Americans are some of the smartest shoppers in the world. We will drive across five lanes of traffic just to save two cents a gallon on gas. I always say that the economic issue that affects people in the First District most is the price of a gallon of gas. The price of gas affects so many things in our everyday life, including food and transportation. More broadly, the cost of energy – whether that’s gas prices, electricity or other utilities – has a huge impact on Tennessee families, which is ... Read more

This week, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) to roll back the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) misguided, job-killing Clean Power Plan (CPP), a key component of the Obama administration’s war on coal. I was pleased with the president’s action because these regulations have been hugely detrimental to our region’s economy – from southwestern Virginia’s coal mining jobs to jobs at Erwin’s railroad depot being just two examples. Further, if left in place, the CPP could have incre... Read more

Since 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working to regulate air pollutants from the brick and clay ceramics manufacturing industries through the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rule. It is estimated this rule could cost hundreds of thousands of jobs around the country, and is especially consequential to General Shale, whose corporate headquarters is located in Johnson City. Commonly referred to as Brick MACT, the first final rule was promulgated by the EPA in ... Read more

Tuesday evening President Obama delivered his final State of the Union address. This speech was different than other State of the Union addresses given by President Obama because he didn’t really get deep into any specific policy proposals or ask Congress to act. In this year’s address, like those in the past, the president said some things I agreed with and also some things I disagreed with. The president did call on Congress to put partisan politics aside and work together, which we all agree ... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tonight, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. addressed his constituents in a video message after President Obama delivered his final State of the Union speech. Roe discussed the Second Amendment, the fight against terrorism and several other priorities in Congress in the upcoming year. To watch, click here. The script as prepared for delivery is below as well. Tonight, during his State of the Union address, we heard from President Obama on his priorities for his final year in office. It’s no ... Read more

This week, the House passed – with my support – important legislation to make many of the tax credits and deductions hardworking families rely on permanent. This bill brings certainty to the tax code by permanently extending several important expiring tax breaks that encourage charitable giving, small business capital investment and research and development. The bill also paves the way for comprehensive tax reform by moving away from year-to-year tax policy extensions, allowing Congress to focus... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) voted in support of both the Republican Study Committee and House Budget Committee budget proposals. Roe released the following statement: “For far too long, politicians in Washington on both sides of the aisle have put the tough choices off to the next budget year or the next Congress, really just leaving them for the next generation,” said Roe. “That stops now. Unlike President Obama, House Republicans are committed to developing policies th... Read more

For six years, President Obama jumped from one political excuse to another as he has worked to prevent construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The first application for the pipeline was submitted in September 2008. Since that time, the State Department has completed five reviews of the project, all finding that construction of the pipeline would be good for the economy and safe for the environment. The most recent analysis was released more than a year ago in January 2014. This report conclude... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This evening, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following statement after President Obama’s State of the Union Address: Good evening. Tonight we heard many of President Obama’s priorities for the next year in his State of the Union address. I was pleased to hear the president express interest in working with Congress, but unfortunately, his rhetoric has rarely matched reality. Before the last election, President Obama said that his policies were on the ballot. Well, In N... Read more

On Tuesday, I was sworn in to the 114th Congress. I am grateful my wife, Pam, was in Washington during the ceremony and for the continued support of family, friends and constituents throughout the First District. Being the voice of East Tennesseans in Congress is an honor, and I look forward to serving you over the next two years. As I look ahead, it’s clear we have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track. The American people expect results and are tired of politics as usual. I am t... Read more