Mike Rogers (Alabama Politician)

Michael Dennis Rogers (born July 16, 1958) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party of Alabama. Since 2021, he has served as the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee. From 2019 to 2021, he served as the Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Early life and education

A sixth-generation resident of Calhoun County in East Alabama, Rogers graduated from Saks High School and earned both his undergraduate degree in political science and Master's of Public Administration at Jacksonville State University.

Early political career

At age 28, Rogers became the youngest person to join the Calhoun County Commission.

In 1994, Rogers won a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, and became minority leader in his second term. In 2002, Bob Riley was elected governor, leaving the 3rd district seat vacant. Rogers won the Republican nomination. In the general election, he defeated Democratic veteran Joe Turnham, Jr., who had served three years as state party chairman and had run against Riley for Congress in 1998.

U.S. House of Representatives

Tenure

112th Congress (2011-2013)

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.

He earned the title of "April 2012 Porker of the Month" and has a 23% rating from Citizens Against Government Waste.

115th Congress (2017-2019)

In 2017, Rogers worked with Representative Jim Cooper on a proposal to establish a Space Corps under the Department of the Air Force. The proposal passed the House and failed in the Senate. A bill with very similar language was signed into law two years later to create the United States Space Force.

117th Congress (2021-2023)

Rogers was at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, when it was stormed. The next day, he tweeted, "there is no place for political violence in America" and called for law and order. Even after the attack, Rogers supported efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, voting to oppose the certification. He voted against impeaching Donald Trump a second time in the wake of the attack. His rationale for his decision was that it was a partisan action by Nancy Pelosi that would "further divide our nation".

Rogers voted against the American Rescue Plan in February 2021. His rationale for opposing the bill was that it was full of "extreme socialist initiatives" and too expensive, and that it was too soon for another bill after the December 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act. He also said the bill did not support schools reopening and that it funded abortions.

As of October 2021, Rogers had voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 10.3% of the time.

Committees

* Committee on Armed Services (Ranking Member)
** Subcommittee on Readiness
** Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
* Committee on Homeland Security

Caucus memberships

* Congressional Cement Caucus
*United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
* Veterinary Medicine Caucus
* Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus

Political positions

In 2020, Rogers received a lifetime rating of 86% from the American Conservative Union, one of the most moderate voting records of a Southern Republican that year. He 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 co-sponsored legislation to prohibit the physical desecration of the U.S flag. Rogers sponsored a bill expressing Congress's continued support for equal access of military recruiters to institutions of higher education. He also introduced legislation making it illegal to satirize or in any way parody the Transportation Security Administration.

Abortion

Rogers is anti-abortion. As of 2020, he has a 100% rating from National Right to Life and a 0% rating from NARAL in 2018 for his abortion-related votes. He opposes banning federal health coverage if abortion is included and opposes using human embryos for stem cell research. Rogers has voted in support of efforts to restrict interstate transport of minors for abortions and allowing partial-birth abortion only if the mother's life is at risk. He also opposes human cloning and signed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. He co-sponsored the Sanctity of Human Life Act. Rogers supported the 2022 overturning of ''Roe v. Wade'' and called it "the right decision to protect the innocent lives of unborn children."

Civil rights

As of 2019, Rogers has a 19% rating regarding civil rights-related legislature from the NAACP.

Rogers voted against the Violence Against Women Act in 2013.

Rogers believes that marriage is between a man and a woman and voted for the Marriage Protection Amendment in 2004. In 2007, he voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Rogers has a 0/100 rating from the Human Rights Campaign regarding pro-LGBTQ policies.

Crime

Rogers opposed expanding federal hate crime law to include LGBTQ hate crimes. He voted for the Second Chance Act of 2007.

Economy

Rogers is a signer of Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge. He voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Foreign affairs

In June 2016, Rogers called for the United States withdrawal from the United Nations in the wake of Brexit. On January 3, 2017, Rogers once again called for the U.S. to withdraw from the U.N., introducing the American Sovereignty Act of 2017. The bill still needs House, Senate, and presidential approval. On January 3, 2019, Rogers submitted a similar bill, H.R.204 - American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2019.

Juneteenth

In June 2021, Rogers was one of 14 House Republicans to vote against establishing June 19, or Juneteenth, as a federal holiday.

Terrorism

Rogers voted for the Patriot Act.

2020 presidential election

In December 2020, Rogers was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of '' Texas v. Pennsylvania'', a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state. Rogers is one of 147 Republican lawmakers who voted to overturn results in the 2020 presidential election.

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 outspent Turnham, raising and spending $1,656,290 to Turnham's $1,015,132 and enjoying an even greater margin in independent expenditures. Rogers won the election, 50% to 48%. In this election, he was a rare Republican endorsee of ''The Anniston Star''.

Rogers has only faced one other contest nearly that close. In 2008, Joshua Segall held him to only 54% of the vote—the only time since his initial election that Rogers has fallen below 59%.

* 2008 Rogers defeated Democratic nominee Joshua Segall, a Montgomery attorney, and Independent Mark Layfield.

* 2010 Rogers defeated Democratic nominee Steve Segrest.

Campaign contributions from ARMPAC

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. As of August 2016, Rogers has not offered to return any of the $30,000 he received. Rogers said that DeLay is innocent until proven guilty, and that he would not return the money "while the judicial process runs its course."

Honors

Rogers was made Commander of the Order of the Star of Romania on June 8, 2017

Electoral history

Personal life

Rogers is married, with three children. He and his family reside in Saks and are members of a Baptist Church.

References

External links

Congressman Mike Rogers
official U.S. House website


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, Mike
1958 births
21st-century American politicians
Baptists from Alabama
Birmingham School of Law alumni
County commissioners in Alabama
Jacksonville State University alumni
Living people
Democratic Party members of the Alabama House of Representatives
People from Hammond, Indiana
Politicians from Anniston, Alabama
Commanders of the Order of the Star of Romania
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama