Filemon Vela Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Filemón Vela
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| Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee | |
| In office January 21, 2021 – March 31, 2022 Serving with Tammy Duckworth, Ken Martin, Gretchen Whitmer
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| Chair | Jaime Harrison |
| Preceded by | Grace Meng |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 34th district |
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| In office January 3, 2013 – March 31, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Mayra Flores |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Filemón Bartolomé Vela Jr.
February 13, 1963 Harlingen, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Rose Rivera
(m. 1990) |
| Relatives | Blanca Vela (mother) Filemon Vela Sr. (father) |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA) University of Texas at Austin (JD) |
Filemón Bartolomé Vela Jr. (born February 13, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. representative for Texas's 34th district from 2013 until 2022. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Vela was also a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. This is a group that helps lead the Democratic Party. He left his role as a representative in March 2022 to work at a law and lobbying firm called Akin Gump.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Filemon Vela Jr. was born in Harlingen, Texas. He grew up in nearby Brownsville. His family has a history of public service.
Family Background
Vela's father, Filemon Vela Sr., was a respected United States federal judge. A courthouse in Brownsville is named in his honor. Vela's mother, Blanca Sanchez Vela, made history too. She was Brownsville's first female mayor, serving from 1999 to 2003.
School and College
Filemon Vela Jr. went to Saint Joseph Academy in Brownsville. He then studied at Georgetown University, earning his bachelor's degree in 1985. While at Georgetown, he gained experience working as an intern. He interned at the Federal Judicial Center, which helps the federal court system. He also interned for Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz in Washington, D.C. After college, Vela earned his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law in 1987.
Legal Career
Before becoming a politician, Filemon Vela Jr. worked as a lawyer. He helped different groups in important legal cases.
For example, he represented the Edinburg School District. He worked to get more money for their schools. He also represented the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District. In that case, he helped them fight against contractors. These contractors were accused of building a school that was not well made.
Serving in Congress
Filemon Vela Jr. became a U.S. representative in 2013. A U.S. representative is someone elected to speak for their district in the U.S. Congress.
Winning Elections
2012 Election
In 2012, Vela ran for the newly created 34th congressional district in Texas. He won the Democratic primary election. Then, in the main election, he defeated his Republican opponent, Jessica Bradshaw. He won with 62% of the votes.
Time in Office
As a representative, Vela worked on various issues. In 2013, he left the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. This group supports Hispanic members of Congress. He disagreed with a plan that linked border security to a path for people to become citizens. He believed that building more border fences would separate communities that share a culture.
In March 2021, Vela announced he would not run for reelection. In August 2021, he joined a group of Democrats. They had concerns about a large spending plan proposed by the Biden administration.
Vela officially resigned from Congress on March 31, 2022. He left to take a job at a law and lobbying firm.
What He Worked On
While in Congress, Vela was part of several important groups.
Committee Roles
He served on these committees:
- Committee on Agriculture: This committee deals with farming and food issues.
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit
- Committee on Armed Services: This committee focuses on military and defense matters.
- Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
- Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces
Other Groups
He was also a member of these caucuses (groups of members who share interests):
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus
- Veterinary Medicine Caucus
- U.S.-Japan Caucus
Personal Life
Filemon Vela Jr. is married to Rose Vela. She was a judge on Texas's 13th Court of Appeals from 2007 to 2012. Vela is also Roman Catholic.
See also
