Biography
Burgess Owens, born on August 2, 1951, in Columbus, Ohio, is a Republican politician representing Utah's 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Raised in the segregated South, he was among the first African-American athletes recruited to play football at the University of Miami. Owens earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry and was selected by the New York Jets as the 13th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft. He played safety for the Jets and later the Oakland Raiders, winning Super Bowl XV with the Raiders in 1981. After retiring from the NFL, Owens pursued a career in corporate sales and founded Second Chance 4 Youth, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting troubled and incarcerated youth. He was elected to Congress in 2020 and has since been an advocate for conservative values, emphasizing faith, family, free markets, and education.
Education and Political Experience
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Education:
- Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Miami
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Political Experience:
- Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Utah's 4th Congressional District in 2020
- Appointed Vice Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee in January 2025
- Chairman of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee
- Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Co-Chair of the Congressional Sickle Cell Caucus
- Vice Chair of the Freedom From Big Tech Caucus
- Member of the Conservative Climate Caucus, Congressional Western Caucus, and House Republican Study Committee
Owens has been a vocal proponent of educational freedom, describing it as "the civil rights issue of our time," and has worked to combat political influence in higher education. ,
