Michael McCaul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael McCaul
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| Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Gregory Meeks |
| Succeeded by | Brian Mast |
| Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Eliot Engel |
| Succeeded by | Gregory Meeks |
| Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Peter King |
| Succeeded by | Bennie Thompson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 10th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Lloyd Doggett |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Michael Thomas McCaul Sr.
January 14, 1962 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Linda Mays |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Trinity University (BA) St. Mary's University, Texas (JD) |
| Website | |
Michael Thomas McCaul Sr. (born January 14, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer. He has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas's 10th district since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.
From 2013 to 2019, he led the House Committee on Homeland Security. Since 2023, he has been the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. His district covers areas from Austin to Houston.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Michael McCaul was born in Dallas, Texas, on January 14, 1962. He went to Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Trinity University in San Antonio in 1984. Three years later, he received a law degree from St. Mary's University. He also studied at Harvard Kennedy School.
Legal Career
Before becoming a politician, McCaul worked as a lawyer. He was a federal prosecutor, which means he worked for the government to bring legal cases against people. He was the Chief of Counterterrorism and National Security for the U.S. Attorney's office in Texas. He also worked for the Department of Justice. From 1999 to 2002, McCaul served as a Deputy Attorney General for the Texas Attorney General's Office.
U.S. House of Representatives
Michael McCaul first ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004. He won the election for the newly created 10th District of Texas. This district was considered very supportive of Republican candidates. He has been re-elected several times since then. In 2018, he won his eighth term in a very close election. He was elected for his ninth term in 2020 and his tenth term in 2022.
Key Political Stances
McCaul has taken clear positions on many important issues.
Cybersecurity Efforts
In 2013, McCaul introduced a bill to strengthen cybersecurity for the U.S. government. This law would make the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security responsible for protecting federal computer systems. It also helps the Department of Homeland Security prevent and respond to cyberattacks. McCaul said this bill was important for dealing with online threats.
Views on Donald Trump
In 2019, Michael McCaul voted against the articles of impeachment for President Donald Trump. He also voted against creating a special group to investigate the events of January 6, 2021.
Foreign Policy
McCaul has strong views on foreign policy. In 2019, he spoke against ending U.S. involvement in the Yemeni Civil War. He said it could harm security agreements with other countries. In 2021, he supported President Joe Biden's airstrikes on targets in Syria.
McCaul believes the United States should provide strong military support to Ukraine. He thinks Ukraine needs more weapons, including fighter jets and missiles, to win the Russo-Ukrainian War. In February 2023, he met with Ukraine's President in Kyiv. He pushed for more military aid, especially advanced missiles.
In April 2023, during a meeting with officials from Taiwan, McCaul made strong statements about the Chinese leader, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping. Because of this, the Chinese government announced sanctions against McCaul. This means they put restrictions on him for what they called interference in China's affairs. In November 2024, McCaul announced he would step down as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Immigration Policy
McCaul supports building a wall along the Mexico–United States border. He also supports the "Remain in Mexico" policy. This policy requires certain asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed.
TikTok Concerns
McCaul has been involved in discussions about TikTok. He supported a law aimed at protecting American data from foreign countries, which included a potential ban on TikTok.
Committee Roles
- Committee on Foreign Affairs (Chair)
- Committee on Homeland Security
Group Memberships
McCaul is part of several special groups in Congress:
- Founder and co-chair of the Congressional High Tech Caucus
- Co-founder and co-chair of the Childhood Cancer Caucus
- Co-chair of the Congressional Cyber Security Caucus
- Co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Sudan and South Sudan
- Co-founder of the Congressional Argentina Caucus
- Rare Disease Caucus
- Tuberculosis Elimination Caucus
- United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
- Republican Governance Group
- Republican Study Committee
- Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans
Personal Life
Michael McCaul is married to Linda Mays McCaul. Her father, Lowry Mays, founded Clear Channel Communications, a large media company. In 2011, a report named McCaul as one of the wealthiest members of the United States Congress. His wealth grew significantly due to financial transfers from his wife's family.
McCaul and his family live in West Lake Hills, Texas, a town near Austin, Texas. He is a Catholic. He has spoken out against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's actions against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua.
Images for kids
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Congressman McCaul leading the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security during a visit to ISAF Headquarters.
See also
In Spanish: Michael McCaul para niños
