Matt Gaetz, a member of the 118th Congress, is currently serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. His work in Congress focuses on national security, veterans’ affairs, and adherence to constitutional principles.
From Florida to D.C., Matt has lived up to his reputation as an outspoken conservative firebrand. Matt has been a prominent voice for uncovering corruption within the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation during his tenure in the US House, as well as fighting to advance former President Trump’s America First agenda for the United States on the House floor, on television, directly to his constituents during “Open Gaetz Days” or town halls, and most recently in a nation-wide America First tour.
During the Russia Hoax and subsequent partisan impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, Matt was a staunch defender of the President and a fierce advocate for his acquittal. Matt spearheaded the charge for transparency during the Democrats’ partisan impeachment depositions by leading over fifty Republican colleagues into their secretive, closed-door impeachment inquiry to observe the proceedings.
Matt was a tireless defender of President Trump and his vision for the United States during the Trump Administration, and continues to defend the former president. He has earned nicknames such as the “Trumpiest Congressman in Trump’s Washington” by GQ magazine and “the Trumpiest Congressman” by Rolling Stone, which he considers badges of honor.
Matt has authored key pieces of legislation on foreign policy, veterans’ health care, immigration, climate change, and more during his time in office. In 2019, Matt introduced the “Green Real Deal,” a plan to address climate change by harnessing the power of free markets, embracing technological innovation and entrepreneurship, and cutting excessive governmental red tape. In 2020, he introduced the “PANDEMIC Act,” which mandates the deportation of all illegal aliens held in the United States when a national emergency related to a communicable disease is declared, and in 2020 he authored the “Ainsworth Act,” which allows centenarian military veterans to qualify for full pension benefits from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs regardless of their net worth.
Since Northwest Florida is home to strategic military installations such as Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field, and NAS Pensacola, Matt has made it a priority to ensure the military has extraordinary capabilities to protect America. During the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Matt secured numerous provisions, including an amendment to increase the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to service members in the district, and a $600 million in funding for Military Construction Projects throughout the district and enhancements to the Gulf Test Range.
Matt graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary sciences. After finishing his undergraduate studies, Matt moved to Williamsburg, Virginia, to attend William & Mary Law School, where he received his Juris Doctorate.
Prior to serving in Congress, Matt worked as an attorney in Northwest Florida with the Keefe, Anchors & Gordon law firm, where he advocated for a more open and transparent government. In 2010, Matt was elected to serve in the Florida House of Representatives to represent portions of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa county. He was chairman of the Finance and Tax Committee, where he authored and passed $1 billion in tax cuts, all while balancing the state budget and repealing or replacing over 4,000 regulations. Matt also served as chairman of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, where he authored and passed some of America’s toughest penalties against violent sexual predators.
Matt was born in Hollywood, Florida, to Don and Vicky Gaetz and grew up in Northwest Florida. He is a member of First Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Matt is married to Ginger Gaetz and has one son, Nestor, who he has described raising as “the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life.”