Vicky Hartzler

Vicky Hartzler represented the Fourth Congressional District of Missouri for 12 years from 2011 to 2023 in the United States House of Representatives

A life-long farmer and former public schoolteacher, Hartzler began her career in public service in the Missouri General Assembly, where she served as a State Representative for six years from 1995 until 2001.

Following her service in the statehouse, Hartzler was appointed Chair of the Missouri Women’s Council by Governor Matt Blunt where she worked to help women advance their economic goals. In 2010, Hartzler returned to politics and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

While in Congress, Hartzler served on the House Armed Services and Agriculture Committees. On the House Armed Services Committee, she served as the Chair of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, the Ranking Member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, and a member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee where she worked to strengthen the national defense, support our military, and expose the threat of China and other adversaries.  She traveled to Afghanistan, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Japan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Columbia, and other parts of the world visiting our troops, meeting with government leaders, and advocating for freedom while monitoring conditions on the ground.

On the House Agriculture Committee, she served on the Livestock & Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee and the Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research Subcommittee. She also chaired the House Values Action Team defending faith, family, and religious freedom, served as a Commissioner of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), served in House leadership as a member of the Whip Team, and was appointed to the White House PREVENTS Task Force for suicide prevention.

She has long been an advocate for those persecuted for their faith.  Prior to her public service, she volunteered with the Voice of the Martyrs organization providing tangible help to Christians persecuted for their faith.  In Congress she participated in the Defending Freedoms Project through the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom ‘adopting’ three Chinese pastors imprisoned for their faith.  As part of this work, she met with family members, spoke on the House floor advocating for them, and wrote a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the State Department to work to release prisoners of conscience in China as part of their diplomatic efforts.

In Congress she was the sponsor of HR4821 “The Combatting the Persecution of Christians in China Act” to imposes sanctions on individuals responsible for the persecution of Christians in China.  She co-sponsored the “Ughur Stop Oppressive Sterilization (SOS) Act” with fellow CECC member Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) to impose sanctions on the individuals responsible for the forced sterilizations and forced abortions in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China and she supported passage of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in 2021 and the Uighur Intervention and Global Humanitarian Unified Response Act (UIGHUR Act) in 2020 which both passed and became law.

Her Congressional achievements include effectively advancing legislation to strengthen the military, protect the border, advocate for veterans, promote family values, combat China, aid Americans devastated by natural disasters, support those persecuted for their faith, expand rural broadband, fight the opioid epidemic, support farmers and ranchers, and help Gold Star families.

During her 12 years of service in the U.S. Congress, Hartzler was awarded many honors including the U.S. Army Distinguished Public Service Medal, the 2021 Distinguished Christian Statesman Award by the Center for Christian Statesmanship, the Friend of the Family Award by the Faith & Freedom Coalition, the Coburn Statesman Award by the Family Policy Alliance, the Guardian of Life & Liberty Award by the Concerned Women for America, the True Blue Award from the Family Research Council, and The Outstanding Service to Agriculture Award by the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Hartzler resides on a working farm in Harrisonville, Missouri, and co-owns a farm equipment business with her husband, Lowell. They are blessed with a daughter and son-in-law.  Hartzler graduated from Archie High School as valedictorian of her class, graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the University of Missouri, and earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Central Missouri which she used teaching junior and senior high students for 11 years prior to entering public service.