He was elected to his congressional seat in 1994, and remained in office until he resigned in May 2010, after admitting to an affair with a female staff member.

[13][14] Souder was the Ranking Member on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism.

[15] Until the start of the 110th Congress, Souder was chairman of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources.

[16] In November 1997, Souder was one of eighteen Republicans in the House to co-sponsor a resolution by Bob Barr that sought to launch an impeachment inquiry against President Bill Clinton.

[21][22][23][24][25] In March 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, which represented the most comprehensive anti-methamphetamine legislation ever passed by Congress.

Souder authored much of this law, which targets meth trafficking at local and state, national, and international levels.

[26] In December 2006, Bush signed into law the ONDCP Reauthorization Act, which Souder had authored and introduced.

[27] On May 18, 2010, Souder announced he would resign from Congress effective Friday, May 21, after admitting to an affair with Tracy Meadows Jackson, a married female staffer.

I sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part time member of my staff.

[35]Souder deviated from his written statement when reading it aloud to the Fort Wayne press later in the morning to explain why, unlike many legislators admitting adultery, he did not have his wife of 30 years at his side: I'm sick of politicians who drag their spouses up in front of the cameras rather than confronting the problem they caused.

He authored and advocated for the 1998 Aid Elimination Penalty (HEAEP), an amendment to the Higher Education Act.

Students could resume eligibility after a period of time (for example, after one year if convicted of possession of a controlled substance) or if they complete a drug rehabilitation program approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

Before the 2006–2007 academic year, the provision could also apply to high school students, but this changed with the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act in 2001.

Several federal and state agencies have previously rejected such use of the fungus because it is highly prone to mutation.

In October 2007, in the Fort Wayne, Indiana mayoral race, Souder endorsed fellow Republican Matt Kelty.

[52] In the 2006 general election, Souder's Democratic opponent was Fort Wayne City Councilman and military veteran Tom Hayhurst, an MD.

[55][56] After his resignation, Souder and his wife, Diane, returned to their home in rural Allen County, Indiana.