Bruce Westerman

Bruce Eugene Westerman (born November 18, 1967) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Arkansas's 4th congressional district. Previously, he served as member and the majority leader of the Arkansas House of Representatives.

In 2014, Westerman was elected to the House to succeed Tom Cotton, who defeated U.S. Senator Mark Pryor in the 2014 Senate election.

Background
Westerman was raised in and resides in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He graduated as valedictorian of Fountain Lake High School in Hot Springs. He attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks football team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in engineering in 1990 and subsequently received a master's degree in forestry from Yale University.

Westerman worked as an engineer and forester before being elected to the Arkansas House in 2010. He was formerly employed as an engineer and forester by the Mid-South Engineering Company. He served as president of the Arkansas chapter of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. He is also a former chair of the Arkansas Academy of Biological and Agricultural Engineers, and served on the Fountain Lake School District school board.

Elections
Westerman ran for the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2010.

Tenure
Westerman served as the House Minority Leader in 2012 and House Majority Leader in 2013. He was the first Republican House Majority Leader in Arkansas since Reconstruction.

Committee assignments

 * Revenue And Taxation Committee
 * Subcommittee on Sales, Use, Miscellaneous Taxes and Exemptions (chair)
 * State Agencies And Governmental Affairs Committee
 * Insurance and Commerce Committee

2014 election
Westerman won the Republican primary on May 20, defeating Tommy Moll, 54%–46%. In November, he defeated Democratic nominee James Lee Witt, a former associate of U.S. President Bill Clinton, 54%-43%.

Tenure
In 2015, Westerman cosponsored a resolution to amend the US constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

On June 20, 2017, as the only certified forester in the House, Westerman introduced H.R.2936 - Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017, providing for the culling of overgrown federally managed woods. After passing the House, it was introduced in the Senate on November 2, 2017, where it failed.

Westerman voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

In December 2020, Westerman was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.

Westerman voted to certify both Arizona's and Pennsylvania's results in the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count.

During the 2021 Capitol riot, Westerman, left behind in House minority leader Kevin McCarthy's office when he was evacuated by security, took a Civil War sword from a shattered display for protection and hid from rioters on a toilet.

As of October 2021, Westerman had voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 8% of the time.

In the October 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election, Westerman received one vote for speaker from representative Pete Stauber of Minnesota.

Committee assignments
For the 118th Congress:
 * Committee on Natural Resources (Chair)
 * As Chair of the committee, Rep. Westerman is entitled to sit as an ex officio member in all subcommittee meetings per the committee's rules.
 * Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Caucus memberships

 * Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus
 * Congressional Western Caucus
 * Republican Study Committee
 * Working Forests Caucus (co-chair, co-founder)
 * Dyslexia Caucus (co-chair)
 * U.S.-Japan Caucus
 * Congressional Coalition on Adoption

Abortion
Westerman believes that "Life is a right. Abortion is not." He supported the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Environment
Westerman considers himself a conservationist. He introduced the Trillion Trees Act on April 19, 2021, which planned to plant a trillion trees, but the bill was criticized by scientists and environmental groups. Westerman has a 4% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters.

Gun law
Westerman has received consistent "A" ratings from the NRA Political Victory Fund for his pro-gun rights legislative voting record. He voted against the Enhanced Background Checks Act in 2021.