Its territory stretched from San Angelo to the western fringes of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. He established a reputation as one of the most conservative Democrats in the House, and belonged to the Blue Dog Coalition. He was a leader of the Boll Weevils during the 1980s, and Chair of the Conservative Democratic Forum from 1981 until about 1993. In 1981, Stenholm was one of the more prominent Democratic supporters of Republican President Ronald Reagan's tax-cut package, which a decade later he regretted. Like many Texas politicians, Stenholm was conservative on social issues and opposed both abortion and gun control. In 1990 he was one of three House Democrats who voted against the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. As a large farmer, Stenholm was chiefly interested in agriculture and also in budget matters. In 1992 he supported a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution requiring the federal government to keep to such budgets. In addition, for six years, Stenholm was ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. He was among members who personally benefited from the subsidy program, originally authorized during the Depression to aid small farmers stay on their land. Under the 1996 farm bill, from 1996-2002, Stenholm as a farmer received $39,000 in subsidies. At least ten of his colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, also received substantial farm subsidies during this period. Stenholm worked very closely with the committee's chairman and fellow farm owner, Republican Larry Combest of the neighboring Texas's 19th congressional district; they shepherded the 2002 Farm Bill through Congress, in which Texas got the largest increase in subsidies of any state, doubling the amount received. During this period, the wealthiest 10% of farmers received 74% of the subsidies, which were directed at agribusiness. The 15 states that received 74% of the subsidies paid only 24% of the cost in their taxes, thus gaining a major federal handout. Stenholm frequently clashed with Democratic President Bill Clinton during his administration; he voted for three of the four articles of impeachment against him. But Stenholm was also a severe critic of the succeeding Republican Bush Administration's fiscal policy. He voted against making Bush's tax cuts permanent, as by then he strongly opposed cutting taxes unless the budget was balanced. From 1980 to 1990, Stenholm was reelected without major-party opposition in his district. He ran unopposed in 1980 and from 1984 to 1990. Although the majority-white conservative voters of Texas had begun to vote for Republican presidential candidates and sometimes other candidates for national office, the Republican Party had not gained many members or support in much of this area.