Michael C. Burgess

Michael C. Burgess – Life, Career, and Public Profile

Explore the life and career of Michael C. Burgess — a physician-turned politician who represented Texas’ 26th Congressional District from 2003 to 2025. Learn about his background, policies, influence, and controversies.

Introduction

Michael Clifton Burgess (born December 23, 1950) is an American physician and politician who served as the U.S. Representative for Texas’s 26th Congressional District from 2003 until 2025.

Over his two decades in Congress, he built a reputation as a conservative Republican who leveraged his medical background in debates over health care, and was a prominent voice on issues of energy, regulation, and social policy.

Early Life, Education & Medical Career

• Birth & Family: Burgess was born in Rochester, Minnesota.

• Education:
   • He earned a B.S. from North Texas State University (now University of North Texas) in 1972.  • He then obtained an M.S. from the same institution in 1974.  • He completed his M.D. at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston in 1977.  • Later, he also earned an M.S. from the University of Texas at Dallas (in 2000)

• Medical Practice:
  Before entering politics, Burgess practiced as an obstetrician-gynecologist in Texas. Over his career, he delivered more than 3,000 babies.

His medical background frequently informed his perspectives, especially on health care legislation and policy debates.

Political Career & Tenure

Entry into Congress

• In 2002, Burgess ran for the U.S. House seat in Texas’s 26th District. He defeated Scott Armey (son of then-House Majority Leader Dick Armey) in a primary runoff.

• He was sworn into Congress on January 3, 2003 and would continuously win re-election until he chose not to seek a 12th term in 2024.

• His final term ended on January 3, 2025.

Committee Assignments & Leadership

During his time in Congress, Burgess served on important committees, including:

• Energy & Commerce

• Rules Committee

• Budget Committee

• Health, Oversight & Investigations, Digital Commerce subcommittees, etc.

Later in his tenure, he served as Chair of the House Rules Committee (starting April 2024) until his term ended.

Policy Focus & Positions

Burgess was known for several signature policy areas:

• Health Care
  As one of the few physicians in Congress, he was vocal in efforts to repeal or reform the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

• Social Policy
  He maintained pro-life positions and supported legislation limiting abortion after the 22nd week of pregnancy.

• Energy & Regulation
  He opposed certain regulations aimed at improving light bulb efficiency, viewing them as overreach.

• Immigration & Travel Policy
  Burgess supported President Trump’s restrictions on entry from select Muslim-majority nations, and opposed the DREAM Act and DACA.

• Other Votes & Actions

  • In 2019, he was the lone Republican who voted to lower the voting age to 16.

  • Burgess signed an amicus brief in Texas v. Pennsylvania, challenging the 2020 election results.

  • He also faced scrutiny in 2022 for a potential violation of the STOCK Act, due to failing to properly disclose a stock sale.

Published Work

Burgess is the author of a book titled Doctor in the House: A Physician-Turned-Congressman Offers His Prescription for Scrapping Obamacare — and Saving America’s Medical System.

Personality, Influence & Public Perception

• Burgess was viewed as a technocrat — someone who blends policy expertise (especially in medicine) with partisan politics.

• His medical background gave him credibility on health topics, though critics argued his policy proposals sometimes favored limited government and individual responsibility over broader access.

• Over time, Burgess became associated with the Tea Party caucus and was considered firmly conservative in his voting record.

• He was known for being detail-oriented, articulate in legislative debates, and willing to champion somewhat controversial or technical policy issues, especially in health, regulation, and energy.

Legacy & Transition

• After more than two decades in Congress, Burgess declined to run for re-election in 2024.

• His successor for TX-26 is Brandon Gill.

• As Chair of the Rules Committee in his final term, he capped his congressional influence in a procedural leadership role—a position that controls how and when bills reach the floor.

• His tenure leaves behind a record of merging medical expertise with conservative legislative priorities, especially on health care reform, regulatory policy, and energy debates.