Randy Weber

Randy Weber
Born	Randall Keith Weber 2 7, 1953
Birthplace	Pearland, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Title	Chairman, Energy Subcommittee, House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
Known for	U.S. Representative for Texas's 14th congressional district
Education	University of Houston–Clear Lake (BS)
Spouse(s)	Brenda Weber
Children	3
Website	[http://weber.house.gov/ Official site]

Randall Keith Weber (born July 2, 1953) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 14th congressional district since January 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Weber succeeded Ron Paul in representing a Gulf Coast district that stretches across southeastern Texas. Before his election to Congress, Weber served in the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 29th district from 2009 to 2013. Born and raised in Pearland, Texas, Weber built a career as a small business owner in the air conditioning industry before entering public service. In Congress, he has served on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, where he chairs the Energy Subcommittee during the 119th Congress. During the 118th Congress, Weber was identified by GovTrack as the most conservative member of the House of Representatives. He has been a vocal advocate for energy policy, small business interests, and American scientific leadership throughout his congressional tenure.

Early Life

Randall Keith Weber was born on July 2, 1953, in Pearland, Texas, a community located south of Houston in Brazoria County. Weber grew up in the southeastern Texas Gulf Coast region, an area historically tied to the petroleum, petrochemical, and maritime industries. He has described his background as rooted in the working-class communities of the Houston metropolitan area.

Weber's upbringing in Pearland shaped many of his later political positions, particularly his support for the energy industry and small business entrepreneurship. The region's economy was heavily dependent on oil refining and related industries, and Weber developed an early familiarity with the economic dynamics of energy production and manufacturing that would later inform his legislative priorities in Congress.

Before entering politics, Weber established himself as a businessman in the air conditioning and mechanical contracting industry. He founded and operated an air conditioning business in the Pearland area, an enterprise he ran for several decades. His experience as a small business owner became a central element of his political identity, and he has frequently cited his entrepreneurial background when advocating for policies aimed at reducing regulatory burdens on small enterprises.

Education

Weber attended Alvin Community College in Alvin, Texas, before transferring to the University of Houston–Clear Lake, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. The University of Houston–Clear Lake, located in the southeastern Houston area near the Johnson Space Center, is part of the University of Houston System. Weber's educational path through a community college and a regional public university reflected the experiences of many residents of the Gulf Coast area, and he has referenced his educational background as evidence of his connection to the communities he represents.

Career

Business Career

Prior to entering politics, Weber spent decades as an entrepreneur in the air conditioning and mechanical contracting industry in the Pearland and greater Houston area. His experience as a small business owner gave him a perspective on issues such as taxation, regulation, and workforce development that he carried into his political career. Weber has frequently spoken about the challenges facing small business owners and has used his background in the private sector as a basis for his legislative positions on economic policy.

Texas House of Representatives (2009–2013)

Weber began his career in elected office when he won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 29th district. He took office on January 3, 2009, succeeding Mike O'Day. The 29th district encompassed portions of the Gulf Coast region of southeastern Texas, including parts of Brazoria County.

During his time in the Texas House, Weber established himself as a conservative Republican legislator. He served in the state legislature through the end of 2012, at which point he was succeeded by Ed Thompson. His tenure in Austin provided him with legislative experience and a political base that he leveraged in his subsequent campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives

2012 Election

In 2012, Weber ran for the United States House of Representatives seat in Texas's 14th congressional district, which was being vacated by longtime libertarian-leaning Republican congressman Ron Paul, who did not seek reelection. The 14th district covered a large stretch of the Texas Gulf Coast, including portions of Brazoria, Galveston, Jefferson, and several other counties.

Weber won the Republican primary and went on to face Democrat Nick Lampson, a former congressman, in the general election. Weber defeated Lampson in the November 2012 election, securing the seat for the Republican Party. Political analysts at the University of Virginia Center for Politics noted the dynamics of the race in the context of the broader 2012 congressional elections.

Weber took office on January 3, 2013, and has been reelected in every subsequent cycle, maintaining his hold on the solidly Republican district through the 2024 election.

Legislative Positions and Committee Work

In Congress, Weber has served on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, where he has focused on energy policy, scientific research, and technology development. By the 119th Congress (2025–2027), Weber had risen to the chairmanship of the Energy Subcommittee, a position from which he has led hearings on a range of energy-related topics.

Weber has also been a member of the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservative members in the House. He has been a member of the Congressional Baltic Caucus.

Energy Policy

Energy policy has been a central focus of Weber's congressional career, consistent with the economic profile of his Gulf Coast district, which is home to significant oil refining, petrochemical, and natural gas infrastructure. As chairman of the Energy Subcommittee on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Weber has led multiple hearings examining the future of American energy production and technology.

In September 2025, Weber chaired a hearing titled "Igniting America's Energy Future: The Promise and Progress of Fusion Power," examining the development and potential of fusion energy as a future power source for the United States.

In June 2025, Weber chaired a hearing titled "Powering Demand: Nuclear Solutions for AI Infrastructure," which explored the potential role of nuclear energy in meeting the rapidly growing electricity demands created by artificial intelligence data centers and computing infrastructure.

In April 2025, Weber led the second installment of a hearing series titled "Risky Business," examining the Department of Energy's Loan Guarantee Program, scrutinizing the risks and outcomes associated with federal energy loan guarantees.

Science and Technology

In addition to his energy portfolio, Weber has been involved in broader science and technology policy through his role on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. In December 2025, he delivered the opening statement at a hearing titled "The Genesis Mission: Prioritizing American Science and Technology Leadership," which examined strategies for maintaining United States leadership in scientific research and technological innovation.

Small Business Advocacy

Weber has been a consistent advocate for small business interests in Congress, drawing on his own experience as a business owner. In September 2025, he addressed the small business community in Galveston, Texas, at an event organized by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The NFIB recognized Weber for his support of making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent, a tax provision that allows qualifying small business owners to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income.

Federal Funding for District

Weber has worked to secure federal funding for infrastructure projects within his congressional district. In February 2026, a $1.73 million federal appropriation was directed to communities in Weber's district, funding street upgrades in West Columbia and apartment improvements in Angleton. The funding was included in the 2026 appropriations bill signed by President Donald Trump.

Foreign Policy

Weber has engaged in foreign policy issues during his time in Congress. In June 2025, he held talks with Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), discussing proposals for a ceasefire and the cessation of foreign involvement in regional conflicts.

Weber was also connected to broader foreign policy controversies. According to a Department of Justice press release and reporting by Reuters, Russian national Maria Butina, who was later convicted of acting as a foreign agent, had interactions with various American political figures as part of her efforts to build relationships with politically influential Americans.

Controversies

In January 2015, Weber drew national attention and criticism for a post on social media in which he made a comparison involving President Barack Obama and Adolf Hitler in the context of the president's absence from a unity march in Paris following the Charlie Hebdo shooting. The remarks were reported by The Washington Post and other outlets. Weber subsequently apologized for the comparison.

Political Ideology

Weber has consistently been ranked among the most conservative members of the U.S. House of Representatives. During the 118th Congress (2023–2025), the congressional tracking organization GovTrack ranked Weber as the most conservative member of the House of Representatives, based on an analysis of his legislative activity and voting record. His membership in the Republican Study Committee further reflects his alignment with the conservative wing of the Republican Party.

Personal Life

Weber resides in the southeastern Texas region he represents. He is married to Brenda Weber, and the couple has three children. Weber's personal life has been closely tied to the Pearland and Brazoria County communities where he grew up and built his business career.

In December 2025, Weber took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to honor Dan Hooks, the coaching legend from West Orange-Stark High School in Orange, Texas, recognizing Hooks's contributions to high school athletics and the community.

Recognition

Weber's role as chairman of the Energy Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee has placed him in a prominent position on energy legislation during the 119th Congress. His multiple hearings on fusion power, nuclear energy for AI infrastructure, and the DOE Loan Guarantee Program have established him as a leading congressional voice on energy technology policy.

The National Federation of Independent Business has recognized Weber for his support of small business policy, particularly his advocacy for making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent.

Weber's ranking by GovTrack as the most conservative member of the House during the 118th Congress drew attention from media outlets and political analysts, positioning him as a prominent figure within the conservative movement in the U.S. House.

His work on the House floor to honor individuals from his district, such as his tribute to Coach Dan Hooks in December 2025, has also reflected his engagement with the communities of Texas's 14th congressional district.