Co-Chairman
Title
Title
Senator Roger F. Wicker
Senator Roger Wicker is the co-chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission. Wicker has championed democratic values, the rule of law, and peace and security in the OSCE region. Since November 2014, Senator Wicker has also chaired the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Committee on Political Affairs and Security, where his work has centered on sustaining constructive security dialogue among all participating States and ensuring compliance with international commitments.
"The United States and our European partners should remain committed to providing peace and security in the OSCE region. Working together we can help build a safe, free, and prosperous Europe for this generation and those that follow."
– Senator Roger Wicker
Priorities
Confidence and Security Building Measures
The development of confidence- and security-building measures designed to reduce the risk of conflicts, increase trust among the OSCE participating States, and contribute to greater openness and transparency in the field of military planning and activities is a key component of European security.
Military Aspects of Security
Military aspects of security, part of the OSCE’s politico-military or "first" dimension, involve not only applying conflict prevention and crisis management approaches to ‘traditional’ military challenges on the state level, but also using national armed forces, including police, for peace-building activities.
Territorial Integrity
Respect for territorial integrity - the principle under international law that nation-states should not attempt to promote secessionist movements or to promote border changes in other nation-states, nor impose a border change through the use of force - is a guiding principle among OSCE participating States.
Parliamentary Diplomacy
As chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Committee on Political Affairs and Security, Senator Wicker is actively involved in the debates and dialogue that demonstrate a strong U.S. commitment to security in the OSCE region.
In addition to serving in leadership roles at the Helsinki Commission and within the OSCE PA, S
enator Wicker is a member of the Senate Republican leadership team, serving as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he chairs the Subcommittee on Seapower. Senator Wicker is also a member of the Budget Committee; Environment and Public Works Committee; the Rules Committee; and the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, where he serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet.
Senator Wicker served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force and then joined the Air Force Reserve. He retired from the Reserve in 2004 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Prior to his service in the Senate, Senator Wicker was elected seven times, beginning in 1994, to represent Mississippi’s First Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Before being elected to Congress, he served in the Mississippi State Senate. A native of Pontotoc, Mississippi, the Senator received his B.A. and law degrees from the University of Mississippi. Senator Wicker is married to the former Gayle Long of Tupelo. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Additional Information