Mike Rogers (Alabama politician)

Mike Rogers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Bob Riley
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives from the 36th district
In office 1994–2002
Preceded by	James Campbell
Succeeded by	Randy Wood
Personal details
Born	(1958-07-16) July 16, 1958 Hammond, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Beth Rogers
Alma mater	Jacksonville State University (BA, MPA) Birmingham School of Law (JD)

Michael Dennis "Mike" Rogers (born July 16, 1958), is the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 3rd congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and education

A fifth generation resident of Calhoun County in East Alabama, Rogers graduated from Saks High School and earned both his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Masters of Public Administration at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Early political career

At 28 years old, Rogers became the youngest person and first Republican to join the Calhoun County Commission. While serving on the Commission and working for the United Way, Rogers enrolled at the Birmingham School of Law along with his wife, Beth, and upon graduating with honors began a general law practice in Anniston. Three years later he started his own firm, which grew to become Anniston's largest.

In 1994 he won a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, and became Minority leader in his second term. In 2002, Bob Riley successfully ran for governor, leaving the 3rd district vacant. Rogers easily won the Republican nomination. In the general election, he faced Democratic veteran Joe Turnham, Jr., who had served three years as state party chairman and had run against Riley in the congressional election in 1998.^[1]

U.S. House of Representatives

Committees

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
  • Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
• Committee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security
  • Subcommittee on Transportation Security (Chairman)
• Republican Study Committee
• United States House Committee on Agriculture

Caucus Memberships

• Congressional Cement Caucus

Political positions

In June 2016 he called for the United States withdrawal from the United Nations in the wake of the brexit vote by the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union.^[2] Except on spending, where he earned the dubious title of "April 2012 Porker of the Month"^[3] and only a 23% rating from Citizens Against Government Waste ^[4] Rogers has a conservative voting record. He dissented with the Morocco free trade agreement due to potential job losses in the Alabama textile industry. On social issues Rogers has voted in opposition to abortion, gay marriage and immigration. However, he has acted to protect the Armed Services industry in his area. On the Armed Services Committee, he opposed a new series of military base closures and won passage of a bill that would assure that universities would provide access to their facilities for military recruitment purposes and ROTC. Despite this, in 2008, he received a rating of 50% from the American Conservative Union, one of the most moderate voting records of a Southern Republican for that year.^[5]

Rogers was a recipient of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's ARMPAC campaign contributions. DeLay was prosecuted and convicted on charges of felony money laundering of campaign finances and conspiracy to launder money. To date, Rogers has not offered to return any of the $30,000 he received.^[6] Rogers said that DeLay is innocent until proven guilty, and that he would not return the money "while the judicial process runs its course."^[7]

After the Democratic Party took control of the House of Representatives in the 2006 elections, Rogers joined many relatively junior Republican members of the House in seeing their perceived influence diminish. Knowlegis, a nonpartisan lobbying information firm, dropped Rogers from being ranked as the 138th most influential Representative to being 402nd in that category.^[8]

Rogers is a signer of Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge.^[9]

In December 2011, Rogers voted in support of H.R. 10, the "Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act," which would have required Congressional approval for any "major regulations" issued by the executive branch but, unlike the 1996 Congressional Review Act, would not require the president's signature or override of a probable presidential veto.^[10][11]

Rogers supported an amendment to declare that people retain the right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, and traditions on public property, including schools. He cosponsored legislation to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States. Rogers sponsored a bill expressing the continued support of Congress for equal access of military recruiters to institutions of higher education.^[12] He also introduced legislation making it illegal to satirize or in any way parody the Transportation Security Administration.^[13]

Political campaigns

In a very close election, the Turnham-Rogers contest was one of the most closely watched in 2002. Both Democratic and Republican National parties targeted the district, with Speaker Dennis Hastert promising Rogers a seat on the Armed Services committee should he win. Rogers heavily outspent Turnham, raising and spending $1,656,290^[14] to Turnham's $1,015,132,^[15] with Rogers enjoying an even greater margin in independent expenditures. Rogers narrowly won the election by a 50%–48% margin.^[16] In this election, Rogers became a rare Republican endorsee of The Anniston Star.^[17]

• 2008 Rogers won against Democratic nominee Joshua Segall, a Montgomery attorney, and Independent Mark Layfield.

• 2010 Rogers defeated Democratic nominee Steve Segrest.

Personal life

Rogers and his wife have three children. They reside in Saks and are members of a Baptist Church.

Electoral history

References

External links

• Congressman Mike Rogers official U.S. House site
• Mike Rogers for Congress
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Mike Rogers (Alabama politician) at DMOZ
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress