Sam Graves
RepublicanU.S. Representative, MO-6| Age | 62 (b. 1963-11-07) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2001-01-03 (~25 yrs) |
| Religion | Baptist |
| Education | B.S. in Agronomy, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Agriculture, 1986; graduated Tarkio High School, 1982 |
| Prior occupation | Farmer (sixth-generation family farmer in Atchison County, Missouri), small businessman, general aviation pilot |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Tarkio, Missouri |
| Marital status | divorced — Lesley Hickok (divorced 2012) |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Tarkio, Missouri |
| Notable relatives | Brother: Todd Graves, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri (2001–2006) and former Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party (2017–2021) |
Pending research: race / ethnicity · languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2000 |
| Previous offices | Missouri House of Representatives, 4th District (1993–1995) · Missouri State Senate, 12th District (1995–2001) |
| Committees | House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (Chair, 119th Congress) · House Committee on Armed Services |
| Caucuses | House General Aviation Caucus (Co-Chair) · Congressional Cement Caucus · Congressional Coalition on Adoption · Congressional Taiwan Caucus · United States–China Working Group |
| Leadership | Chair, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (2023–2026) · Ranking Member, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (2019–2023) · Chair, House Small Business Committee (2011–2015) · Ranking Member, House Small Business Committee (2009–2011) |
| Ideology | Conservative Republican; Heritage Action scores: 88% (117th Congress), 59% (118th Congress), 82% (116th Congress); ACU lifetime rating 85% (2017); League of Conservation Voters lifetime score 4% |
| Signature legislation | FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (H.R. 3935) — bipartisan five-year reauthorization, signed into law 2024 · BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870) — bipartisan five-year $580 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill, introduced 2026 · FAST Act (Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act) — long-term federal highway and transportation funding bill, enacted 2015 |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $1,875,510–$6,875,500 (2018) · estimate
| Sam Graves Farms (Atchison County, Missouri) | real_estate · $500,001–$1,000,000 · 2022 |
| Trust interest — Residences in Washington DC and Tarkio, MO (50%) | real_estate · $500,001–$1,000,000 · 2022 |
| Airport Farms Aviation LLC (50% interest, aircraft: 1954 North American T6-J, Vans RV-8) | business_owned · $100,001–$250,000 · 2022 |
| Graves Brothers Farm (undivided 1/6 interest) | real_estate · $50,001–$100,000 · 2022 |
| Farmers State Bank / US Bank Account | other · $50,001–$100,000 · 2022 |
| Bar JW, Inc. (fitness studio) | business_owned · $1,001–$15,000 · 2022 |
Top donors: American Trucking Associations ($92,050 (top trucking industry donor, 2024 cycle)) · UPS PAC ($5,000) · Boeing PAC ($5,000) · National Air Transportation Association PAC ($3,000 (2024 cycle)) · General Aviation Manufacturers Association PAC ($5,000 (2024 cycle))
Top industries: Air Transport · Airlines · Railroads · Trucking · Sea Transport · Construction Services · Agriculture
Scandals & crimes ledger
No recorded incidents. Under the adjudicated-only methodology, an entry appears only when a court or official body has formally acted and the record is cited.