In 2011, President Obama decided against negotiating a continued status of forces agreement for U.S. military forces in Iraq and instead went ahead with a rapid drawdown of forces. Too many American lives were lost fighting in Iraq, and no one believed we could continue on there forever. However, the rapid withdrawal proved to be a catastrophic mistake, as it enabled an enemy far worse to emerge – the Islamic State (ISIS) and ISIS sympathizers. Over the next several years, the world watched in h... Read more

Sitting at the airport, waiting on my flight to be called; I hear over the intercom, “Now, we invite any active duty military personnel to board.” As a veteran listening to this announcement, nothing makes me prouder than to see our country honor our military men and women for their selfless service. However, it wasn’t too long ago when our servicemembers were treated poorly. We were even told not to wear our uniform on an airplane because of such treatment. We don’t get to choose what war we fi... Read more

“It is a honor and privilege to be selected as a conferee for the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, and I sincerely thank Speaker Ryan for naming me as a member to work on the provisions that fall under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. It’s imperative we ensure our troops are adequately paid and military operations are sufficiently funded as we rebuild it. It is a priority of mine to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the best equipment ... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s historic summit in Singapore: “During the Vietnam War, I served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps attached to the 2nd Infantry Division and was stationed 12 miles south of the DMZ. I’ve seen firsthand the plight of the North Korean people, which is why I believe this summit was a significant moment in history. I’m proud President Trump made strides tow... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after voting for H.R. 5515, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019: “There are no shortage of threats in the world today, as we’ve seen from the regimes in North Korea and Iran. Passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with bipartisan support sends a strong message to our troops at home and abroad that Congress and President Trump have their backs and take these threats seri... Read more

This week is National Police Week, a week to honor the men and women serving our communities every day to keep us safe. When I was mayor of Johnson City, and since coming to Congress, I’ve seen our local police officers go out of their way to allow East Tennesseans to participate in democracy. They stand in as security at town hall meetings; patrol parades; and look after our district offices. In Congress, we are also fortunate to be protected by the wonderful officers of the United States Capit... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after President Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the Iran Deal: “I’ve opposed the Iran nuclear agreement since day one; and, I have repeatedly said that we should not provide sanctions relief to Tehran until there is an absolute cessation of both Iran's nuclear program and its support for terrorism around the world. This deal simply does not do enough to protect America and the rest of the world... Read more

Last month, historic steps were taken by South Korean president Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un as they shook hands in Panmunjom in the Joint Security Area of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) after years of hostilities. While Kim Jong-Un has given us reason to be skeptical over the years, I am cautiously optimistic that thanks in part to President Trump’s leadership, and in part because of sanctions from the international community, North Korea is willing to come to the negoti... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following video after President Trump’s State of the Union address: To watch, click here. A rough transcript is below. “I was at the State of the Union tonight. It’s always fun to attend these. It’s exciting. There’s always a lot of pomp and circumstance that go on with these with the Senate, the House, the Supreme Court, the Cabinet all there and then of course the Gallery [guests.] The president’s speech tonight touched on ... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after voting against S. 139 - FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act: “Protecting American citizens is among my top priorities, but security does not have to come at the expense of Americans’ Constitutional rights. I have long held concerns that intelligence operations have not prioritized civil liberties, and in an effort to improve this legislation, I offered an amendment that would have required a warrant fr... Read more