Biography
A fourth generation Kansan from Dodge City, Senator Pat Roberts' service to the people of Kansas spans more than two decades. First as an eight-term U.S. Congressman from Kansas’ First District and now in his third term as United States Senator, Roberts has built a reputation as a leader in national security and defense issues, agriculture, and health care. He is an advocate of a strong education system, free and fair trade policies, increased investment in science and technology, a focused foreign policy and a strong military — all of which are necessary to keep Kansas competitive in today's rapidly evolving global marketplace.
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Roberts gives Kansans increased leadership on legislation ranging from taxes to trade, health care, Medicare, Social Security, the aviation industry and transportation – issues impacting all Kansas families.
Roberts' record shows his long-standing concern for Kansas communities, businesses and families. A member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Roberts has passed legislation to address the high cost of quality childcare and has long supported fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act. As Co-Chairman of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, Roberts has worked hard to ensure rural communities have access to the same affordable high quality care as their urban counterparts. He has fought to improve Medicare for patients and providers including rural hospitals, doctors and pharmacists.
In agriculture, Roberts' work on behalf of America's farmers and ranchers is well-known. The House Agriculture Committee Chairman from 1995-1997, then Congressman Roberts led the reform of outdated federal farm policies. His advocacy has continued in the Senate as a key member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. In 2000, he wrote sweeping reforms to the federal crop insurance program, and he served on the House/Senate Farm Bill conference in 2007. He advocates a more cohesive and aggressive U.S. trade policy and has called for reform of unilateral trade sanctions. He has also fought hard to regain access to overseas markets for U.S. beef exports.
Roberts is committed to increasing Kansas' investment in math, science and technology, urging schools and universities to remain highly competitive by investing in research infrastructure. Calling this focus "an investment in our future," Roberts in 1997 established his blue-ribbon Advisory Committee on Science, Technology and the Future to advise him on Kansas' technology needs.
Roberts recognized the biosciences industry developing in Kansas starting in 1996 and has carefully looked for ways to enhance its development to promote an industry that has tremendous potential for growth, will keep Kansas’ best and brightest in Kansas and will make Americans safer. Roberts has been recognized as a leader in food and bio security. He held the first hearings on the issue in Congress, has helped pass major biosecurity legislation, assisted Kansas State and other Kansas schools in gaining federal research investments, leading to the Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI) at Kansas State (housed in Pat Roberts Hall) and finally, he lead the State’s effort to compete and earn the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, a new federal Laboratory to replace the aging federal plant and animal research facility at Plum Island.
Kansans also know Roberts as an advocate for the states’ military installations and those who serve in uniform. He played a key role in strengthening Kansas’ military missions despite nationwide base closings – bringing thousands of new jobs to Kansas.
As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee for four years, and a former Marine, Roberts worked to improve our intelligence gathering and analysis capabilities at a critical time in our nation's history. When concerns arose regarding the timing and accuracy of U.S. intelligence on pre-war Iraq, Roberts led the Intelligence Committee through one of the most sweeping and exhaustive reviews of U.S. intelligence ever conducted. The bipartisan report, unanimously approved by the members of the Intelligence Committee, revealed systemic failures within the intelligence community. The review led Roberts to propose critical and forward thinking intelligence reforms. Many of his proposals were included in the 9/11 Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. In 2004, Roberts delivered the prestigious Landon Lecture at Kansas State University on national security topics.
Senator Roberts is also privileged to be named a new member of the Rules Committee in the 111th Congress, expanding his duties to include oversight on general operations of the U.S. Senate and federal elections. This committee post works hand in hand with Senator Roberts’ service on the Ethics Committee since he joined the Senate in 1997. Roberts was a member of the U.S. House Administration Committee when he was a Congressman from the Kansas Big First District.
Born in Topeka April 20, 1936, Roberts is the son of the late Wes Roberts, Chairman of the Republican National Committee under President Dwight Eisenhower. His great-grandfather, J.W. Roberts, founded the Oskaloosa Independent, the state's second oldest newspaper. Following graduation from Kansas State University in 1958, Roberts served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years, then worked as a reporter and editor for several Arizona newspapers. He joined the staff of Kansas’ U.S. Senator Frank Carlson in 1967. In 1969, Roberts became Administrative Assistant to First District U.S. Congressman Keith Sebelius. Roberts was elected to Congress in 1980, succeeding Sebelius upon his retirement. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 following the retirement of Senator Nancy Kassebaum (Baker) and won re-election in 2002 and 2008. Roberts and his wife, Franki, have three grown children – David, Ashleigh and Anne-Wesley, and they have three granddaughters.