Who Are the Mysterious Members of the House Freedom Caucus?
Leah Jessen /
With over 40 members and no official roster, the House Freedom Caucus—a conservative group in the U.S. House of Representatives that pushed for House Speaker John Boehner to leave office—consists of a core group of leaders going against the Washington establishment.
After the start of the 114th Congress in January 2015, nine members of the House Republican Conference joined together to found the House Freedom Caucus.
A statement released on Jan. 26 said the House Freedom Caucus was formed “to advance an agenda of limited, constitutional government in Congress.”
“The House Freedom Caucus gives a voice to countless Americans who feel that Washington does not represent them,” the group’s mission statement reads. “We support open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans.”
The group pushes to best represent voters from its districts back home. This includes priorities to reduce spending and maintain budget caps, eliminate corporate welfare and favoritism (such as the Export-Import Bank), and most recently, fight to defund Planned Parenthood.
On Sept. 10, the caucus announced that it opposes any measure that includes funds for Planned Parenthood. A government shutdown could occur if Congress does not agree on a federal spending bill by Sept. 30.
9 Founding Members of the House Freedom Caucus
Chair, Jim Jordan
Age: 51
In Congress since: 2007
District: Ohio’s 4th
Fast fact: Jordan serves as the first chairman for the House Freedom Caucus.
Jordan serves on the House Judiciary and House Oversight and Government Reform Committees. During his time in Congress, he has been an advocate against tax hikes. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s degree in education, and a law degree.
Scott Garrett
Age: 56
In Congress since: 2003
District: New Jersey’s 5th
Fast Fact: In 2005, he founded the House Constitution Caucus, a group that educates on constitutional principles.
Garrett serves on the House Financial Services Committee and is a senior member on the House Budget Committee. He’s an advocate for pro-growth economic policies and holds a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Camden.
John Fleming
Age: 64
In Congress since: 2009
District: Louisiana’s 4th
Fast Fact: He authored legislation to urge Congress members to use the same health care system that they created for Americans.
Fleming serves on the House Armed Services and Natural Resources Committees. Fleming attended medical school on a Navy scholarship. He believes in individual liberty and the constitutional freedoms that give him an opportunity to achieve the American dream.
Matt Salmon
Age: 57
In Congress Since: 2013, previously served 1995-2001
District: Arizona’s 5th (his previous district was Arizona’s 1st)
Fast Fact: Salmon held the name “Watchdog of the Treasury” from Citizens Against Government Waste for six years in a row.
He serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Education and the Workforce Committees. He spent time in the Arizona State Senate before coming to Congress. Salmon has a bachelor’s degree in English literature and Master of Public Administration degree.
Justin Amash
Age: 35
In Congress since: 2011
District: Michigan’s 3rd
Fast Fact: He has never missed a vote in Congress.
Amash serves on the Joint Economic and the Oversight and Government Reform Committees. A critic of the collection of Americans’ phone records by the government, Amash works to defend the civil liberties of Americans. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a law degree.
Raúl Labrador
Age: 47
In Congress since: 2011
District: Idaho’s 1st
Fast Fact: Born in Puerto Rico, Labrador moved to the states at age 13.
Labrador serves on the House Judiciary and Natural Resources Committees. He has worked on immigration reform and on crafting a solution to secure the country’s borders. Before holding office in the Idaho House of Representatives, Labrador spent time as an attorney.
Mick Mulvaney
Age: 48
In Congress since: 2011
District: South Carolina’s 5th
Fast Fact: He has had many career endeavors—including starting his own law firm, running his family’s real estate business, and starting a small homebuilding company.
In Congress, Mulvaney serves on the House Financial Services and the Oversight and Government Reform Committees. His work in the House brings focus to jobs and the economy. He graduated with honors from Georgetown University during his undergraduate studies, went on to get a law degree, and went through Harvard Business School’s OPM program.
Ron DeSantis
Age: 37
In Congress since: 2013
District: Florida’s 6th
Fast Fact: DeSantis served as a military prosecutor in the Navy and also deployed to Iraq in 2007.
DeSantis is a member of the Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight and Government Reform Committees. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a degree from Harvard Law School.
Mark Meadows
Age: 56
In Congress since: 2013
District: North Carolina’s 11th
Fast Fact: Meadows introduced, in July, a motion for the House speaker chair to be vacated.
Meadows serves on three House committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs. With 27 years’ experience as a small business owner, Meadows takes his business approach to Congress. He is in favor of a strong national defense.
Chart: Kelsey Lucas/Visualsey
CQ Roll Call reports 38 known members of the House Freedom Caucus as of July. One of those members has since dropped out, leaving 37 members known to have attended at least one caucus meeting.
The House Freedom Caucus announced on Sept. 27 that it has not decided whom to support as the next House speaker.
The statement from the group reads:
We look forward to meeting with each of the candidates and our Republican Conference colleagues over the coming weeks in a careful and deliberative fashion to discuss how best to ensure that we follow regular order in the House and give a voice to the countless Americans who still feel that Washington does not represent them.