Roger F. Wicker has represented Mississippi in the United States Senate since December 2007. During his time in the Senate, Wicker has championed pro-growth policies to create jobs, limit federal overreach, protect life, and maintain a strong national defense.
Wicker is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for the 117th Congress. He served as chairman of the full committee during the 116th Congress after previously serving as the chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet.
Wicker is the second-highest ranking Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. His other committee assignments include the Environment and Public Works Committee; and the Rules and Administration Committee.
Mississippi families are forced to live within a budget, and I believe the federal government should be no different. I am frustrated by the rate of increase in government spending, which is why I have consistently supported budget resolutions that hold the line on discretionary spending and keep taxes on working families low.
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am working closely with my colleagues to ensure our military is the best equipped and most prepared in the world. As a retired Air Force Reservist and the father of an Air Force intelligence officer, I understand the sacrifices our military community makes to protect our freedom. We must continue to give them our unwavering support.
Our nation faces serious security challenges in the changing global environment. I have traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan to see the hard work our troops, many of them Mississippians, are doing to protect our country. As we face the threats of today and tomorrow, it is imperative we provide our troops with the resources they need to perform and achieve their mission of protecting our nation. I am committed to meeting these needs for today’s soldier and tomorrow’s veteran.
As Americans continue feeling squeezed at the gas pump, it is more important than ever that Congress take action to implement meaningful energy policies to put us on the road toward energy independence and more affordable gasoline.
America must do a better job of immediately increasing our domestic production of energy at home and invest in alternative and renewable energy sources to free us from dependence on foreign oil. I support exploring for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and in the Outer Continental Shelf’s deep waters off our coast. Those areas hold 24 billion barrels of recoverable oil. It is important that states be given the ability to control the use of their coastal resources.
I also believe we can diversify our future energy supply through the use of alternative and renewable energy. The United States is the Middle East of coal, and any long-term energy policy must recognize this resource. A good example of the potential coal holds is the conversion of coal to low-cost and environmentally friendly liquid fuel. This technology is being employed now in Mississippi, and with our vast coal reserves, our state can become a key player in the future of coal-to-liquid fuel.
I have a long record of upholding the sanctity of life. As a state senator, I authored the legislation that put in place regulations for abortion clinics and created the twenty-four hour waiting period for abortions. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I supported the ban on partial birth abortions, which the Supreme Court upheld. I have cosponsored various other bills in both the House and Senate reflecting my belief that life begins at conception. Most recently, in June 2008, I introduced the Life at Conception Act. This legislation simply defines life as beginning at conception, expanding protections in the 14th Amendment to unborn babies.
I have a solid understanding of healthcare issues and how they affect Mississippians. I sat on the subcommittee that develops the budget for the Department of Health and Human Services for twelve of my thirteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives and was the Chairman of Public Health Committee during my time in the State Senate. As a member of Congress, I voted to create the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and the Medicare prescription drug benefit, ensuring our state's children have health insurance coverage and our seniors do not have to choose between buying groceries and paying for their prescriptions.
For a variety of reasons, Mississippi has a very high incidence of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. I am working to make sure Mississippi is home to the latest research on how we can curb the obesity epidemic and its related diseases. Research is only one part of the answer. Our state is medically underserved, and we have significant problems with access to care. We must provide more incentives for doctors to practice in Mississippi.
One of the biggest health concerns facing our nation today is the lack of affordable health insurance coverage. Despite multiple sources of health care coverage, millions of Americans remain uninsured, and our health care costs continue to rise. The nation’s health care system needs reforms so that those uninsured Americans who want coverage can find it at an affordable rate. I believe we can accomplish these goals and provide coverage to every American without creating a government-run system. To help achieve this goal, the first bill I introduced in the Senate was the Making Health Care More Affordable Act, which includes six steps the federal government should take to help provide affordable coverage to more Mississippians.
I oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants and believe that the first step towards stopping the illegal immigration problem is to secure our borders. I have visited the border at the Rio Grande and witnessed firsthand the challenges facing our border patrol agents. To help them do their job, I have supported legislation to build over 700 miles of reinforced fencing along our southern border, increase the number of border patrol agents, and increase the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and other technology along the border to catch illegal immigrants before they cross into our country. I also support stiffening penalties on employers who knowingly employ illegals.
I also helped form a new Senate caucus focused on working to secure our borders. The Border Security and Enforcement First Caucus will raise public awareness about the need to boost national security by strengthening our borders. The caucus also will help keep this important issue on the forefront of the national agenda.
Immigration policy has important ramifications for our workforce. I oppose policies that allow illegal immigrants to take jobs from American citizens. Many Mississippi industries employ legal immigrants for part of their workforce. Others unknowingly hire illegal immigrants. Mississippi businesses and farms must have access to the best technology to verify the status of prospective employees.
The federal government has implemented E-Verify, an Internet-based system to determine a worker's employment eligibility almost instantaneously. This system is an essential tool in complying with immigration law, and it is important that we pass legislation to make the E-Verify program permanent.
One of the most pressing issues facing our state is the rebuilding and renewal of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. As a member of the House, I was a part of the bipartisan team that acted to produce much-needed appropriations and economic development incentives for South Mississippi and other areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Now in the Senate, I am actively partnering with the other members of our Mississippi congressional delegation to ensure the revitalization of South Mississippi.
In 2010, Mississippi endured a tragic event with the Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent oil spill. The hardships caused by this incident still linger. I have had multiple visits to the coast throughout the crisis and held a town hall event with shrimpers, fishermen, and charter boat captains to fully appreciate the spill’s impact. I am continuing to meet with federal, state, and local officials to ensure the government’s recovery effort is timely and appropriate.
I believe any revenue collected from Clean Water Act penalties resulting from the Deepwater Horizon spill should be distributed directly to the Gulf States. These funds then could be used for locally directed economic and environmental recovery priorities. I was proud to work with my colleagues across the Gulf Coast to ensure passage of the "Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies (RESTORE) Act" to achieve these goals.
I authored measures to extend tax incentives included in the 2005 GO Zone legislation. My provisions were approved by the Senate and signed into law in December of 2010. By extending these tax provisions, more people who want to rebuild along the Gulf Coast will be able to take advantage of the construction incentives included in the original GO Zone legislation.
My offices in Gulfport and Washington are working hard to help cut through FEMA red tape, speed-up Corps of Engineers permits, provide funding to rebuild the barrier islands, and tackle scores of other issues affecting coastal residents.
I support the Second Amendment right of people to keep and bear arms. Since being elected to Congress, I have been a strong and consistent defender of the Second Amendment. I have opposed efforts to impose gun restrictions on law-abiding citizens, and I do not feel more gun control laws are the answer to the problems confronting our nation. I believe tougher enforcement of existing laws is a more effective means of addressing crime.
The right to bear arms is an individual right guaranteed by our Constitution and affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in the decision to overturn Washington D.C.’s gun ban. One of my first acts as your Senator was to join 55 other Senators and 250 Members of the House of Representatives in sending an amicus curiae brief to the Court supporting an individual’s right to bear arms.
Since first elected to Congress, I have worked hard to increase the number of new and higher-paying jobs in Mississippi. Our state is gaining national prominence in the defense and aerospace industries. We are leading innovators for upholstered furniture, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), steel manufacturing, automobile production, electronics, energy production, helicopter and ship building, and countless agriculture industries.
I have supported expanding educational opportunities and workforce development programs in order to train our citizens to meet the job market’s ever-changing demands and keep Mississippi internationally competitive. Mississippi’s workers have proven time and again that they can succeed in our global economy. As more and more companies, both domestic and international, look to relocate or expand, I will continue to work to make sure that Mississippi remains a competitive option.
I strongly believe that Americans know how to spend their money better than politicians in Washington. Reducing tax rates helps unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of America. History has shown us time and time again that cutting taxes creates new, higher-paying jobs while increasing the overall tax revenue of the federal government. As your U.S. Senator, I will continue working to limit wasteful Washington spending in order to keep your taxes low.
I supported the historic tax cuts that lowered taxes for every taxpayer in America. Following those tax cuts, our country experienced 52 months of uninterrupted job growth – the longest in the our history. Many of these tax cuts could be reversed in the coming years, and I am working to make sure they are made permanent. In addition to these efforts, I support the permanent repeal of the death tax, so that Mississippi small business owners and farmers do not have to sell the family business to write a check to Washington.
During my time in Congress, I have worked hard to provide additional funding for essential infrastructure projects across our state. Mississippi’s roads, railways, and waterways are important economic development tools. It is critical that we provide accessible and reliable roads and bridges for Mississippians to travel safely, especially the vital routes used for hurricane evacuation. In addition, we must also provide a way for our farmers and manufacturers to move their products to market. Our road, highway, transit, air, rail, and port systems are essential to accomplishing this goal.
As a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, I am working to ensure our infrastructure continues to expand. I am a member of the Surface Transportation and Aviation Subcommittees, which have jurisdiction over important pieces of legislation, like the highway bill and the FAA reauthorization bill. In addition to this committee work, my office is working with state and local officials on projects to improve and maintain our transportation system well into the future.
As a retired Air Force Reservist and the first Mississippian to ever serve on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, I understand the issues affecting our nation’s veterans. My father is a World War II veteran, and my son was in the Air Force. We have a responsibility to take care of those who have sacrificed to protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. During my service in the U.S. House of Representatives, I coauthored the bill that gave the Department of Veterans Affairs the largest funding increase in history. In the Senate, I am continuing to fight to make sure our nation’s veterans receive the highest quality of medical care possible. I also supported legislation to expand the education benefits included in the Montgomery G.I. Bill, giving veterans even more opportunities as they leave the service and transition into civilian life.
I support efforts to ensure the natural beauty of Mississippi is enjoyed by generations to come. Our state offers diverse and unique characteristics that add to Mississippi’s great quality of life and appeal as a tourist destination. From untamed forests to fragile wetlands, I am committed to protecting our natural resources in a balanced way that preserves our environment for sportsmen, fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts.
As we continue to rebuild communities after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the more recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill, it is vital that we also rebuild the Gulf Coast ecosystem. To that end, I am working hard to ensure the barrier islands off the Gulf Coast are restored to their pre-Katrina conditions in order to provide natural protection from future hurricanes and safe harbor for our abundant marine life. I also am joining with other Gulf Coast lawmakers to ensure funds from Clean Water Act penalties resulting from the Deepwater Horizon spill are distributed directly to impacted Gulf States. I believe these funds should be made available for locally-directed restoration and recovery priorities.
Mississippi’s farm, timber, livestock, and seafood producers are some of the most efficient and productive in the world. Among Mississippi’s greatest natural resources are its fertile soil, vast stands of timber, and abundant water resources.
Agriculture serves as the backbone of our state economy, directly or indirectly employing nearly 30 percent of Mississippi workers. In addition, farming plays an increasingly important role in our nation’s energy security. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce estimates that agriculture provides an economic impact of approximately $6 billion annually, making it the state’s largest industry.
Agriculture is an energy-intensive business. On average, 65 percent of farmers' variable costs are comprised of fuel, electricity, fertilizer, and chemical expenses. An increase in these operating costs would devastate many family farms.
Over the past few years, our agricultural community has been threatened by climate change legislation and unreasonable new EPA regulations. The costs of these legislative and regulatory proposals would fall on producers and be passed down to consumers in the form of higher taxes, increased energy costs, and higher food prices, leading to more lost jobs and lower standards of living.
I will continue to oppose these arbitrary and onerous proposals and fight to preserve Mississippi’s great agricultural heritage.
I am the father of three children who graduated from the Tupelo public school system and went on to public universities. I understand the important role education plays in our children’s futures and in our state’s economic development, and I believe education should be a top priority for any elected official. It is important to make sure the federal government is playing a constructive role in our education system and not building an inflexible, unworkable bureaucracy.
I believe the federal government should place an emphasis on education, but most decisions should be left to parents and state or local officials. Whatever steps we take on a national level must empower local school administrators, teachers, and parents to make the best decisions for their students and children. It is important that state and local governments maintain the flexibility needed to direct funding to the greatest needs in their community.
I believe my values are shared with most Mississippians. As a Southern Baptist, I am a strong supporter of Christian family values. I do not support gay marriage and believe in the traditional definition of marriage.
In my first term in Congress, I voted for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Despite being signed into law on September 21, 1996, President Obama’s instructed the U.S. Department of Justice not to defend DOMA in the courts. I was deeply troubled by the President's decision. Despite this decision, DOMA will remain in effect unless Congress repeals it or the Supreme Court strikes it down.
Unelected judges in some states have taken it upon themselves to alter the legal definition of marriage to mean something other than a union between one man and one woman. It is important that those states do not impose their laws on Mississippi and other states that have rejected attempts to redefine marriage.