UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN MIKE McINTYRE

Biography

Mike McIntyre was first elected to represent North Carolina's Seventh Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. He is now serving in his 6th term.

A leadership survey by the Wilmington Star-News found that Congressman McIntyre is the area's "most powerful and effective leader." Not only was he ranked first among government and political leaders, but he was also "first among all leaders," which included those in positions of business and civic leadership as well.

In Congress, Rep. McIntyre is a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he pushes to promote and protect our farm families and is committed to our nation’s servicemen and women, veterans, and military retirees. Additionally, he has been a leader on law enforcement issues, an avid defender of our senior citizens, and a strong advocate for improved health care and education.

Representative McIntyre has taken a common-sense approach to forging a bipartisan consensus on public policy and is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. From this vantage point, he has played a key role in finding practical solutions to complex problems. The Fayetteville Observer-Times has even noted that Congressman McIntyre’s "stands have earned him high marks from a wide spectrum of political interests." And the Topsail Voice has declared, "His ability to work with both the Republican and the Democratic leadership is a major asset, and the value of that leverage cannot be denied.

Economic development has been at the forefront of Congressman McIntyre's work. He has been honored at the international, national, regional, and state levels for his leadership and innovation in the economic arena. Rep. McIntyre was named as the first-ever recipient of an international award in public policy by the International Association of Personnel in Employment Security in 2002 for his efforts to produce job opportunities and increase worker training.

In 2007 he won the National Leadership Award given by the National Association of Development Organizations "for his outstanding commitment and support of federal regional economic and community development programs." Five times he has been named to the Legislative Honor Roll for the Southern Economic Development Council. And in 2002, he also received the top state award, the North Carolina Security Advancing Workforce Development Award.

In Congress, he serves as Co-Chairman of the Business & Technology Task Force of the Blue Dog Coalition. He is also Co-Chairman of the Rural Caucus Task Force on Jobs, Economic Development and Transportation.

A nationally-recognized leader on beach and waterway issues, Rep. McIntyre received top honors in the U.S. Congress by winning the Admiral’s Circle Award, sponsored by the National Marine Manufacturers’ Association in 2005. He also has been honored by the American Coastal Coalition and its successor organization, the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association. He is founder and Co-Chairman of the Congressional Waterways Caucus. Congressman McIntyre was also chosen as the “Beach Preservationist of the Year” in 2005 by the Oak Island Beach Preservation Society. And he has received the Conservationist Award by the NC Coastal Land Trust.

Because of his fight for our senior citizens, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare has honored Mike with a pair of boxing gloves, and in 2005 he was named the winner of the “MVP” Award for the entire Congress by TREA Senior Citizens League.

Congressman McIntyre was named the 2007 National Legislator of the Year by the National Farm Service Agency Employees Association. He has also received the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from the Robeson County Crop Promotion Association. His leadership was critical to the passage of the tobacco buyout legislation which will result in nearly $4 billion for North Carolina’s economy.

A Senior Whip on Capitol Hill and a member of the Majority Leader's Advisory Council, Congressman McIntyre also serves on the Steering Committee of the Rural Health Care Coalition and as Co-Chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood. He was selected his first year in office as a Congressional delegate to the President’s Summit for America’s Future. In 2002, he was the only Member of the House to be chosen for a Legislative Award in recognition of his leadership and "ongoing commitment to policies improving health care" by the National Rural Health Association.

In 2008, Rep. McIntyre was awarded the National Legislator of the Year for his work advocating on behalf of our nation’s veterans. The award, presented to the Congressman on behalf of the National Association of Veterans County Service Officers states, “…for your outstanding service, patriotism, and continued support for the veterans of our great nation, and for never letting Congress forget the sacrifices that our service men and women, past, and present, made for our nation and for always putting veterans first.” McIntyre, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, is the author of the Veterans Outreach Improvement Act that has passed the U.S. House by a vote of 421-0. The Veterans Outreach Improvement Act is supported by the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, the American Legion, the VFW, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Military Officers Association of America, the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

The National Guard Association has presented the congressman the prestigious Charles Dick Medal of Merit for his outstanding work on behalf of the National Guard and our national defense. The Air Force Association and the Association of the U.S. Army have both recognized his efforts on their behalf, and Congressman McIntyre represents the House Armed Services Committee on the U.S. Naval Academy's advisory board. He is also Co-Chairman of the Special Operations Forces Caucus. Because of his steadfast commitment to all branches of our military, The Military Officers' Association of North Carolina has conferred upon Congressman McIntyre Honorary Life Membership.

In 2004 he was named to the United States Commission on Security and Cooperation with Europe. He is one of only nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives to be chosen for this commission which focuses on military security, as well as economic and environmental cooperation, and promotes democracy, religious freedom, and humanitarian concerns throughout the world.

His accomplishments have been recognized by numerous organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers Union, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Federation of Independent Business, the American Federation of Teachers, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In 2006, after a decade of service on Capitol Hill, Congressman McIntyre was presented the Distinguished Christian Statesman of the Year award by the Center for Christian Statesmanship. This award was given in recognition of his character, leadership, integrity, and faithfulness in public service.

Congressman McIntyre, whose roots in North Carolina are well-established, was educated in the public schools of Lumberton and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A Morehead Scholar at UNC, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa as a political science major in 1978 and received his Juris Doctorate in 1981. His senior year of college the chancellor presented him the Sullivan Award, for best exemplifying in his class "unselfish interest in the welfare of his fellow man" during his collegiate career.

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington has conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree upon Congressman McIntyre for his meritorious service and distinction in public service by improving the quality of life in southeastern North Carolina.

Active in community, church, civic, and professional activities, Mike McIntyre has served as a leader in the Lumberton Area Chamber of Commerce, coached three All-American Drug-Free Sports Teams and has been active in Rotary Club, Boy Scouts, and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Additionally, Rep. McIntyre has been a lay leader in the First Presbyterian Church of Lumberton, including serving as an Elder, Deacon, and Sunday School teacher, and Chairman of the Weekday School and Day Care Committee.

In 1987, Representative McIntyre was chosen as one of the state’s Five Outstanding Young North Carolinians of the Year by the North Carolina Jaycees. As a strong advocate of issues that impact the family, he was a charter member of both the North Carolina Commission on Children & Youth and the North Carolina Commission on the Family. In 1989 he earned the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service for his work with children and educators. Representative McIntyre has worked tirelessly to improve education and has been a volunteer in the schools for over 24 years, continuing that commitment as he serves in Congress. The North Carolina PTA has conferred upon him an Honorary Life Membership “in recognition of outstanding contributions and exemplary service to children and youth.”

The National Recreation and Park Association has honored Rep. McIntyre with its National Congressional Award for his work with children's health and with the Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports, of which he is Founder and Co-Chairman.

In addition to his Washington office, Rep. McIntyre maintains three district offices in Fayetteville, Lumberton, and Wilmington. Born on August 6, 1956, Mike lives in Lumberton with his wife, Dee Strickland McIntyre. Both of their sons, Joshua and Stephen, won scholarships to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where they both are currently enrolled in law school. Stephen, as well as Joshua and his wife Caroline live in the Chapel Hill area.