John Carter

Snapshot

John Rice Carter has represented Texas's 31st Congressional District since January 2003, making him one of the longest-serving members of the Texas delegation. Born November 6, 1941, in Houston, Carter earned his B.A. from Texas Tech University in 1964 and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1969. Before entering Congress, Carter served as a District Court Judge in Williamson County from 1981 to 2001, becoming the first Republican elected to a countywide office there. Known as "Judge Carter," he sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, where he chairs the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee and serves as Vice Chair of the Defense Subcommittee. His district includes Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood), the largest armored military installation in the free world, and Carter has directed more than $4 billion in federal funding to support the installation. His legislative priorities center on border security, national defense, and immigration reform. Carter was reelected to his 12th full term in November 2024 and is serving in the 119th Congress (2025-2027).