Mike Conaway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Conaway
Official portrait, 2020
Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Collin Peterson
Succeeded by	Glenn Thompson
Chair of the House Agriculture Committee
In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Frank Lucas
Succeeded by	Collin Peterson
Chair of the House Ethics Committee
In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015
Preceded by	Jo Bonner
Succeeded by	Charlie Dent
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 11th district
In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	August Pfluger
Personal details
Born	Kenneth Michael Conaway (1948-06-11) June 11, 1948 (age 77) Borger, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Suzanne Kidwell (1991–present)
Education	Texas A&M University–Commerce (BBA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1970–1972
Rank	Specialist 5
Awards	Army Commendation Medal

Kenneth Michael Conaway, born on June 11, 1948, is an American politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for the 11th district of Texas from 2005 to 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party.

The area Mr. Conaway represented is in West Texas. It includes cities like Midland, Odessa, and San Angelo. During his time in Congress, he led an important investigation into certain election issues. He also chaired the House Agriculture Committee and the House Ethics Committee. Mr. Conaway decided not to run for re-election in July 2019. Another Republican, August Pfluger, took his place.

Early Life and Education

Mike Conaway grew up in Borger, a town in the Texas Panhandle. His parents were Helen Jean McCormick and Louis Denton Conaway.

High School and College Years

He graduated from Permian High School in Odessa in 1966. While there, he was a great football player for the Permian Panthers. He was part of the team that won the State Championship in 1965. After high school, he went to Ranger College on a football scholarship. Later, he attended Texas A&M University-Commerce. He played football for the Lions from 1966 to 1969. He also helped his team win two Lone Star Conference championships. He studied Accounting and earned his degree in 1970.

Career Path

Mr. Conaway had a varied career before becoming a politician. He worked in the military and in business.

Military Service

Mike Conaway served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1972.

Working in Business

After his military service, Mr. Conaway became an accountant. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1974. He also worked as a chief financial officer (CFO) at a bank. From 1981 to 1986, he was the CFO for Arbusto Energy Inc. This company explored for oil and gas. It was run by George W. Bush, who later became president.

Texas Government Role

When George W. Bush became governor of Texas, he appointed Mr. Conaway to a state board. This board, called the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, helps regulate accountants in Texas. Mr. Conaway volunteered on this board for seven years. For five of those years, he served as its chairman.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Mike Conaway was a U.S. Representative for 16 years. He worked on many important committees.

Key Committee Roles

During his time in the House, Mr. Conaway was part of several important committees:

• Committee on Agriculture: He was the top Republican member (Ranking Member) on this committee.
• Committee on Armed Services: This committee deals with military matters.
• Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: This committee handles intelligence and national security.

Important Actions and Votes

Mr. Conaway supported Donald Trump for president in the 2016 election. In 2006, he voted against extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This law helps protect the right to vote for all citizens.

He also worked with the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). This group helps Republican candidates get elected to the House. In 2007, he found that money was missing from the NRCC's accounts. He discovered that audits, which are checks of financial records, had not been done for years.

Mr. Conaway also introduced ideas for new laws. One idea was to extend a tax credit. This credit would help support technology that captures carbon from the air. This technology helps reduce pollution.

Leading an Investigation

In April 2017, Speaker Paul Ryan asked Mr. Conaway to lead the House Intelligence Committee. This happened when the committee's chairman, Devin Nunes, stepped aside from investigations into certain election issues.

In March 2018, Mr. Conaway shared some findings from the Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee. He stated that the committee had not found evidence of certain connections between a political campaign and another country. However, he later clarified that the committee's job was not to answer that specific question. He said, "What we said is we found no evidence of it. That’s a different statement. We found no evidence of collusion."

In December 2020, Mr. Conaway was one of many Republican House members who supported a legal case. This case, Texas v. Pennsylvania, challenged the results of the 2020 presidential election. However, the Supreme Court decided not to hear the case.

Running for Office

Mike Conaway first ran for Congress in 2003. He lost that election by a small number of votes. A few months later, the state of Texas changed its district maps. A new district, the 11th, was created. This district was very supportive of Republicans.

Mr. Conaway ran for this new 11th district seat in 2004. He won with a large percentage of the votes. He was re-elected six times after that. Most of the time, he did not face strong competition. He announced in July 2019 that he would not seek re-election.

Personal Life

Mr. Conaway was a member of the Midland Independent School District Board from 1985 to 1988. He is married to Suzanne Kidwell Conaway. They have two sons, two daughters, and seven grandchildren.