Troy E. Nehls
RepublicanU.S. Representative, TX-22| Age | 58 (b. 1968-04-07) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2021-01-03 (~5 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Protestant (Dispensationalist) |
| Education | B.A., Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA); M.S. in Criminal Justice, University of Houston-Downtown (2011) |
| Prior occupation | Law enforcement officer; Richmond (TX) Police Department (1994–1998, fired); Fort Bend County Deputy Constable (1998–2002); Deputy Sheriff (2002–2004); Constable, Fort Bend County Pct. 4 (2005–2012); Fort Bend County Sheriff (2013–2021) |
| Military service | Yes: U.S. Army Reserve (Major) |
| Birthplace | Beaver Dam, Wisconsin |
| Marital status | Married — Jill Broxson Nehls |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Richmond, Texas |
| Notable relatives | Trever Nehls (identical twin brother), former Fort Bend County constable and 2026 congressional candidate for TX-22; Edwin Nehls (father), Korean War veteran and Dodge County (WI) Sheriff |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2020 |
| Previous offices | Fort Bend County Constable, Precinct 4 (2005–2012) · Fort Bend County Sheriff (2013–2021) |
| Committees | House Judiciary Committee (subcommittees: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance; Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement) · House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — Chairman, Subcommittee on Aviation (subcommittees: Highways and Transit; Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials) |
| Caucuses | Republican Study Committee · Western Caucus |
| Leadership | Chairman, House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation (119th Congress, 2025–) |
| Ideology | Strongly conservative; former Freedom Caucus member (resigned July 2024 after dispute over expulsion of Rep. Warren Davidson). Aligned with Trump wing of the Republican Party. |
| Signature legislation | REMOVE Act (H.R. 4711) — passed House Judiciary Committee; expedited removal of illegal aliens convicted of crimes · Medal of Honor Act (H.R. 695) — passed House unanimously, February 2025 · End Unaccountable Amnesty Act — introduced January 2025 (with Sen. Jim Banks), tightening TPS and immigration parole · Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2026 — introduced with Rep. Seth Moulton |
Financial
Net worth: estimate
No holdings recorded yet (from official Financial Disclosure filings).
Top donors: Herzog Contracting ($27,300) · Oil & Gas industry (aggregate) ($91,960)
Top industries: Oil & Gas · Railroads · Transportation
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — Guilty Plea: Underage Drinking and Obstructing an Officer (Wisconsin, 1988)
In July 1988, while a college student in Wisconsin, Nehls was cited by Horicon Police Officer William Wheeler for underage drinking and obstructing an officer (allegedly lying about his age) at the Horicon Marsh Bird Festival. Nehls pleaded guilty to both citations and paid fines. He later signed a job application for the Fort Bend ISD Police Department stating he had never been charged with a crime, which was contradicted by this record.
ongoing — House Ethics Committee Investigation: Conversion of Campaign Funds to Personal Use via Liberty 1776 LLC business
The Office of Congressional Ethics referred Rep. Nehls to the House Ethics Committee on December 11, 2023, after finding probable cause that he converted campaign funds to personal use. The campaign paid over $25,000 in rental payments since late 2019 to Liberty 1776 LLC, a single-member LLC of which Nehls was the registered agent and sole owner. The OCE noted sporadic payments with no public evidence linking the LLC to a campaign headquarters, and that Nehls declined to cooperate with the OCE investigation. The OCE also found probable cause that Nehls failed to disclose his ownership interest in Liberty 1776 in mandatory House financial disclosure statements. The House Ethics Committee extended its investigation in March 2024; no finding or sanction has been publicly announced as of June 2026. Nehls announced he will not seek re-election.
resolved — FEC Matter Under Review (MUR 7648 & 7651) — Improper Use of State Office for Federal Testing-the-Waters Activities
Complaints were filed alleging that then-Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls failed to timely disclose his 2020 candidacy for Congress (Statement of Candidacy) and impermissibly used his state office and state campaign committee to fund federal testing-the-waters activities, including a golf tournament and a county parade appearance. The FEC voted 5-0 to dismiss the allegations and close the file.
resolved — FEC Civil Penalty: Impermissible Nonfederal Contributions (ADR Case 1069, 2022)
A complaint alleged that Troy Nehls' 2020 federal campaign committee (Troy Nehls Federal Committee) accepted impermissible nonfederal contributions transferred from Nehls' own state campaign account and that of his brother Trever Nehls (a Fort Bend County Sheriff candidate). The FEC found merit and approved a negotiated settlement on July 7, 2022: the committee disgorged $7,497.64 and paid a $1,150 civil penalty, and was required to follow a corrective action plan and complete FEC training. Remaining allegations against other respondents were dismissed.