Glenn Thompson

Early life, education and early career

Thompson was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, grew up in Howard, Pennsylvania, and is the son of a Navy veteran. He holds a bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation from Pennsylvania State University and dual master's degrees in therapeutic recreation and health science from Temple University.

Thompson worked for 28 years as a therapist/rehab services manager/licensed nursing home administrator in Lycoming County and chaired the Centre County Republican Committee for six years. He has spent 25 years as a member or president of the Howard Volunteer Fire Company 14, and volunteers as a firefighter, emergency medical technician, and rescue technician.

U.S. House of Representatives

Tenure

When the 112th Congress convened on January 5, 2011, to elect a speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Thompson's vote was the 218th vote for John Boehner, giving Boehner the majority needed to be named Speaker.

During the 112th Congress, Thompson became chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry, Conservation, and Energy.

At the start of the 115th Congress, Thompson was named vice-chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture. In December 2020, ahead of the 117th Congress, he was named ranking member of the agriculture committee.

In 2023 and again in 2025, in response to California's Proposition 12, Thompson pushed to overturn local animal welfare laws (such as state-level room-to-move laws) via the Farm Bill. Thompson supported the 2026 Save Our Bacon Act, which would prohibit state and local governments from imposing production standards on animal products sold in interstate commerce.

Of climate change, Thompson has said, "I think humans contribute," but added that he was not sure of the degree to which they contribute. In September 2017, Thompson and several other members of Congress asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to rescind the Waters of the United States rule, calling the regulation an overreach that expanded "EPA's authority far beyond its congressional mandate."

In January 2018, Thompson voted for the Fiscal Year 2018 continuing resolution (CR), a stopgap funding bill to fund the federal government at then-current levels through February 16, 2018. It also provided for six-year funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Thompson praised the measure for delaying what he called "three onerous and unpopular Obamacare taxes, which should be permanently repealed."

After the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018, Thompson told an audience of students that he did not agree with the idea of arming teachers and had voted to fund an improved national background check system. Thompson called for more "uniformed law enforcement in our schools."

Committee assignments

Committee on Agriculture (chair)

Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management

Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research

Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture

Committee on Education and Labor

Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services

Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education

Caucus leadership and memberships

Past National Co-chair, Congressional High School Art Competition

German-American Caucus (co-chair)

Congressional Natural Gas Caucus (co-chair)

Career and Technical Education Caucus (co-chair)

Congressional Constitution Caucus

Coal Caucus

House Baltic Caucus

Congressional Arts Caucus

Congressional Motorcycle Caucus

Congressional Western Caucus

Veterinary Medicine Caucus

Republican Governance Group

Congressional Blockchain Caucus

Rare Disease Caucus

Scouting Caucus

Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans

Congressional Taiwan Caucus

Elections

Thompson was elected the U.S. representative from Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district, defeating Democratic nominee Mark McCracken, 58%–42%.

Thompson defeated Democratic nominee Michael Pipe, 69%–28%.

Thompson defeated Democratic nominee Charles Dumas, 63%–37%.

Thompson defeated Democratic nominee Kerith Strano Taylor, 64%–36%.

Thompson defeated Taylor again, 67%–33%.

After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court redrew the congressional district map in February 2018, Thompson's district was renumbered the 15th. In May 2018, Susan Boser, a professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, won the Democratic nomination in Thompson's district, defeating Wade Johun in her party's primary. In the general election, Thompson defeated Boser, 68%–32%.

Thompson defeated Democratic nominee Robert Williams, 73.5%–26.5%.

Thompson defeated the Democratic nominee, Lewisburg Borough Council Member Mike Molesevich, 70%–30%.

Thompson defeated the Democratic nominee, law student Zach Womer, 71.5% - 28.5%. [1]