Former Rep. Bill Archer, the Texas Republican who chaired the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and helped shape federal tax policy during the 1990s, has died at the age of 98. Archer passed away Saturday at his farm in Stanley, Virginia, according to the Archer Center at the University of Texas System.
Archer represented Texas’ 7th Congressional District for 30 years, serving in the House from 1971 until his retirement in 2001. During his final six years in Congress, he led the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax policy, Social Security, Medicare, and international trade.
Architect Of Major Tax Reforms
As chairman, Archer became one of the Republican Party’s leading tax writers during a period of divided government.
He played a key role in legislation that reduced the federal estate tax, expanded individual retirement accounts, created a $500 child tax credit, and advanced welfare and healthcare reforms. Archer also helped negotiate the balanced federal budget agreement reached in 1997.
Known as a fiscal conservative, Archer consistently advocated lower taxes and smaller government while working across party lines on major tax legislation.
Succeeded George H.W. Bush
Archer won election to Congress in 1970 after then-Rep. George H.W. Bush vacated the Houston-area seat to run for the U.S. Senate.
He went on to win reelection 14 times, often by overwhelming margins, becoming one of the most influential Republicans in Congress during the 1980s and 1990s. Before serving in Washington, Archer spent two terms in the Texas House of Representatives after switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party early in his political career.
Veteran And Public Servant
Born in Houston in 1928, Archer attended Rice University before earning business and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.
After graduating from law school, he served as a U.S. Air Force captain during the Korean War before returning to Houston to practice law and begin his political career.
Following his retirement from Congress, Archer partnered with the University of Texas System to establish the Archer Center in Washington, D.C., which provides internships and fellowships for students pursuing careers in public service. More than 2,000 students have participated in the program since its founding.
Remembered For Public Service
Tributes poured in following Archer’s death, with current and former lawmakers praising his legislative accomplishments and commitment to public service.
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) said Archer’s career reflected a lifetime of service to Texas and the nation, while University of Texas Chancellor John Zerwas credited him with inspiring generations of students through the Archer Fellowship Program.
Archer is survived by his wife, Sharon, and his family. His death marks the passing of one of the last influential Republican tax architects of the Reagan and Clinton eras, whose work helped shape the nation’s tax code for decades.
This article originally appeared on Election Watch News. It is republished with permission. To receive more reporting and analysis from Election Watch News, subscribe by clicking here.
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