Richard Keith "Dick" Armey (ˈɑrmi; born July 7, 1940) is a former U.S. Representative

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 from Texas's (1985–2003) and House Majority Leader

Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives

Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in a closed-door caucus by secret ballot and are also known as floor leaders. The U.S. House of Representatives does not officially use the term "Minority Leader", although the media frequently does...

 (1995–2003). He was one of the engineers of the "Republican Revolution

Republican Revolution

The Republican Revolution or Revolution of '94 is what the media dubbed Republican Party success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate...

" of the 1990s, in which Republicans

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 were elected to majorities of both houses of Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

 for the first time in four decades. Armey was one of the chief authors of the Contract with America

Contract with America

The Contract with America was a document released by the United States Republican Party during the 1994 Congressional election campaign. Written by Larry Hunter, who was aided by Newt Gingrich, Robert Walker, Richard Armey, Bill Paxon, Tom DeLay, John Boehner and Jim Nussle, and in part using text...

. Armey is also an author and former economics professor. After his congressional career he worked as a consultant, advisor and lobbyist.
Armey was born in the farming town of Cando, North Dakota

Cando, North Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,342 people, 595 households, and 345 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,178.3 people per square mile . There were 707 housing units at an average density of 1,147.6 per square mile...

, the son of Marion (née Gutschlag) and Glenn Armey.