Rick Crawford
Official portrait, 2024
Chair of theHouse Intelligence Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 16, 2025
Preceded by	Mike Turner
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Marion Berry
Personal details
Born	Eric Alan Crawford (1966-01-22)January 22, 1966 (age 60) Homestead Air Force Base,Florida, U.S.
Party	Republican
Spouse	Stacy Crawford
Children	2
Education	Arkansas State University (BS)
Signature
Website	House website Campaign website
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1985–1989
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	56th Ordnance Detachment
Awards	Army Achievement Medal Army Good Conduct Medal Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge

Eric Alan "Rick"Crawford (born January 22, 1966)^[1] is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative forArkansas's 1st congressional district since 2011. A member of theRepublican Party, he was elected to serve as chairman of theHouse Intelligence Committee for the119th Congress. Prior to entering politics, Crawford had a career as a rodeo cowboy, musician, radio announcer, and radio station owner.

Crawford was born atHomestead Air Force Base in Florida, the son of Ruth Anne and Donnie J. "Don" Crawford.^[2] He grew up in a military family; his father served in theUnited States Air Force. He graduated fromAlvirne High School inHudson, New Hampshire. Crawford enlisted in theUnited States Army and served as anexplosive ordnance disposal technician assigned to the 56th Ordnance Detachment atFort Indiantown Gap inPennsylvania.^[3] He left the U.S. Army after four years' service^[4] at the rank ofSergeant. After his service, Crawford attendedArkansas State University inJonesboro, Arkansas, graduating in 1996 with aBachelor of Science in agriculture business and economics.^[5]

In 1993, Crawford was seriously injured in a rodeo accident. He transitioned into a career in radio announcing for the rodeo. He also launched a music career, and has been called a "singing cowboy" as he sometimes performed his music while riding a horse. In 1994, Legacy, Inc. released his albumCrackin' Out, recorded at Haage Studios in Kirbyville, Missouri. Crawford dedicated the project to "that dyin' breed called 'Cowboy'".^[6]

Crawford was anews anchor and agri-reporter onKAIT-TV in Jonesboro and farm director onKFIN-FM. He owned and operated the AgWatch Network, a farm news network heard on 39 radio stations in Arkansas,Missouri,Tennessee,Mississippi, andKentucky.^[7]

Crawford ran forArkansas's 1st congressional district afterU.S. representativeMarion Berry decided to retire. He was endorsed byGovernorTim Pawlenty ofMinnesota, former ArkansasgovernorMike Huckabee, former federal officialAsa Hutchinson, and former U.S. representativeEd Bethune.^[8] He won the Republicanprimary, defeating Princella Smith, 72% to 28%,^[9] and the general election, defeating Berry's chief of staff Chad Causey, 52% to 43%.^[10]

Crawford was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Scott Ellington, 56% to 39%.^[11]

Crawford was reelected to a third term, defeatingHeber Springs Mayor Jackie McPherson, 63% to 32%.^[12]

Crawford was reelected to a fourth term, defeating Libertarian candidate Mark West, 76% to 24%.^[13]

Crawford was reelected to a fifth term, defeating Democratic nominee Chinton Desai, 69% to 29%.^[13]

Crawford was reelected unopposed.^[14]

Crawford was reelected to a seventh term, defeating the Democratic nominee,Arkansas State RepresentativeMonte Hodges, 74% to 26%.^[13]

Crawford was reelected to an eight term, defeating Democratic nominee Rodney Govens, 73% to 24%.^[15]

On January 5, 2011, Crawford was sworn into office as a member of the112th Congress. He is the first Republican to represent his district sinceReconstruction. The last Republican to represent the district wasAsa Hodges, who vacated the seat on March 3, 1875.^[16] Crawford is a member of theRepublican Study Committee.^[17]

In 2010, Crawford signed a pledge sponsored byAmericans for Prosperity to vote against anyglobal warming legislation that would raise taxes.^[18]

Crawford supported PresidentDonald Trump's 2017executive order to impose a ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of sevenMuslim-majority countries, saying that the order was "designed to keep our nation safer" but that "Green card holders and aides of the U.S. military should be allowed entry."^[19]

Crawford voted for theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.^[20] He believed the bill would make it easier for people to file their taxes and that "the vast majority of middle-income families in my district will get to keep more of their money to use as they wish." He also believed that local businesses would hire more and raise employees' pay in the wake of the bill's implementation.^[21]

In 2019, Crawford received a death threat from James Powell, a 43-year-old Arkansas resident. Powell was charged with "first-degree terroristic threatening" after an investigation byU.S. Capitol Police and theFBI. The charge carries a maximum six-year prison sentence and $10,000 fine.^[22][23]

Crawford opposedObergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court ruling thatsame-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional.^[24]

In December 2020, Crawford was one of 126 Republican members of theHouse of Representatives to sign anamicus brief in support ofTexas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at theUnited States Supreme Court contesting the results of the2020 presidential election, in whichJoe Biden defeated^[25] Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lackedstanding underArticle III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.^[26][27][28]

As of October 2021, Crawford had voted in line withJoe Biden's stated position 7.5% of the time.^[29]

Crawford voted to provide Israel with support following2023 Hamas attack on Israel.^[30][31]

Crawford sponsored H.R. 6202, the American Tech Workforce Act of 2021, introduced by RepresentativeJim Banks. The legislation would establish a wage floor for the high-skill H-1B visa program, thereby significantly reducing employer dependence on the program. The bill would also eliminate the Optional Practical Training program that allows foreign graduates to stay and work in the United States.^[32]

On January 18, 2013, Crawford introduced theFarmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act (H.R. 311; 113th Congress).^[33] The bill would require theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) to modify the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule, which regulates oil discharges into navigable waters and adjoining shorelines.^[34] The rule requires certain farmers to develop anoil spill prevention plan certified by a professional engineer and may require them to make infrastructure changes.^[34] According to supporters, the bill would "ease the burden placed on farmers and ranchers" by making it easier for smaller farms to self-certify and raising the level of storage capacity under which farms are exempted.^[35]

For the119th Congress:^[36]

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
• Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (chair)

• Congressional Motorcycle Caucus^[37]
• Congressional Western Caucus^[38]

On November 8, 2019, Crawford announced he would temporarily resign from his seat on the House Intelligence Committee. Taking his place wasJim Jordan. This move allowed Jordan to lead PresidentDonald Trump's public impeachment hearings. Crawford said he would resume his position once the "impeachment hoax" had concluded.^[39]

Crawford and his wife, Stacy, live in Jonesboro with their children. He attends Central Baptist Church, aSouthern Baptist congregation in Jonesboro.^[49] In 2023, Crawford released a novel titledThe Stinger Proxy based on his Cold War experiences.^[50]

Media related toRick Crawford at Wikimedia Commons

• Congressman Rick Crawford official U.S. House website
• Rick Crawford for Congress
• Appearances onC-SPAN
• Biography at theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at theFederal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at theLibrary of Congress
• Profile atVote Smart

• 1966 births
• 21st-century Arkansas politicians
• 21st-century Baptists
• 21st-century United States representatives
• American male journalists
• American radio reporters and correspondents
• Arkansas Republicans
• Arkansas State University alumni
• Baptists from Arkansas
• Bomb disposal personnel
• Living people
• Military personnel from New Hampshire
• Politicians from Jonesboro, Arkansas
• Republican Party United States representatives from Arkansas
• Southern Baptists
• United States Army soldiers

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