Representative Joe Barton has been in the House since 1984 (wikimedia commons)

Joe Barton has been serving in the House of Representatives for nearly 30 years, having been first elected to Texas' Sixth District in 1984. 

Prior to entering office Barton attended Texas A&M before going on to receive a Master's of Science from Purdue. After a short stint as a fellow in Washington, he returned to Texas in 1982 as a natural gas decontrol consultant for Atlantic Richfield Oil and Gas Company. 

He was elected to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce in 2004, and has been a leading Republican in the House for several years. Barton's website describes him as being "among the steadfast house leaders on tax reform through the promotion of lower taxes and financial freedom. He has supported the elimination of estate taxes, reduction of capital gains taxes and a retirement of the current tax code.  

"Now it is up to the Senate to follow our lead and enact the will of the American people by defunding this law," said Barton in a press release following the Sept. 23 vote to defund Obamacare.

On Sept. 30, Barton voted to partially delay Obamacare in order to prevent a government shutdown.

"No one wants a shutdown, including me and my House colleagues," he said. "However, I am opposed to borrowing a trillion dollars or more every year with no plan to balance the federal budget…My constituents haven't been shy in sharing their dislike for this law and their desire to cut federal spending."

In wake of Monday night's government shut down, many of Barton's constituents support his position.

"I agree with Mr. Barton's position on Obamacare because I think the legislation is making it very difficult for lots of small businesses to keep their heads above water," said one Barton's colleagues who wishes to remain anonymous.

She went on to say that she was concerned that the government is getting out of the flood insurance business, which she says will eventually raise rates by up to 25 percent, just as the government is trying to subsidize healthcare. 

"Will it make a difference if everyone has healthcare if they can't afford to live in their own house because insurance rates are so high?" she asked, adding that current homeowners in floodplains will be unable to sell their houses because insurance rates will be so high. 

"Congress right now is a big mess," she continued. "If this shutdown continues too much longer, there is a very good chance any economic recovery we're currently experiencing will disappear."

Contact Executive Producer Christopher Coppock here.