 He was twice re-elected, serving in the Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third Congresses (March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1895).During his tenure, he was a member of the Judiciary Committee, rising to third in seniority on that committee by the end of his third term.Due to ill health and the fact that his absence from home was hurting his legal practice, Goodnight did not seek re-election in 1894.