In a statement released earlier today, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), Chairman of the House Science Committee, announced that he plans to retire at the end of this term.
Currently in his 16th term, he has been a key player in a number of areas of critical interest to academia and higher education. Among other issues, as chair of the Science Committee, he has been involved with the recent debates around federal support for social and behavioral sciences as well as the intense discussions around earth and climate science. In the past, including during his stint as the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he has been a critical player in immigration and visa-related issues.