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August Pfluger

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August Pfluger
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 11th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
Preceded byMike Conaway
Personal details
Born
August Lee Pfluger II

(1977-12-28) December 28, 1977 (age 46)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCamille Cole
Children3
Residence(s)San Angelo, Texas, U.S.
Education
WebsiteHouse website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
RankColonel

August Lee Pfluger II (/ˈfluːɡər/ FLOO-gər; born December 28, 1977)[1] is an American politician and reserve military officer from the state of Texas. He is the U.S. representative for Texas's 11th congressional district. Pfluger succeeded fellow Republican Mike Conaway in 2021.

Early life and education

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Pfluger's four-times-great-grandfather, German immigrant Henry Pfluger Sr. (1803–1867), founded Pflugerville, Texas.[2] His maternal grandfather, a member of the United States Army Air Corps in World War II, inspired Pfluger to become a pilot.[2]

Born in Harris County in 1977,[1] Pfluger attended Central High School in San Angelo, Texas, where he played quarterback for the school's football team.[3][4] He is an Eagle Scout.[5] He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the United States Air Force Academy.[6] Pfluger then earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautical science from Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, a Master of Science in military and operations science from Air University, and a Master of Science in international business and policy from Georgetown University.[2]

Military service

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Pfluger earned his commission to the United States Air Force in 2000.[2] He served in active duty for 20 years, flying the F-15C Eagle and F-22A Raptor aircraft, reaching the rank of colonel. Pfluger later served on the United States National Security Council (NSC) during Donald Trump's presidency.[7] He remained in the Air Force Reserve after leaving active duty.[8] He also appeared briefly in the Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag IMAX film in 2004.

U.S. House of Representatives

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2020 election

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Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas § District 11

Pfluger resigned from the NSC to run for the United States House of Representatives for Texas's 11th congressional district.[9] Representative Mike Conaway, who had represented the district since its creation in 2005, was retiring after eight terms. Pfluger cleared 50% of the vote in a crowded 10-way Republican Party primary, enough to win the nomination in a single round.[10][11] He faced Democratic nominee Jon Mark Hogg and Libertarian Wacey Alpha Cody in the November general election. However, with Republicans having a nearly 10-to-1 registration advantage in the district, Pfluger was heavily favored to win in November.[2] Indeed, Hogg was only the fifth Democrat to run in the district since its creation in 2005.

As expected, Pfluger easily defeated Hogg in the general election.[12][13]

Tenure

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Pfluger took office on January 3, 2021. On January 6, the day of the storming of the United States Capitol, he and 146 of his fellow congressional Republicans voted to block certification of President-elect Joe Biden's 2020 victory, as part of the Trump-led effort to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election.[14] Specifically, he voted against certifying Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes.[15]

In August 2021, Business Insider reported that Pfluger had violated the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012, a federal transparency and conflict-of-interest law, by failing to properly disclose stock trades made by him or his wife worth between $10,007 and $150,000.[16]

On July 18, 2023, he proposed a congressional non-binding resolution which stated that “the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state", that Congress rejects "all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia" and that “the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel." It passed with support from 217 Republicans and 195 Democrats.[17]

In March 2024, Pfluger, representative Don Davis, and a news reporter wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Examiner. The piece criticized the push by many members of Congress to condition U.S. aid to Israel.[18]

Veterans

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The PACT ACT which expanded VA benefits to veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during their military service, received a "nay" from Pfluger.[19] Regarding cannabis, despite lobbying from VSOs such as the DAV[20] Pfluger also voted against 2022 MORE Act.[21][22]

Committee assignments

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Caucus membership

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Personal life

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Pfluger and his wife, Camille, have three daughters.[6][5] They live in San Angelo, Texas.[25] His brother, Karl, is the president of an oil and energy company in Midland, Texas, and an investor in Truth Social.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b "PFLUGER, August | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov.
  2. ^ a b c d e Campbell, Bob (April 21, 2020). "Pfluger poised for Congress: GOP nominee sketches grassroots action". Odessa American. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  3. ^ Anne, Sue (September 24, 1995). "Quarterback Change Puts Racial Issue Under West Texas Stadium Lights". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  4. ^ "August Pfluger reflects on 1995 quarterback controversy in San Angelo". San Angelo Standard-Times. March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Lt. Colonel August Pfluger In Coleman". Coleman Today. December 9, 2019 – via www.colemantoday.com.
  6. ^ a b Aguilera, Rosanna (September 26, 2019). "Republican for Congress, August Pfluger starts campaign tour of Texas". San Angelo Standard-Times. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  7. ^ Tufts, John (February 5, 2021). "Pfluger named ranking member on Homeland Security committee; what that means for TX-11". San Angelo Standard-Times. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  8. ^ Aguilera, Rosanna (September 26, 2019). "August Pfluger kicks off campaign tour of Texas' 11th Congressional District in San Angelo". San Angelo Standard-Times.
  9. ^ Hyde, Joe (January 21, 2020). "Contrary to Rumors, August Pfluger Served Trump's NSC "With Distinction"". SanAngeloLive.com. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  10. ^ "Pfluger is 'humbled' by local support". Midland Reporter-Telegram. January 15, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  11. ^ May, David. "Pfluger overcomes 10-candidate GOP field to win Congressional primary race | News". Cleburne Times Review. Retrieved March 6, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "District 11: August Pfluger projected to win U.S. House seat". EverythingLubbock.com. KLBK. November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "Alert: Republican August Pfluger wins election to U.S. House in Texas' 11th Congressional District". Shelton Herald. November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ Yourish, Karen; Buchanan, Larry; Lu, Denise (January 7, 2021). "The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results". The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  15. ^ Swaby, Abby Livingston and Aliyya (January 6, 2021). "After a day of chaos at U.S. Capitol, Congress rejects Ted Cruz-led effort to dispute election results". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  16. ^ Levinthal, Dave; Rojas, Warren (August 9, 2022). "Reps. Cheri Bustos, Steve Chabot, and August Pfluger have broken the law by failing to properly disclose their financial trades". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  17. ^ Wong, Scott; Kaplan, Rebecca; Stewart, Kyle (July 18, 2023). "House overwhelmingly passes resolution backing Israel after Rep. Jayapal calls it a 'racist state'". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  18. ^ Pfluger, August; Davis, Don; Makovsky, Michael (March 27, 2024). "Conditioning US aid to Israel would be a mistake". Washington Examiner. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  19. ^ https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202257
  20. ^ "DAV Magazine July/August 2023 Page 5". www.qgdigitalpublishing.com.
  21. ^ https://www.c-span.org/video/?519065-1/house-session&start=11123
  22. ^ https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/188165/august-pfluger/101/marijuana
  23. ^ "Pfluger Named To Major National Security Committees | Representative August Pfluger". pfluger.house.gov. January 26, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  24. ^ "Pfluger, Republican Study Committee Unveil Plan to Save Our Democracy | Representative August Pfluger". pfluger.house.gov. January 15, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  25. ^ "Air Force pilot wants Conaway seat: August Pfluger is a political newcomer". Odessa American. October 8, 2019.
  26. ^ Coster, Helen; Hu, Krystal (October 28, 2022). "Who funded Trump's Truth Social?". Reuters. Retrieved November 20, 2022 – via www.reuters.com.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to August Pfluger.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 11th congressional district
January 3, 2021–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
332nd 		Succeeded by
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