Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Congress

Mike Rogers will be most powerful Republican in the House on national defense

Rogers currently serves as the ranking member on the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Alabama Republican Congressman Mike Rogers

Congressman Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, has been elected the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee by the House GOP Steering Committee for the next Congress.

Rogers currently serves as the ranking member on the House Committee on Homeland Security. Rogers defeated Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, the ranking member of the House Strategic Forces subcommittee, and Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Virginia, in the race.

The full House GOP conference is expected to ratify the Steering Committee’s decision in the coming days.

Current ranking member Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, is retiring.

The House Armed Services Committee is tasked with crafting the National Defense Authorization Act. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, recently named Rogers a conferee on the conference committee tasked with preparing the 2021 NDAA.

“I am honored to once again be named an NDAA Conferee,” Rogers said. “Being at the table to negotiate the NDAA is more important than ever. With more threats to our great nation every day, I will continue to advocate for a strong National Defense.”

Rogers was a strong proponent of creating the Space Force as a new military branch.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Democrats were able to narrowly maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 elections. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, leads one of the smallest majorities anyone has had in the House since World War II. That, and if the Republicans can hold onto their majority in the Senate, means that Republicans will have a sizeable influence on defense policy during the Biden presidency.

If Republicans can pick up seats in the 2022 midterms, Rogers presumably would chair the House Armed Services Committee. Under House GOP rules, a member can be a ranking member or a chairman of a committee for just three terms until they are term-limited out of that role.

The popular Rogers easily defeated his Democratic challenger in the 2020 election to win his 10th term representing Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District.

Brandon Moseley is a former reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter.

More from APR

Opinion

Americans are not too enthused to see this replay.

Elections

All of Alabama's delegation voted for the NDAA, with the exception of Rep. Barry Moore, who's challenging Carl.

Featured Opinion

We must stand firm, not just for Ukraine's freedom, but for the protection of our own people and the values we hold dear.

Congress

The bill moves to Biden’s desk to be signed into law.