Pete Sessions facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pete Sessions
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Flores |
| Constituency | 17th district |
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | John Bryant |
| Succeeded by | Colin Allred |
| Constituency | 5th district (1997–2003) 32nd district (2003–2019) |
| Chair of the House Rules Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | David Dreier |
| Succeeded by | Jim McGovern |
| Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Leader | John Boehner |
| Preceded by | Tom Cole |
| Succeeded by | Greg Walden |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Peter Anderson Sessions
March 22, 1955 Waco, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Juanita Diaz
(m. 1984; div. 2011)Karen Diebel
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | William S. Sessions (father) |
| Education | Southwestern University (BS) |
| Website | |
Peter Anderson Sessions (born March 22, 1955) is an American politician. He is a member of the Republican Party. He serves in the United States House of Representatives for a part of Texas. The House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the U.S. Congress, where laws for the country are made.
Sessions has held important leadership roles. From 2013 to 2019, he was the chairman of the House Rules Committee. This committee decides which laws get discussed and voted on by all the representatives. He also used to be the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which helps Republicans get elected to Congress.
He first served in Congress from 1997 to 2019, representing areas around Dallas. In 2018, he lost his election. However, he ran for Congress again in 2020 in a different district based in Waco and won.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Pete Sessions was born in Waco, Texas, on March 22, 1955. His father, William S. Sessions, was the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
After high school, Pete went to Southwestern University and graduated in 1978. For 16 years, he worked for the telephone company Southwestern Bell. He became a district manager for marketing.
Sessions was very active in the Boy Scouts of America and earned the rank of "Distinguished Eagle Scout." He continues to support the Boy Scouts, and his two sons have also been involved in scouting.
Career in the U.S. House of Representatives
The U.S. House of Representatives is a part of Congress where members, called representatives, create and vote on laws. Each representative is elected by the people in their specific area, or district.
Elections
Sessions first tried to get elected to Congress in 1991 and 1993 but did not win. In 1996, he ran again and won, becoming the representative for Texas's 5th district. He was reelected several times.
After the 2000 census, the maps for voting districts in Texas were changed. Sessions then ran for and won in the new 32nd district. In 2004, he won a tough and expensive race against Martin Frost, who had been in Congress for 13 terms.
Sessions continued to win his elections for many years. In 2018, he lost his reelection bid to Colin Allred.
In 2019, Sessions decided to run for Congress again, but in a different area: Texas's 17th district, which includes his childhood home of Waco. He won the election in November 2020 and returned to Congress.
Time in Office
As a representative, Sessions has been involved in many important votes and decisions. He usually votes with other members of the Republican Party.
In 1998, he voted in favor of the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Impeachment is a process where Congress can charge a high-level official with a crime.
In 2021, he voted against the second impeachment of Donald Trump. He was also one of many Republicans who voted to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Leadership Roles
Sessions has held several leadership positions. As chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2010, he helped the Republican Party win many seats in the House of Representatives.
From 2013 to 2019, he was the chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee. This committee is like a traffic cop for laws, deciding how and when they will be debated on the House floor.
Political Views and Policies
A politician's views shape the laws they support. Here are some of Pete Sessions's views on different topics.
Economic Policy
Sessions has been involved in decisions about government spending. In 2008, he added a $1.6 million special request, called an earmark, to a spending bill for research on dirigibles (airships).
In 2022, he was one of 39 Republicans who voted for a law to prevent large companies from becoming too powerful and hurting competition. However, in 2023, he voted against a bill to raise the country's debt limit, which was a major topic of debate.
Foreign Policy
In 2017, Sessions delayed a vote on a bill that would place new economic penalties, or sanctions, on Russia and Iran. He said he was worried it could hurt businesses in his district.
The next year, he argued against spending more federal money to protect U.S. elections from outside interference. He was also part of private talks in 2018 aimed at convincing the president of Venezuela to step down from power.
Environment and Disasters
Sessions has voted on several environmental issues. In 2017, he supported a bill to delay new air quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
He also supported a bill to help the North Texas Municipal Water District. The bill allowed them to move water from Oklahoma to Texas, even though it contained non-native species, to ensure over a million people had water.
In 2012, he voted against a bill to provide aid to victims of Hurricane Sandy. But in 2017, after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, he called for disaster relief for the people affected in his state.
Other Issues
- Magic: In 2016, Sessions introduced a resolution in the House to recognize magic as a "rare and valuable art form and national treasure."
- Healthcare: Sessions is against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) and voted to repeal it.
- Military Equipment: He supports a program that allows the U.S. military to give surplus equipment to local police departments.
Personal Life
Sessions married Juanita Diaz in 1984, and they have two sons. They divorced in 2011. In 2012, he married Karen Diebel.
One of his ancestors, Richard Sessions, lived in Arkansas in the 1800s and owned 96 enslaved people. After the American Civil War, his family's wealth declined.
Pete Sessions is not related to Jeff Sessions, who is another well-known politician.
See also
