 In Congress, Leach chaired the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services (1995–2001) and was a senior member of the House Committee on International Relations, serving as Chair of the Committee’s Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs (2001–2006).He also founded and served as co-chair of the Congressional Humanities Caucus.He lost his 2006 re-election bid to Democrat Dave Loebsack.