Armey, Dick (1940-…), a Republican from Texas, was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1985 to 2003, when he retired from office. He served as House majority leader from 1995 to 2003.
In 1993 and 1994, Armey served as chairman of the House Republican Conference, the Republicans’ main policymaking body in the House. He also helped wage an aggressive campaign against policies of the Democratic Party. This campaign helped the Republicans win control of both houses of Congress from the Democrats in the elections of 1994. Armey became a strong supporter of free-market capitalism and an opponent of many government social programs.
Richard Keith Armey was born in Cando, North Dakota, on July 7, 1940. He earned a B.A. degree from Jamestown College in 1963 and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Oklahoma in 1968. He was a professor of economics at North Texas State University from 1972 to 1983. Armey won election to his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1984 and took office in 1985.
