Don Bacon (NE-2)

Biography

Representative Don Bacon, born on August 16, 1963, in Chicago Heights, Illinois, grew up on a family farm in Momence, Illinois. He graduated from Grace Baptist Academy in Kankakee in 1980. In 1984, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Northern Illinois University. That same year, he married his high school sweetheart, Angie. Together, they have four children: Donald, Alexander, Austin, and Jessica. They reside in Papillion, Nebraska.

Bacon began his military career in 1985, serving nearly 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and retiring as a Brigadier General in 2014. His service included roles as Wing Commander at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. He completed four deployments to the Middle East, notably serving in Iraq during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM from 2007 to 2008. His military decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, two Bronze Stars, and two Legion of Merit awards.

In 2016, Bacon was elected to represent Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has been re-elected in subsequent terms and is known for his bipartisan approach to legislation. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Agriculture Committee. Bacon has been recognized for his effective constituent services and bipartisan efforts, including being ranked as the #1 Most Effective Republican Legislator in the House by the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University's Center for Effective Lawmaking in 2022.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Northern Illinois University, 1984
• Master of Business Administration, University of Phoenix, 1996
• Master of National Strategy, National War College, 2004

Political Experience

• U.S. Representative, Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, 2017–present
• Member, House Armed Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces
  • Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
• Member, House Agriculture Committee
  • Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development
  • Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
• Co-Chair, House Baltic Caucus
• Co-Chair, Congressional Soccer Caucus
• Co-Chair, Electronic Warfare Working Group
• Chair, Republican Main Street Caucus
• Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth

Bacon has been actively involved in bipartisan initiatives, including co-founding and chairing the For Country Caucus, a group of military veteran congressional members working across party lines on national security and veterans' affairs. He has also been recognized for his efforts to improve military quality of life, leading to over thirty legislative recommendations included in the House National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025.