McHenry was interested in political service early in life. As a junior at Belmont Abbey College, he ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives winning the Republican primary, though falling short in the general election. A year later he graduated from Belmont Abbey with a Bachelor’s Degree in History.
McHenry was first elected to Congress in 2004 only a week after his 29th birthday. Throughout his ten terms in the House of Representatives, Congressman McHenry served on the Committee on Financial Services, holding various leadership positions. In 2015, he was selected by House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01) to serve as Chief Deputy Whip. In the 118th Congress, he was elected by his peers as Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
The Freedom Award was established by the U.S. Capitol Historical Society to celebrate individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions towards a better understanding and appreciation of freedom, as symbolized by the U.S. Capitol and Congress. The award was first presented on September 17, 1993, marking the 200th anniversary of the laying of the U.S. Capitol cornerstone by George Washington in 1793. Named after the statue atop the Capitol Dome, the Freedom Award is presented annually as a tribute to the recipients’ unwavering commitment to freedom, democracy, and representative government.
Founded in 1962, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society has proudly worked to preserve and share the history of the Capitol, the Congress, and the people who work therein. As a nonpartisan, educational 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Society was chartered by Congress in 1978, in part, “to foster and increase an informed patriotism.” In service of this mission, the Society conducts historical tours of the Capitol Building, hosts both virtual and in-person public history programming, publishes scholarly research in various aspects of Capitol History, coordinates a digital civics education resource hub for teachers, manages a renowned civics education field trip program for Title I D.C. public school students, and commissions works of fine art for the Capitol collections.
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