakota. He grew up in a rural area. He went to Jamestown College and earned a bachelor's degree. Later, he received a master's degree from the University of North Dakota. He then earned a PhD in economics from the University of Oklahoma.
Before becoming a politician, Armey was an economics professor. He taught at several universities, including the University of Montana and the University of North Texas. He even served as the chairman of the economics department at the University of North Texas.
Armey has five children.
Serving in Congress
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In 1984, Richard Armey was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented Texas's 26th congressional district, which is an area of Texas. He was part of a group of six new Republican congressmen from Texas elected that year. Armey was reelected eight more times, serving in Congress until 2003.
Leading the Republican Party
In 1994, Armey, who was then the House Republican Conference Chairman (a leader among Republicans in the House), worked with Newt Gingrich. They wrote the "Contract with America". This plan helped Republicans win many seats in the 1994 elections. This event is known as the "Republican Revolution".
After the election, Gingrich became the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. This is the leader of the House. Armey became the House Majority Leader, the second-highest Republican position. He had a lot of power in deciding which laws would be voted on.
Challenges in Leadership
In 1997, some House Republicans tried to replace Speaker Gingrich. Armey was involved in this situation. He warned Gingrich about the plan. Gingrich stayed as Speaker, and some of the members involved in the plan left their leadership roles.
In 1998, Republicans lost some seats in the elections, but they still had the majority. Armey faced a challenge for his role as Majority Leader but won the vote. After Gingrich resigned as Speaker, Armey was considered for the top job. However, he decided not to run. Dennis Hastert became the new Speaker.
Later Congressional Work
Armey served four more years in Congress before retiring in 2002. In his last term, he became chairman of the United States House Committee on Homeland Security. He also helped create the Department of Homeland Security, a new government department focused on protecting the country.
After Armey retired, his son, Scott Armey, ran for his father's seat in Congress. However, Scott lost the election.
Advisor and Lobbyist
After leaving Congress, Armey continued to be involved in politics. He joined a law firm as a senior policy advisor. He also worked with a group called FreedomWorks.
FreedomWorks
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In 2003, Armey became a leader at FreedomWorks. This is a conservative non-profit group in Washington D.C.. The group's name came from Armey's saying, "Freedom works. Freedom is good policy and good politics." As chairman, Armey traveled and met with activists and lawmakers.
In 2012, Armey resigned from FreedomWorks.
Political Beliefs
Richard Armey is known for his beliefs in a free market economy. He supported policies that would allow businesses to operate with less government control.
Economy and Taxes
Armey believed in free trade between countries. He also supported the idea of selling off parts of Social Security to private companies. He wanted to end farm subsidies, which are payments from the government to farmers.
Armey was a strong supporter of a "flat tax". This means everyone would pay the same percentage of their income in taxes, instead of different percentages for different income levels. He also helped create the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. This group was responsible for closing military bases to save money.
Health Care
In 1999, Armey proposed a law called the Fair Care for the Uninsured Act. This law suggested using tax credits to help people pay for health insurance. It would let individuals buy health insurance directly from companies, not just through their jobs. Some of these ideas later appeared in health care reforms in Massachusetts and the national Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Armey did not support the idea that everyone should be required to buy health insurance.
Foreign Policy
Armey was initially unsure about the war in Iraq in 2003. He warned President George W. Bush that it might be a "quagmire," meaning a difficult situation to get out of. He said the information supporting the war seemed questionable. However, he voted for the war. Later, he said he felt he had been misled about some of the reasons for the war.
In 2002, Armey also spoke about the Palestinian territories. He said he would be okay with Israel taking over these territories and moving the Palestinian people to other Arab nations.
See also
In Spanish: Dick Armey para niños
Images for kids
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Armey with President Ronald Reagan in October 1988
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Armey during budget negotiations with President Bill Clinton in January 1996
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Armey with President George W. Bush and Dennis Hastert in January 2001
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Armey with Bill Archer at a House Budget Committee meeting in October 2004
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Armey in the War Room at FreedomWorks during the 2010 elections
