Longtime U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who made national headlines as a two-time presidential hopeful, speaks to Baker Institute Student Forum and Rice University students about his experiences in politics. His campaigns have put the spotlight on his ideas, particularly his focus on limited government, opposition to the war in Iraq and advocacy for a return to commodity-backed currency. Dr. Paul, a trained obstetrician and gynecologist, represents the 14th Congressional District of Texas. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee, the International Relations Committee and the Joint Economic Committee. On the Financial Services Committee, Paul serves as the vice chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
Paul practiced medicine in Lake Jackson, Texas, before being elected to Congress in the late 1970s. In 1984, he voluntarily relinquished his House seat and returned to his medical practice. He returned to Congress in 1997.