ARLINGTON, TX: Congressman Joe Barton promised to continue fighting for conservative values after being re-elected to his13th term in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday.

He overwhelmingly defeated the Democrat and Libertarian candidates.

"I am honored to be re-elected and I am proud to be going back to Washington, D.C. to serve the people of the 6th District of Texas. I promise to listen to them and continue to be their conservative voice in the Nation's Capitol,” said Rep. Barton.

He also addressed the changing national political scene.

"The Republican Party is like the Dallas Cowboys. We have the talent, but we haven't performed as well as we expected. President-Elect Obama and the Democrats are winning by campaigning right of center. Now it is the job of people like me to hold them accountable. Republicans won't be out worked or out thought. If Mr. Obama and the Democrats try to promote a liberal agenda, Republicans will be there to fight for conservative values and we will rise like a phoenix from the ashes."

Congressman Barton has represented the 6th District of Texas since 1984.

He is currently the senior Republican on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce – the oldest standing legislative House committee. He served as the Chairman of the Committee from 2004 to 2006.

The Energy & Commerce Committee has arguably the broadest non tax-oriented jurisdiction of any congressional committee, with principal House responsibility over matters relating to commerce, public health and marketplace interests.

Rep. Barton has been recognized by several organizations for his diligent work to promote a conservative agenda and protection of individual rights.

Mr. Barton is considered one of Congress’ leading experts on energy and he continues to fight for more American made energy produced from a wide range of sources. He believes this will keep prices affordable, fueling America’s economy.

He recently voted against the financial rescue plan twice and remains among the steadfast House leaders on reducing waste, fraud and abuse inside our government, while supporting lower taxes. Rep. Barton has supported eliminating the marriage penalty and estate tax, reducing capital gains taxes, retiring of the current tax code and sweeping bankruptcy reforms.

Congressman Barton said Tuesday that when he heads back to Washington he would continue to fight for the basic traditional rights put forth by our Founding Fathers.

Joe Barton was born on September 15, 1949 in Waco, Texas. An avid baseball player growing up, he earned a four-year Gifford-Hill Opportunity Award scholarship to Texas A&M University, where he was the outstanding industrial engineering student for the Class of 1972. After earning a Master’s of Science degree in Industrial Administration from Purdue University, he joined Ennis Business Forms, where he rose to the position of Assistant to the Vice President. In 1981, he was selected for the prestigious White House Fellows Program, and served as an aide to then-Energy Secretary James B. Edwards. He returned to Texas in 1982 as a natural gas decontrol consultant for Atlantic Richfield Oil and Gas Company before being elected to Congress.

Barton and his wife Terri have homes in Ennis and Arlington, Texas. He has four children, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.