Derek Schmidt

• NoWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
• NoResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
• YesConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
• NoBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
• NoWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
• YesNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
• YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
• YesContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
• YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
• YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
• YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
• YesRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
• YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
• YesSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
• YesFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
• YesLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.

• actionServes on the House Committee on the Judiciary (Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement; Oversight subcommittees), the House Committee on Small Business, and the House Committee on Armed Services (Military Personnel, Readiness, and Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittees), 2025-2026 assignments.[2]
• bill2025-02-07 · Voted yes on H.R. 26, the Protecting American Energy Production Act, which bars a president from declaring a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing without prior authorization from Congress.[5]
• bill2025-12-18 · Cosponsored three public-safety bills - including the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act (H.R. 1269) - that were included in the final FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House 312-112 on December 10, 2025 and the Senate 77-20 on December 17, 2025.[8]

• ✓SupportsExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations.[9][10][11][12]

  What they say: Cosponsored and helped pass the Laken Riley Act, backs deporting non-citizens convicted of fraud, and says he supported the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in part because it "fully funded border security and the deportation of illegal aliens."[6][7]

  “We locked in tax relief for middle-class families, small businesses, and family farms; fully funded border security and the deportation of illegal aliens; and reduced the growth of federal spending more than ever before in U.S. history.”

• ✕OpposesFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.[10][11][12]

  What they say: Voted for the Protecting American Energy Production Act to bar a president from declaring a fracking moratorium without congressional authorization, citing opposition to the prior administration's pause on new oil and gas leases.[5]

  “Following four years of disastrous energy policy – primarily driven by Executive Orders – this legislation would prohibit the president from declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) unless previously authorized by Congress.”

• ✕OpposesExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08).[10][11][12][13]

• ✕OpposesRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.[10][11][12]

• ✓SupportsBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes

  Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[14]

• Border security: cosponsoring and helping pass the Laken Riley Act and Sarah's Law.[6]
• Economic relief: curbing federal spending and extending tax relief for Kansas families, small businesses, and farmers and ranchers through the Working Families Tax Cut.[6]
• Public safety: legislation to support victims of violent crime, coordinate a federal response to scams targeting seniors, and deport non-citizens convicted of fraud.[6]

• Graduated from Independence High School; earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kansas, a master's degree in international politics from the University of Leicester, a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, and a doctorate in law from the University of Kansas School of Law.[2]
• Worked as an assistant to former U.S. Senators Nancy Kassebaum and Chuck Hagel, an assistant to the Kansas Attorney General, special counsel to the Governor of Kansas, and a lawyer with the firm Scovel, Emert, Heasty & Chubb.[2]
• Served in the Kansas State Senate (District 15) from 2001 to 2011.[2]
• Served as Attorney General of Kansas from 2011 to 2023.[2]

Raised $1.5M · spent $557K · $939K cash on hand (through 2026-07-15) FEC filing ↗