About RSC

Chairman Hensarling Bio

Congressman Jeb Hensarling is a life-long conservative dedicated to advancing the principles of faith, family, free enterprise and freedom.  Jeb’s combination of principled conservatism and practical political experience culminated in his being elected Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House of Representatives.

An outspoken advocate for limited government and unlimited freedom, Congressman Hensarling has led efforts to control spending, lower taxes, defend traditional family values, enhance our homeland security and support our troops.  As Chairman of the RSC Budget and Spending Taskforce, he introduced the most fiscally responsible budgets in Congress on behalf of the RSC for three years in a row.  In 2006, he introduced a budget that would balance in five years without raising taxes.

Serving on the House Committee on the Budget and the House Committee on Financial Services, Jeb has led the charge in Congress for balancing the budget and restraining the growth of government spending.  He has emerged as a national voice for conservative values and principles.  The Dallas Morning News said that Jeb has emerged as a “rising congressional star” and is a “man of conviction.”  The New York Times said that Jeb has emerged as a “conservative leader” and in a profile the National Review called Hensarling “Rep. Budget Reform.”

Jeb introduced the Family Budget Protection Act, a landmark budget reform bill that was heralded as the “Gold Standard” of budget enforcement legislation by a coalition of conservative groups, including the American Conservative Union, Americans for Tax Reform, Citizens Against Government Waste, Citizens for a Sound Economy and the National Taxpayers Union.  In the 109th Congress, he spearheaded efforts on the House Financial Services Committee to pass regulatory relief for financial institutions that will benefit American consumers.

To fight against the rampant waste of taxpayers’ hard earned money, Jeb co-founded the “Washington Waste Watchers,” a Congressional working group designed to identify and eliminate government waste, fraud and abuse.

He has received numerous honors and awards for his outstanding service in Congress, including the “Spirit of Enterprise Award,” the “Small Business Advocate Award,” the “Hero of the Taxpayer,” the “Fighter for Free Enterprise Award.”  In addition, according to the National Taxpayers Union, Jeb currently has the least expensive spending agenda in the entire Congress, meaning that if all the bills he authored became law, taxpayers would save $41 billion.

Jeb also has a strong record of defending the right to life, believing that all human life deserves vigorous protection.  He has been a strong ally of the pro-life cause in Congress, earning a 100% lifetime voting record from the National Right to Life Committee.  He has also worked to protect the sanctity of traditional marriage and has authored legislation to eliminate funding for Title X programs.

Jeb Hensarling was born in Stephenville, Texas, and grew up working on his father’s farm near College Station. Jeb was an active student leader at Texas A&M University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in economics in 1979. In 1982, he earned a law degree from the University of Texas.  Hensarling went on to serve as a long-time aide to U.S. Senator Phil Gramm and was later named the Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. 

Congressman Hensarling moved into the private sector and spent ten years in the business world, serving as an officer for a successful investment firm, a data management company and an electricity retail company. His experiences in helping to create jobs and to meet a payroll have made him an ally of small business, a champion of regulatory relief and a strong advocate for economic growth.

Congressman Hensarling has remained actively involved in his community dating back to his early years as an Eagle Scout. He has been a leader with the American Cancer Society of Dallas and a board member for the Children’s Education Fund.  Jeb and his wife Melissa are members of St. Michael and All Angels Church and reside in Dallas with their two children, Claire and Travis.