Congressman Mike Pence

Congressman Mike Pence

Mike Pence is a lifelong Hoosier and national advocate for limited government, fiscal discipline, a strong national defense, and traditional moral values. Pence has opposed bailouts, government takeovers and runaway federal spending throughout his time in Congress.

Mike Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, graduated from Hanover College in 1981 and earned his J.D. from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law in 1986.

Pence was first elected to Congress in 2000 and was most recently elected to a sixth term in November of 2010.

He also was elected unanimously by House Republicans to serve as House Republican Conference Chairman in November 2008. In his role as Conference Chairman, he helped to develop and disseminate the message of the Republican Conference and to promote its Members. Speaker of the House John Boehner described Pence as "a servant leader and cheerful warrior who will never lay down his arms in the fight for a government that honors our Constitution and reflects the consent of the governed."

Pence serves on the Committee of the Judiciary where he acts as the Vice-Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and is also a member of the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet. He also serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs where he is the Vice-Chairman on the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.

Prior to being elected to Congress, Pence was president of the conservative Indiana Policy Review Foundation and hosted "The Mike Pence Show," a syndicated radio show throughout the state of Indiana. He also hosted a Sunday morning political television show in Indianapolis.

Congressman Pence describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order." Congressman Pence and his wife Karen have three children and reside in Columbus, Indiana.

Conservative Leader

During the 109th Congress, Congressman Pence served as Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee. The Republican Study Committee is the largest caucus in the House of Representatives; membership grew to 110 House Republicans under his leadership, and has been the leading voice for advancing conservative social and economic issues in Congress since the mid-1980s.

Congressman Pence has emerged as a national spokesman for conservative principles. In March of 2005, The Washington Post described Pence as "A New Face on Conservatism," observing that Pence has " delivered conservative opinions with the even tones and polite demeanor of his Midwest upbringing." In November 2005, Business Week described him as a "new power broker" and syndicated columnist George Will singled out Pence and Governor Mitch Daniels' brand of conservatism as the "wave of the future." Columnist Peggy Noonan has complimented Pence on his ability to maintain an upbeat attitude even in a partisan environment, quoting him as saying, "I'm a conservative, but I'm not in a bad mood about it." An April 2006 profile in U.S. News and World Report said Pence "has emerged as a powerful force, moving Congress further to the right."

Pence's role as a conservative leader has been profiled in The Chicago Tribune, Business Week, the Weekly Standard, U.S. News and World Report and The New York Times. He appears regularly on FOXNews, CNN and MSNBC. Pence also appears weekly on Indiana's most prominent talk radio stations.

Awards

Congressman Pence has received many national and local awards during his time in Congress.

In November of 2007, Congressman Pence was named one of the top 20 most influential conservatives in America, coming in at nineteen according to the London Daily Telegraph.

The ACU honored Congressman Pence in 2006 with the Courage Under Fire Award, which recognizes those who have stood for principle when doing so puts them at risk physically, politically or economically. Past recipients include Charlton Heston, Wayne LaPierre, and Ambassador John Bolton.

In 2005, Congressman Pence was named "Man of the Year" by the leading conservative publication Human Events for his leadership on behalf of fiscal discipline. Previous honorees include President Ronald Reagan, the late Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and current Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia.

Pence was also awarded the Friend of the Family Award by the Indiana Family Institute, and the Distinguished Christian Statesmanship Award by the Center for Christian Statesmanship. In addition, he was recognized by the Inland Press Association for his work in advocating for the Freedom of Information Act, or federal media shield law.

On Martin Luther King Day in January 2007, he was honored with the Duerson Award during a ceremony in Muncie. The award is named for former Chicago Bear and Muncie native Dave Duerson's parents and is given for extraordinary commitment to the community.

Congressman Pence has repeatedly received the "True Blue Award" from the Family Research Council for his commitment to the family and sanctity of human life and the Taxpayers' Friend Award from the National Taxpayers' Union for his commitment to advocating for responsible tax and spending policies. For ten years in a row, Pence has received the Spirit of Enterprise Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce commending him for supporting legislation to the American business community.

In 2010, The Hill, a Washington newspaper that covers Congress, named Congressman Pence one of the 25 hardest working lawmakers in Washington.