Wilbert Joseph "Billy" Tauzin is a retired American politician and lobbyist who served as a U.S. Representative from Louisiana from 1980 to 2005. Initially elected as a conservative Democrat, he switched to the Republican Party in 1995, reflecting a broader political realignment in the American South. During his congressional tenure, he became a powerful figure as the chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. After retiring from Congress, he controversially became the president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a prominent industry lobbying group.