Mario Diaz-Balart was born on September 25, 1961 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Rafael and Hilda Diaz-Balart. He is the younger brother of former congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart. He studied Political Science at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

He is currently fulfilling his 8th term in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Florida’s 25th congressional district. Diaz-Balart is a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and is chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, in addition to serving on the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs and the Defense Subcommittees. Diaz-Balart also serves on the House Committee on the Budget.

Diaz-Balart was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 to represent Florida’s 25th Congressional district. Prior to his time in Congress, Diaz-Balart served 14 years in the Florida State Legislature in both chambers, House and Senate. He chaired a number of different committees, including the Combined Appropriations/Ways and Means/Finance and Tax Committee.