Service
Marine officer, legislator — a lifetime of service to Texas and the nation.
Military Service
Van's military service began in 1991 with Army ROTC, followed by Army Airborne School in 1992, Marine Corps Officer Candidates School in 1993 and 1994, and his commission in 1995. He served on active duty from 1995 to 1999 and in the Marine Corps Reserve from 2000 to 2004, deploying to Iraq in 2003.
After college, Taylor was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He completed The Basic School and the Infantry Officer Course, graduated first in his class from the Sniper Employment Officer Course, and completed Intelligence School as the Marine Honor Graduate. He commanded the 1st Marine Regiment’s Reconnaissance Platoon at Camp Pendleton, California, then served as an intelligence officer for an artillery battalion, earning the Navy Achievement Medal for devising a quantitative combat power analysis system. He served in the Marine Corps Reserve while earning his MBA at Harvard Business School — with the 4th Civil Affairs Group, as a graduate of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, and as a platoon commander with Charlie Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion.
Following the September 11 attacks, Taylor deployed to Iraq in 2003 with the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company. As a captain, he led the first platoon into Iraq for his brigade, operating ahead of Task Force Tarawa. During the Battle of An Nasiriyah, he led a casualty-evacuation mission that rescued 31 wounded Marines and brought them safely to medical treatment.
His decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal with "V" for valor, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (second award), the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. He qualified as a Rifle Expert (third award) and Pistol Expert (second award) and earned his parachutist wings. He left the Marine Corps Reserve with the rank of Major.
with "V" for Valor
Expeditionary Medal
Service Medal ×2
with "M" Device
Expeditionary Medal
Service Medal
Deployment Ribbon
3rd Award
2nd Award
Political Service
As a public servant, Taylor represented Texans for more than a decade — first in Austin, then in Washington. Across his service in the Texas Legislature, he carried over 80 bills into law.
Texas House of Representatives — District 66 (2010–2015)
Keeping a campaign promise, the first bill Taylor filed was to ensure that military personnel can cast a vote while serving overseas. It passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate and was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry. He helped pass the Voter ID law, voted to stop sanctuary cities, and helped pass an interstate health compact seeking a permanent waiver from Obamacare's mandates. He authored legislation to strip pension benefits from politicians convicted of felonies, and carried bills protecting children from online sexual predators. He served on the Higher Education, Insurance, Defense & Veterans' Affairs, and Human Services committees.
His record earned a 100% rating from the American Conservative Union, an A+ rating from the NRA as a state representative, a 100% pro-life voting record with the endorsement of Texas Right to Life, and Taxpayer Champion honors from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility— plus “Top Rated Conservative” from the Texas Eagle Forum and “Courageous Conservative” from the Texas Conservative Coalition. When he ran for the Texas Senate, every state representative in Senate District 8 endorsed him.
Texas Senate — District 8 (2015–2019)
In the Texas Senate, representing parts of Collin and Dallas counties, ethics reform became his signature cause. He authored SB 19 (2015) and SB 14 (2017), sweeping ethics reform packages that stripped pensions from officials convicted of public corruption felonies, imposed a revolving-door lobbying ban, and required greater disclosure of lobbyist spending. SB 14 passed the Senate unanimously, 31–0 — which Taylor called "the most significant ethics reform package of a generation." As Vice Chair of the Sunset Advisory Commission, he successfully carried the Railroad Commission sunset bill after it had failed in 2011 and 2013.
He served on the Education, Health & Human Services, Intergovernmental Relations, and Natural Resources & Economic Development committees, and as Vice Chair of the Nominations Committee. He spearheaded legislation protecting children from online sexual predators, and ended forced child marriage in Texas — making the state a leader in ending this backward practice. He was named a Taxpayer Champion every session. He was ranked the most conservative member of the Texas Senate in the Rice University legislative rankings. He earned an A rating from the NRA and a 100% rating from Texas Right to Life.
U.S. House of Representatives — Texas's 3rd District (2019–2023)
Taylor represented Texas's 3rd Congressional District for two terms. He served on the House Financial Services Committee, including its AI Task Force, and co-chaired the For Country Caucus, the bipartisan group of military veteran members working across the aisle on national security. In his first term, he served on the Education and Labor Committee (Subcommittees on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions) and the Homeland Security Committee (Subcommittees on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation and on Oversight, Management, and Accountability). He was rated one of the most conservative members of Congress, earning A ratings from Americans for Prosperity, Heritage Action, the NRA, and National Right to Life. His near-perfect lifetime Heritage Action score was the highest of any Texas member of Congress in history. He also earned 100% ratings from the Club for Growth and Citizens Against Government Waste and the Conservative Union Foundation's Award for Conservative Achievement.