Max Sandlin served eight years (1997-2005) in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democratic Congressman representing Texas District 1.
Congressman Sandlin was a member of senior House leadership, serving as Majority Chief Deputy Whip to current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and subsequently to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD). Sandlin was also an elected and later a leadership representative on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee – the committee that sets the agenda for the Democratic Caucus and makes committee assignments. He was one of a small group of legislators chosen for the Parliamentary Group, representatives called upon for rapid parliamentary and procedural action on the floor of the U.S. House.
Congressman Sandlin served on this powerful and prestigious Ways and Means Committee – the Committee with jurisdiction over international trade, international and domestic tax, energy, healthcare, etc. He also served on the Financial Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over domestic and international monetary policy, capital markets, financial policy and institutions, and related areas. As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Sandlin was also involved in areas such as aviation, port authority and security, highways and transit.
Sandlin is a former Chairman of the Democratic Caucus Financial Services Task Force and Chairman of the Blue Dog Energy Task Force. He was a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of pro-business and pro-trade moderate Democrats.
Prior to his service in Congress, Sandlin practiced law in Texas and had a broad-based litigation and business practice. He was active in the banking industry and served for a decade on the board of directors of a local bank. He was the part-owner and president of a gasoline distributorship and the part-owner and vice-president of an oil and gas exploration firm. He also served on the Board of Directors of East Texas Legal Services and was a board member and officer of an East Texas housing authority that provided loans to first-time homeowners.
He is a former County Judge and County Court at Law Judge from his home state of Texas.
Since leaving Congress, Sandlin has been involved in policy and government relations work in areas such as international finance, energy, tax, trade, communications, security, healthcare, etc. He has also advised and represented clients on political and policy strategies and has represented clients in Congressional investigations concerning both domestic and international issues.
Sandlin is currently the Co-Chairman at IGR Group.
He is a graduate of Baylor University, where he was named Outstanding Young Alumni, and Baylor School of Law, where he was a member of the National Championship Mock Trial Team. He is a former youth baseball, basketball and softball coach and has been active in many civic organizations and boards such as the Marshall Youth Baseball Association and the Michelson Reves Museum of Art. He is the father of five children, has one grandchild, and is married to U.S. Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.