Pat Roberts

Roberts was born on April 20, 1936, in Topeka, Kansas,{{CongLinks |congbio=r000307}} the son of Ruth B. (née Patrick) and C. Wesley Roberts.{{cite web |url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/roberts.htm |title=Roberts |website=RootsWeb |access-date=December 2, 2015}}{{self-published source|date=August 2018}}{{self-published inline|date=August 2018}} His father served for four months as Chairman of the Republican National Committee under Dwight D. Eisenhower. Roberts's great-grandfather, J.W. Roberts, was the founder of the Oskaloosa Independent, which is the second-oldest newspaper in Kansas.

Roberts graduated in 1954 from Holton High School in Holton, Kansas.{{cite book|author=Joint Committee on Printing|title=Official Congressional Directory: 113th Congress|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AOsRkb1EJ_EC&pg=PA105|date=2 May 2014|publisher=Government Printing Office|isbn=978-0-16-091922-0|pages=105–}} He went on to earn a B.A. in Journalism from Kansas State University in 1958, where he became a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.{{Cite web|url=http://onlinedigitalpublishing.com/article/ALPHA+OMEGA+CHAPTER+ENJOYS+100+YEARS/1516435/176731/article.html|title=ALPHA OMEGA CHAPTER ENJOYS 100 YEARS|website=onlinedigitalpublishing.com|access-date=2020-04-15}} From 1958 to 1962, he served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, achieving the rank of First Lieutenant.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} Roberts was a reporter and editor for several Arizona newspapers between 1962 and 1967,{{cite news|title=Washington Post US Congress Votes Database|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/R000307|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=19 November 2014}} when he joined the staff of Republican Kansas Senator Frank Carlson. In 1969, he became administrative assistant to Kansas's 1st District Congressman Keith Sebelius.{{Cite web|url=https://www.k-state.edu/landon/speakers/pat-roberts/|title=Sen. Pat Roberts {{!}} Speakers {{!}} The Landon Lecture Series {{!}} Kansas State University|website=www.k-state.edu|access-date=2020-04-15}}

File:Reagan Contact Sheet C49627 (cropped).jpg in 1988]]

File:Chairman Kika de la Garza and Pat Roberts at a meeting of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.jpg at a House Agriculture Committee meeting in 1994]]

File:Pat Roberts.jpg

File:Pat Roberts and Richard Myers.gif General Richard B. Myers in 2005]]

After Keith Sebelius announced his retirement, Roberts easily won the Republican primary, which was tantamount to election in the heavily Republican 1st District. He was re-elected seven times without serious difficulty, never receiving less than 60 percent of the vote; in 1988, he ran unopposed.

Roberts served as the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee from 1995 to 1997.

• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/house-bill/4302 Public Law 99-624]: Dwight David Eisenhower Centennial Commission Act
• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/101st-congress/house-bill/3048 Public Law 101-353]: To designate the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, animal health research building in Clay Center, Nebraska, as the "Virginia D. Smith Animal Health Research Laboratory"
• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-bill/2854 Public Law 104-107]: Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996

{{Main|1996 United States Senate election in Kansas}}

After Republican Senator Nancy Kassebaum declined to seek a fourth term, Roberts ran to succeed her. He easily won the Republican primary, defeating three minor candidates with 78% of the vote. In the general election, he faced Democratic State Treasurer Sally Thompson. Term limits were an issue during the campaign; while Roberts said he was not totally opposed to term limits, he was wary of limits that did not apply to current members of Congress, saying the proposed limits should apply to everyone. While Thompson signed the national term limits pledge from the group Americans for Limited Terms, Roberts declined to do so, becoming the only major party candidate for the U.S. Senate in the 1996 elections to not sign the pledge.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19960925&id=QjczAAAAIBAJ&pg=6637,4661878 |title=Roberts sole candidate to resist term limits tide |work=Lawrence Journal-World |date=September 25, 1996 |access-date=October 15, 2014}} However, he did say that "I plan only to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate." Despite that stated intention, he eventually served four terms.{{cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/pat-roberts-said-he-in-1996-hed-serve-2-terms-in-senate-hes |title=Pat Roberts Said In 1996 He'd Only Serve Two Terms – He's Running For His Fourth |author=Kaczynski, Andrew|work=BuzzFeed |date=October 14, 2014 |access-date=October 15, 2014}}

In the general election, Roberts defeated Thompson by 652,677 votes (62.02%) to 362,380 (34.44%), almost certainly helped by the presence of former Kansas Senator Bob Dole atop the ticket as the Republican presidential nominee.

{{Main|2002 United States Senate election in Kansas}}

Roberts was opposed in the Republican primary by Tom Oyler, who had run against him in 1996. Roberts defeated him 84% to 16%. No Democratic candidate opposed him in the general election; he faced only Libertarian nominee Steven Rosile and Reform nominee George H. Cook, defeating them by 641,075 votes (82.52%) to 70,725 (9.10%) and 65,050 (8.37%), respectively.

{{Main|2008 United States Senate election in Kansas}}

Roberts was unopposed in the Republican primary and defeated the Democratic nominee, former Congressman Jim Slattery, in the general election by 727,121 votes (60.06%) to 441,399 (36.46%).

{{Main|2014 United States Senate election in Kansas}}

In the 2014 election, Roberts faced a hard-fought primary challenge from physician Milton R. Wolf. Wolf received several endorsements from national organizations associated with the Tea Party movement. Roberts defeated Wolf in the Republican primary by 125,406 votes (48.12%) to 106,202 (40.75%). In the general election, for the second time in his tenure, Roberts did not face a Democratic opponent; Democratic nominee Chad Taylor withdrew from the race.{{cite web|url=http://m.cjonline.com/news/state/2014-09-18/court-permits-taylor-withdraw-senate-race|title=Court permits Taylor to withdraw from Senate race|date=September 18, 2014|first=Tim|last=Carpenter|work=The Topeka Capital-Journal|access-date=September 18, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141015141703/http://m.cjonline.com/news/state/2014-09-18/court-permits-taylor-withdraw-senate-race|archive-date=October 15, 2014|url-status=dead}} Roberts won the general election, obtaining 53.15% of the vote; Independent Greg Orman received 42.53%, while Libertarian nominee Randall Batson received 4.32%.

Despite being the longest-serving member of the Kansas delegation, Roberts spent the first 14 years of his Senate career as Kansas's junior senator, since Sam Brownback had taken office on election day 1996 to finish out Dole's term. However, after Brownback gave up his seat to make a successful run for governor, Roberts became Kansas's senior senator.

Roberts was a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, chairing the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. This subcommittee oversaw the military's work in the area of homeland security and the efforts to prevent proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.

After winning the 2008 Presidential election, Barack Obama nominated Tom Daschle for United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/08/AR2009010800469.html?hpid=topnews|title=Obama's pick to lead on health care gets hearing|last=Freking|first=Kevin|date=January 8, 2009|work=in Washington Post|agency=Associated Press|access-date=January 8, 2009}} In February, after Daschle offered a public apology for his failure to pay income taxes on use of a luxury car and driver, Roberts declined to state his opinion of Daschle's explanation and stated that sentiment for the nomination in Kansas was "not especially good".{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/us/politics/03daschle.html|title=Daschle Apologizes Over Taxes as Allies Give Support|first1=Carl|last1=Hulse|first2=Robert|last2=Pear|date=February 3, 2009|work=New York Times|access-date=September 18, 2020}} Daschle subsequently withdrew.

In March 2009, Roberts was one of fourteen senators to vote against a procedural move that essentially guaranteed a major expansion of a national service corps. The bill was estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to cost at least an outlay for the fiscal year 2010 of $418{{spaces}}million toward around $5.7{{spaces}}billion from 2010 through 2014.{{cite news|url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/national-service-corps-bill-clears-senate-hurdle/|title=National Service Corps Bill Clears Senate Hurdle|first=Kate|last=Phillips|date=March 23, 2009|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 18, 2020}}

In May 2009, President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court Associate Justice. Roberts had previously voted against Sotomayor with twenty-eight other Republicans when she was nominated for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. In an interview shortly after the nomination, Roberts was asked if he would vote for Sotomayor to avoid being called a "bigot" and answered, "I’m a Marine and nothing much scares me. That's not going to be a consideration in my vote." Roberts stated his reasons for voting against Sotomayor in 1998 in a separate interview, and that he did "not plan to vote for her". Roberts's comments were significant for his being the first Republican to announce how he would vote on the Sotomayor nomination.{{cite news|url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/sotomayor-gets-her-first-nay-vote/|title=Sotomayor Gets Her First 'Nay' Vote|first=Kate|last=Phillips|date=May 28, 2009|work=New York Times|access-date=September 18, 2020}} Sotomayor was confirmed in August in a vote of 68 to 31 with Roberts voting against the nomination.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/us/politics/07confirm.html|title=Sotomayor Confirmed by Senate, 68-31|first=Charlie|last=Savage|work=The New York Times|date=August 6, 2009|access-date=September 18, 2020}}

President Obama's top domestic agenda at the start of his presidency was to ensure health insurance for all Americans, which entailed Democrats in Congress scaling back their proposals in attempts to trim tens of billions of dollars a year from existing health programs. Roberts pushed back against a proposal by the Obama administration to use $600{{spaces}}billion of Medicare and Medicaid savings to pay for health care legislation, saying, "More cuts to Medicare? Let’s not do that right now, please."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/us/19health.html|title=Democrats Scramble to Cut Costs From Health Plan|first=Roberts|last=Pear|date=June 18, 2009|work=New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2020}}

Roberts rose to the Chair of the Committee on ANF in the 2014-2016 114th Congress. He continued to chair the Committee for the duration of his tenure in the 115th Congress and the 116th Congress.

In June 2016, the "Roberts GMO bill" which had come out of the Committee on ANF was proposed as an amendment to Public Law 114-214 by Mitch McConnell.{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2016/06/29/senate-section/article/S4703-1|title = Congressional Record Senate Articles}} Public Law 114-214 was also known to opponents as the DARK Act, for "Deny Americans the Right to Know" about GMO foods.{{cite web| url=http://www.ecowatch.com/dark-act-clears-first-senate-hurdle-now-what-1908717697.html |author=Lorraine Chow |title=GMO Label Bill Clears Major Hurdle in Senate ... Now What?| publisher=EcoWatch |date=July 7, 2016 |access-date=November 4, 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/opinion/economic-intelligence/2015/07/30/dont-stop-states-from-passing-gmo-labeling-laws |author=David Brodwin |title=Don't Leave GMOs in the Dark |publisher=U.S. News & World Report |date=July 30, 2015 |access-date=August 1, 2015}}

In February 2019, when asked about comments by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson regarding the passage of the reauthorization of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act, Roberts stated his support for both, and in passing child nutrition reauthorization legislation.{{cite news|url=https://www.tsln.com/news/roberts-wants-to-revive-child-nutrition-legislation/|title=Sen. Pat Roberts wants to revive child nutrition legislation|date=February 7, 2019|publisher=tsln.com}}

Roberts served as chairman of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, dedicating the memorial on September 17, 2020, after many years of planning.

In September 2020, with less than two months to the next presidential election, Roberts supported an immediate vote on President Trump's nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy caused by the death of justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Roberts argued that it was the "Senate’s constitutional duty to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court". Previously in March 2016, around seven months before the next presidential election, Roberts argued that President Obama's Supreme Court nominee should not be considered by the Senate, as the process would be "rushed", and that this was "about giving the American people and the next president a role in selecting the next Supreme Court justice" via the upcoming presidential election.{{cite news |last1=Desjardins |first1=Lisa |title=What every Republican senator has said about filling a Supreme Court vacancy in an election year |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-every-republican-senator-has-said-about-filling-a-supreme-court-vacancy-in-an-election-year |access-date=September 30, 2020 |work=PBS NewsHour |date=September 22, 2020}}

During his tenure in the Senate, Roberts missed 130 (65%) of his Agriculture Committee meetings.{{cite news |url=http://cjonline.com/news/2014-10-13/roberts-misses-two-thirds-ag-committee-meetings-2000 |title=Roberts misses two-thirds of ag committee meetings since 2000 |last=Carpenter |first=Tim |work=The Topeka Capital-Journal |date=October 13, 2014 |access-date=December 2, 2015}} The Agriculture Committee is responsible for farm, nutrition and forestry issues.{{cite web |url=http://6lawrence.com/news/politics/12241-records-pat-roberts-missed-most-agricultural-committee-meetings |title=Records: Pat Roberts missed most agricultural committee meetings |website=6 News Lawrence |agency=Associated Press |date=October 14, 2014 |access-date=December 2, 2015}}

While participating in negotiations over the Republican-sponsored American Healthcare Act, Roberts was asked by Alice Ollstein if he supported a proposed revision to mandated coverage in the bill. He responded: "I wouldn't want to lose my mammograms."{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-maternity-care_us_58d3de49e4b0b22b0d1a6c7a |title=Nancy Pelosi: GOP Health Care Plan Would Make 'Being A Woman A Preexisting Condition' |author=Terkel, Amanda|website=Huffington Post |date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017}} This comment was widely condemned.{{cite web |url=http://theslot.jezebel.com/ahca-amendment-would-stop-medicaid-coverage-for-moms-wh-1793577711 |title=AHCA Amendment Would Stop Medicaid Coverage For Moms Who Don't Find Work 60 Days After Giving Birth |website=Jezebel |author=Lutkin, Aimée|date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a9174031/pat-roberts-obamacare-joke/ |title=This Dude Senator Made a Sh*tty Joke About Women's Health Care |author=Nelson, Rebecca|website=Cosmopolitan |date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017}} Roberts subsequently apologized.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/03/23/i-wouldnt-want-to-lose-my-mammograms-snipes-gop-male-lawmaker/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_fix-mamogram550p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory |title='I wouldn't want to lose my mammograms,' male GOP senator says – then immediately regrets |author=Phillips, Amber|newspaper=Washington Post |date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017}}

• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/senate-bill/1718 Public Law 108-144]: A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3710 West 73rd Terrace in Prairie Village, Kansas, as the "Senator James B. Pearson Post Office"
• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/senate-bill/2136 Public Law 108-207]: An original bill to extend the final report date and termination date of the 9/11 Commission, to provide additional funding for the Commission, and for other purposes
• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/643 Public Law 109-17]: A bill to amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 to reauthorize State mediation programs
• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/1025 Public Law 109-299]: Wichita Project Equus Beds Division Authorization Act of 2005
• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1616 Public Law 115-60]: Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal Act
• [https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2040 Public Law 115-162]: A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 621 Kansas Avenue in Atchison, Kansas, as the "Amelia Earhart Post Office Building"

• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Chairman during 114-116th Congresses)
• Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology
• Subcommittee on Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health
• Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support
• Committee on Finance
• Subcommittee on Taxation, IRS Oversight, and Long-term Growth
• Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy
• Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
• Subcommittee on Children and Families
• Select Committee on Ethics
• Committee on Rules & Administration

Senate Republican Conference

Roberts is anti-abortion,[http://www.robertsforsenate.com/index.cfm/pat-roberts-is-pro-life PAT ROBERTS IS PRO-LIFE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025131127/http://robertsforsenate.com/index.cfm/pat-roberts-is-pro-life |date=October 25, 2014 }}. Official Website. Retrieved: 22 October 2014. opposes same-sex marriage,[http://ontheissues.org/Senate/Pat_Roberts.htm "Pat Roberts on the Issues".] OnTheIssues. Retrieved December 14, 2009. and denied Americans the right to know about GMO foods as part of Public Law 114-214.

Roberts opposed President Barack Obama's health reform legislation; he voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in December 2009,{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00396|title=Roll Call Vote|publisher=Senate.gov|access-date=August 8, 2014}} and he voted against the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00105|title=U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home > Votes > Roll Call Vote|publisher=Senate.gov|access-date=August 29, 2010}}

In September 2017, Roberts supported the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill. When interviewed about why he supported it, Roberts repeatedly refused to say why he thought the bill was good, and avoided speaking about the bill's policy contents. Instead, he said he supported the bill because it was the last best chance to repeal Obamacare.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/9/20/16333876/republican-senators-graham-cassidy|title=GOP senators are rushing to pass Graham-Cassidy. We asked 9 to explain what it does.|author=Stein, Jeff|work=Vox|access-date=2018-08-13}}

Roberts introduced a biotech labeling and GMO foods bill on February 19, 2016. The bill aims to establish a standardized voluntary labeling plan that would block the state of Vermont from enacting its mandatory genetic engineering labeling law on July{{spaces}}1 of that year. In addition it seeks to promote "consumer acceptance of agricultural biotechnology". The Roberts GMO bill was supported by the Grocery Manufacturers of America, the Food & Agriculture, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, the American Bakers Association, the International Dairy Foods Association, and the Snack Food Association amongst others in the face of the opposition for more than a decade of more than 90% of the public.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smartbrief.com/s/2016/02/bill-proposes-national-labeling-policy-biotech-foods|title=Bill proposes national labeling policy for biotech foods|date=2016-02-22|website=SmartBrief|language=en|access-date=2020-01-30}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2016/02/20/Senator-Pat-Roberts-proposes-GMO-labeling-bill|title = Sen. Pat Roberts proposes GMO labeling bill, as July 1 deadline to label products in Vermont looms| date=February 20, 2016 }}{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/regulation/270140-gop-senator-unveils-bill-to-block-state-gmo-label-laws|title = GOP senator unveils bill to block state GMO label laws|date = February 20, 2016}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/science/strong-support-for-labeling-modified-foods.html|title = Strong Support for Labeling Modified Foods|newspaper = The New York Times|date = July 27, 2013|last1 = Kopicki|first1 = Allison}}{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97567&page=1|title=Poll: Skepticism of Genetically Modified Foods|website=ABC News}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/10/29/its-not-that-gmo-labeling-is-popular-its-that-people-are-clueless/ |title=Here's why GMO labeling initiatives might fail – again |date=2021-11-25 |orig-date=2014-10-29 |author1=Chris Mooney |newspaper=The Washington Post |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}}{{WaPoCheckDates}} It was noted that the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the National Academy of Sciences and "the concerted advocacy of 107 concerned Nobel laureates" all were in favour of GMO foods. The fait accompli fallacy was used by a writer for National Geographic to conclude her article in favour of the Roberts bill, whereas labeling of GMO food is mandated in at least 64 countries, including most European countries, China, Russia, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia.{{cite web |url= http://www.justlabelit.org/right-to-know-center/labeling-around-the-world/ |title=Labeling around the world| publisher=justlabelit.org| date= | access-date=November 4, 2016}}

The bill was engrossed into Public Law 114-214. At the time, Vermont governor Peter Shumlin said that "For a Republican-controlled Congress that continually argues for states’ rights to act to take away Vermonters’ right to know what is in their food is the height of hypocrisy and a sad statement on the power of special interests in Congress." An environmental advocacy organization said that "the food lobby spent over $100 million in the fight to block GMO labeling in 2015".{{cite news |last1=RUPP |first1=REBECCA |title=GMOs: Is Just Any Label Enough? |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/gmo-label |agency=National Geographic Society |publisher=National Geographic Partners, LLC |date=14 July 2016}}

President Obama signed the bill into law on July 29, 2016.

Roberts worked to secure $15{{spaces}}million for research on carbon sequestration.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cjonline.com/stories/102900/kan_subercol.shtml|title=CJ Online | Kansas News | Jim Suber: Roberts's study of carbon sequestration is in search of 'win-win' situation 10/29/00}} On the topic of global warming, Roberts has said, "There's no question there's some global warming, but I'm not sure what it means. A lot of this is condescending elitism."{{Cite news|url=http://www.cjonline.com/news/state/2010-08-24/oil_gas_industry_its_not_our_fault|title=Oil, gas industry: It's not our fault|last=Carpenter|first=Tim|work=The Topeka Capital|access-date=2018-02-22|language=en}}

Roberts voted to confirm Gale Norton as Secretary of the Interior, to exclude oil and gas smokestacks from mercury regulations, and to reclassify the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Cabinet department.{{cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Pat_Roberts.htm#Environment|title=Pat Roberts on Environment|publisher=On the Issues|access-date=December 2, 2015}}

In 2012, Roberts introduced an amendment that would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling for oil and approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.{{cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/article/20120313/senate-rejects-drilling-oil-arctic-refuge|title=Senate rejects drilling for oil in Arctic refuge|date=March 13, 2012|access-date=September 16, 2014|publisher=Alaska Dispatch News}}

In 2017, Roberts was one of 22 senators to sign a letter{{cite web|url=https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/download/?id=E1E34574-5655-42AA-92E8-0D23DC8C33BA&download=1|title=Senator|last1=Inhofe|first1=James|access-date=7 June 2017}} to President Donald Trump urging the President to have the United States withdraw from the Paris Agreement. According to OpenSecrets, Roberts has received over $415,000 from oil, gas and coal interests since 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/01/republican-senators-paris-climate-deal-energy-donations|title=The Republicans who urged Trump to pull out of Paris deal are big oil darlings|first1=Tom|last1=McCarthy|first2=Lauren|last2=Gambino|date=June 1, 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=June 1, 2017}}

In January 2014, Roberts introduced the Opportunities Created At the Local Level Act. The bill would allow states to freely choose without federal intervention in their education standards, testing and curricula.Martin, Aaron. [http://riponadvance.com/news/roberts-measure-aims-state-educational-autonomy/6424 "Roberts measure aims for state educational autonomy"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313225733/http://riponadvance.com/news/roberts-measure-aims-state-educational-autonomy/6424 |date=March 13, 2014 }}. Ripon Advance. January 31, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.

In February 2019, Roberts was one of twenty senators to sponsor the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, enabling employers to contribute up to $5,250 to the student loans of their employees as a means of granting employees relief and incentivizing applicants to apply to jobs with employers who implement the policy.{{cite news|url=https://wtkr.com/2019/02/13/warner-thune-introduce-legislation-to-address-student-debt-crisis/|title=Warner, Thune introduce legislation to address student debt crisis|first=Julia|last=Varnier|date=February 13, 2019|publisher=wtkr.com}}

Roberts supports the Patriot Act, and the President's authority for warrantless surveillance.[https://www.foxnews.com/story/sen-roberts-bush-has-authority-for-nsa-program "Sen. Roberts: Bush Has Authority for NSA Program"] Fox News. Retrieved September 29, 2014. Roberts was the only senator blocking the nomination of Army Secretary Eric Fanning.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/11/us/eric-fanning-army-secretary-nomination-blocked.html|title=Army Secretary Nomination is Blocked by a G.O.P. Senator|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|date=11 May 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=11 May 2016|pages=A14}} Roberts's refusal to lift his hold on the nomination until President Obama promised to never move anyone from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to Fort Leavenworth drew criticism on the Senate floor from Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, who noted that the United States Secretary of the Army has no control over the detainees.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/05/11/eric-fanning-and-the-army-deserve-better-than-this-from-congress/|title=Eric Fanning and the Army deserve better than this from Congress|last1=Capehart|first1=Jonathan|date=11 May 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=11 May 2016}}

{{Main|Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program}}

The 2004 Intelligence Authorization Act saw the creation of the Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program. The program links undergraduate and graduate students with US security and intelligence agencies" by providing funding to selected US students entering university, in return for a commitment to join the agency for at least 18 months on graduation. PRISP is a decentralized program which funds students through various intelligence agencies.

As chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Roberts was responsible for the committee's investigation into the intelligence failures prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The first half of the Senate Report of Pre-war Intelligence on Iraq was released on July 9, 2004. The second half, according to language voted on by the full Committee, consists of five parts including: whether public statements and reports and testimony regarding Iraq by U.S. Government officials made between the Gulf War period and the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom were substantiated by intelligence information; the postwar findings about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and weapons programs and links to terrorism and how they compare with prewar assessments; prewar intelligence assessments about postwar Iraq; any intelligence activities relating to Iraq conducted by the Policy Counterterrorism Evaluation Group (PCTEG) and the Office of Special Plans within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; and the use by the Intelligence Community of information provided by the Iraqi National Congress (INC).

A member of the House of Representatives at the time, Roberts voted against Ronald Reagan's 1986 immigration limited amnesty bill.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Pat_Roberts_Immigration.htm|title=Pat Roberts on Immigration|website=www.ontheissues.org|access-date=2019-03-21}}

In June 2018, Roberts was one of thirteen Republican senators to sign a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions requesting a moratorium on the Trump administration family separation policy while Congress drafted legislation.{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/393108-dozen-gop-senators-ask-administration-to-pause-separation-of|title=13 GOP senators ask administration to pause separation of immigrant families|date=June 19, 2018|work=The Hill}} He is in favor of increasing border patrols to reduce undocumented immigrant flow.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Pat_Roberts_Immigration.htm|title=Pat Roberts on Immigration|website=www.ontheissues.org|access-date=2019-01-30}}

In May 2018, Roberts voted against a bill that would reinstate net neutrality rules and thereby overturn the FCC's repeal via a law authorizing Congress to reverse regulatory actions by a simple majority vote.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-internet/senate-approves-bill-in-bid-to-retain-u-s-net-neutrality-idUSKCN1IH2DS|title=Senate approves bill in bid to retain U.S. net neutrality|date=May 16, 2018|first=David|last=Shepardson|publisher=Reuters}}

In March 2019, Roberts was a cosponsor of a bipartisan bill to undo a drafting error in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that mandated stores and restaurants to have to write off the costs of renovations over the course of 39 years via authorizing businesses to immediately deduct the entirety of costs of renovations.{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/433916-senators-offer-bipartisan-bill-to-fix-retail-glitch-in-gop-tax-law|title=Senators offer bipartisan bill to fix 'retail glitch' in GOP tax law|first=Naomi|last=Jagoda|date=March 14, 2019|work=The Hill|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811085017/https://thehill.com/policy/finance/433916-senators-offer-bipartisan-bill-to-fix-retail-glitch-in-gop-tax-law|archive-date=August 11, 2019|url-status=live}}

In March 2019, Roberts was a cosponsor of a bipartisan resolution led by Gary Peters and Jerry Moran that opposed privatization of the United States Postal Service (USPS), citing the USPS as an establishment that was self-sustained and noting concerns that a potential privatization could cause higher prices and reduced services for customers of USPS with a particular occurrence in rural communities.{{cite news|url=https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Peters-Moran-opposing-privatization-of-USPS-506834151.html|title=Peters, Moran reintroduce bipartisan resolution opposing privatization of USPS|date=March 7, 2019|publisher=uppermichiganssource.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308095553/https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Peters-Moran-opposing-privatization-of-USPS-506834151.html|archive-date=March 8, 2019|url-status=live}}

Roberts has an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) for his consistent, ongoing support of pro-gun legislation. The NRA endorsed Roberts in the 2014 election; the NRA-Political Victory Fund chairman said, "Pat is the only ally and battle-tested candidate in this race who has consistently protected our Second Amendment freedoms."{{cite web|title=NRA Endorses Pat Roberts for U.S. Senate in Kansas|url=https://www.nrapvf.org/articles/20140908/nra-endorses-pat-roberts-for-us-senate-in-kansas|website=NRA-PVF|access-date=4 October 2017|language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909183403/https://www.nrapvf.org/articles/20140908/nra-endorses-pat-roberts-for-us-senate-in-kansas|archive-date=September 9, 2014|url-status=live}} Since 1998, the NRA has provided Roberts $23,800 in donations.{{cite web|last1=Kraske|first1=Steve|title=Who's the top recipient of NRA donations anywhere in the country? Take a bow, Sen. Roy Blunt|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article83852587.html|website=The Kansas City Star|access-date=4 October 2017|language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616174553/http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article83852587.html|archive-date=June 16, 2016|url-status=live}}

One month after the Orlando nightclub shooting Roberts voted for two Republican-backed proposals on gun policy: Chuck Grassley's amendment to increase funding for background checks and John Cornyn's policy that would have put a 72-hour hold on any terrorist suspect buying a gun. He voted against both the Democrat's policies, including the Feinstein Amendment, which banned suspected terrorists from buying guns.{{cite web|last1=Tate|first1=Curtis|title=On Senate gun vote, Kansas' Roberts, Moran stick to party line|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article84939727.html|website=McClatchy|access-date=4 October 2017|language=en}} Roberts voted against the Manchin-Toomey amendment to expand background checks for gun purchases.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/04/17/senate-roll-call-vote-gun-background-checks/2091625/|title=How Senators voted: Expanding gun background checks|date=April 17, 2013|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=USA Today}}

In the immediate aftermath of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Roberts said it was "too early" to discuss gun policy change.{{cite web|agency=Agence France-Presse|title=Republicans freeze on gun control demand – The Manila Times Online|url=http://www.manilatimes.net/republicans-freeze-gun-control-demand/354575/|website=The Manila Times|date=October 4, 2017|access-date=4 October 2017}}

In February 2018, after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in which 17 were killed, Roberts came out in favor of age limits on the AR-15, the weapon used at the high school shooting. Roberts said, "Certainly nobody under 21 should have an AR-15. I don't know why anybody would want an AR-15 unless they're going to take one out on the shooting range."{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/02/22/nra-backed-sen-pat-roberts-nobody-under-21-should-have-an-ar-15/|title=NRA-backed Sen. Pat Roberts: 'Nobody under 21 should have an AR-15'|last=O'Keefe|first=Ed|date=2018-02-22|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2018-02-22|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}{{cite news |title=Is This the Moment for Gun Control? A Gridlocked Congress Is Under Pressure |first1=Sheryl Gay|last1=Stolberg |first2=Jonathan |last2=Martin |first3=Thomas |last3=Kaplan |date=February 25, 2018 |access-date=July 9, 2018 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/25/us/politics/gun-control-congress-governors.html}}{{cite news |title=Kansas Republican backs raising age to buy semiautomatic rifles |first=Sophie |last=Tatum |date=February 22, 2018 |access-date=July 9, 2018 |agency=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/22/politics/pat-roberts-age-limits-guns/index.html}}

In January 2019, Roberts was one of thirty-one Republican senators to cosponsor the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill introduced by John Cornyn and Ted Cruz which would grant individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state the right to exercise this right in any other state with concealed carry laws while concurrently abiding by that state's laws.{{cite news|url=https://www.kcbd.com/2019/01/10/sens-cruz-cornyn-file-concealed-carry-reciprocity-bill/|title=Sens. Cruz, Cornyn file Concealed-Carry Reciprocity Bill|date=January 10, 2019|publisher=kcbd.com}}

In December 2010, Roberts voted against the ratification of New START,{{cite web|author=Mark Memmott |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/22/132262684/senate-ratifies-start |title=Senate Ratifies START |publisher=npr.org |date=22 December 2010 |access-date=22 December 2010}} a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russian Federation obliging both countries to have no more than 1,550 strategic warheads as well as 700 launchers deployed during the next seven years along with providing a continuation of on-site inspections that halted when START I expired the previous year. It was the first arms treaty with Russia in eight years.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/world/europe/23treaty.html|title=Senate Passes Arms Control Treaty With Russia, 71-26|first=Peter|last=Baker|work=New York Times|date=December 22, 2010}}

In September 2016, Roberts was one of thirty-four senators to sign a letter to United States Secretary of State John Kerry advocating for the United States using "all available tools to dissuade Russia from continuing its airstrikes in Syria that are clearly not in our interest" and saying there should be clear enforcement by the US of the airstrikes violating "a legally binding Security Council Resolution".{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/296603-gop-pressures-kerry-on-russias-use-of-iranian-airbase|title=GOP pressures Kerry on Russia's use of Iranian airbase|date=September 19, 2016|first=Rebecca|last=Kheel|work=The Hill}}

In June 2017, Roberts voted against a resolution by Rand Paul and Chris Murphy that would block President Trump's $510{{spaces}}million sale of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia which made up a portion of the $110{{spaces}}billion arms sale Trump announced during his visit to Saudi Arabia the previous year.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/13/politics/senate-saudi-arms-deal-paul/index.html|title=Senate narrowly votes to back Saudi arms sale|author=Herb, Jeremy|date=June 13, 2017|publisher=CNN}}{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/13/saudi-arabia-weapons-sales-senate-approves-239505|title=Senate backs weapons sales to Saudi Arabia|first=Elana|last=Schor|date=June 13, 2017|publisher=Politico}}

In March 2018, Roberts voted to table a resolution spearheaded by Bernie Sanders, Chris Murphy, and Mike Lee that would have required President Trump to withdraw American troops either in or influencing Yemen within the next thirty days unless they were combating Al-Qaeda.{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/379392-senate-sides-with-trump-on-providing-saudi-military-support|title=Senate sides with Trump on providing Saudi military support|author=Carney, Jordain|date=March 20, 2018|work=The Hill}}

In July 2019, Roberts was one of sixteen Republican senators to send a letter to Acting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin encouraging them to work with them to prevent a continuing resolution "for FY 2020 that would delay the implementation of the President's National Defense Strategy (NDS) and increase costs" and that the year long continuing resolution suggested by administration officials would render the Defense Department "incapable of increasing readiness, recapitalizing our force, or rationalizing funding to align with the National Defense Strategy (NDS)".{{cite news|url=http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2019/07/06/marsha-blackburn-david-perdue-colleagues-encourage-trump-administration-to-avoid-another-continuing-resolution/|title=Marsha Blackburn, David Perdue, Colleagues Encourage Trump Administration to Avoid Another Continuing Resolution|date=July 6, 2019|publisher=clarksvilleonline.com}}

Roberts married Franki Fann in 1969. The couple has three adult children: David, Ashleigh, and Anne-Wesley.[http://jrm.phys.ksu.edu/Genealogy/Needham/d0003/I112.html "Patrick 'Pat' ROBERTS".] The Needham Family. Retrieved December 14, 2009.

Roberts lives in Alexandria, Virginia.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/05/us/politics/national-gop-moves-to-take-over-campaign-of-kansas-senator.html?_r=2 |title=National G.O.P. Moves to Take Over Campaign of Kansas Senator|first=Jonathan |last=Martin|work=The New York Times|date=September 4, 2014|access-date=September 4, 2014}} The New York Times has reported that the house Roberts claims as his residence in Dodge City, Kansas, is actually owned and occupied by campaign contributors C. Duane and Phyllis Ross.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/us/senator-races-to-show-ties-including-an-address-in-kansas.html |title=Lacking a House, a Senator Is Renewing His Ties in Kansas |last1=Martin |first1=Jonathan |date=February 7, 2014 |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 9, 2014}}

2014 United States Senate election in Kansas

United States Senate Republican Primary election in Kansas, 2014

2008 United States Senate election in Kansas

2002 United States Senate election in Kansas

United States Senate Republican Primary election in Kansas, 2002

1996 United States Senate election in Kansas

United States Senate Republican Primary election in Kansas, 1996

1994 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election

1992 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election

1990 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election

1988 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election

1986 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election

1980 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election

{{Portal|Biography}}

United States congressional delegations from Kansas

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• [https://roberts.senate.gov/ Senator Pat Roberts] official U.S. Senate website
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150624083608/http://www.robertsforsenate.com/ Pat Roberts for Senate]

{{CongLinks |congbio=r000307 |votesmart=26866 |fec=S6KS00080 |congress=pat-roberts/968}}

• {{C-SPAN|16354}}
• [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/pat-roberts Collected news and commentary] at Huffington Post
• [http://www.topix.com/us-senate/pat-roberts Collected news and commentary] at Topix
• [http://maplight.org/us-congress/legislator/602-charles-pat-roberts Financial information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115133236/http://maplight.org/us-congress/legislator/602-charles-pat-roberts |date=January 15, 2017 }} at Maplight
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726140212/http://www.eisenhowerinstitute.org/scholarships/eisenhower_leadership_prize.dot 2004 Eisenhower Leadership Prize to Pat Roberts]
• [http://www.smalltownpapers.com/newspapers/newspaper.php?id=302 Oskaloosa Independent]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Keith Sebelius}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kansas's 1st congressional district|years=1981–1997}}

{{s-aft|after=Jerry Moran}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Tom Coleman}}

{{s-ttl|title=Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee|years=1993–1995}}

{{s-aft|after=Kika de la Garza}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Kika de la Garza}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the House Agriculture Committee|years=1995–1997}}

{{s-aft|after=Robert Smith}}

|-

{{s-ppo}}

{{s-bef|before=Nancy Landon Kassebaum}}

{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Kansas
(Class 2)|years=1996, 2002, 2008, 2014}}

{{s-aft|after=Roger Marshall}}

|-

{{s-par|us-sen}}

{{s-bef|before=Nancy Kassebaum}}

{{s-ttl|title=U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Kansas|years=1997–2021|alongside=Sam Brownback, Jerry Moran}}

{{s-aft|after=Roger Marshall}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Bob Smith}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee|years=1999–2001}}

{{s-aft|rows=2|after=Harry Reid}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Harry Reid}}

{{s-ttl|title=Ranking Member of the Senate Ethics Committee|years=2001–2003}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Bob Graham}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee|years=2003–2007}}

{{s-aft|after=Jay Rockefeller}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Saxby Chambliss}}

{{s-ttl|title=Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee|years=2011–2013}}

{{s-aft|after=Thad Cochran}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Lamar Alexander}}

{{s-ttl|title=Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee|years=2013–2015}}

{{s-aft|after=Chuck Schumer}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Debbie Stabenow}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee|years=2015–2021}}

{{s-aft|after=Debbie Stabenow}}

|-

{{s-prec|usa}}

{{s-bef|before=Barbara Boxer|as=Former US Senator}}

{{s-ttl|title=Order of precedence of the United States
{{small|as Former US Senator }}|years=}}

{{s-aft|after=Kay Bailey Hutchison|as=Former US Senator}}

{{s-end}}

{{SenAgricultureCommitteeChairmen}}

{{SenIntelCommitteeChairmen}}

{{USSenKS}}

{{US House Agriculture chairs}}

{{KansasUSRepresentatives}}

{{USCongRep-start

| congresses= 97th–116th United States Congress

| state= Kansas}}

{{USCongRep/KS/97}}

{{USCongRep/KS/98}}

{{USCongRep/KS/99}}

{{USCongRep/KS/100}}

{{USCongRep/KS/101}}

{{USCongRep/KS/102}}

{{USCongRep/KS/103}}

{{USCongRep/KS/104}}

{{USCongRep/KS/105}}

{{USCongRep/KS/106}}

{{USCongRep/KS/107}}

{{USCongRep/KS/108}}

{{USCongRep/KS/109}}

{{USCongRep/KS/110}}

{{USCongRep/KS/111}}

{{USCongRep/KS/112}}

{{USCongRep/KS/113}}

{{USCongRep/KS/114}}

{{USCongRep/KS/115}}

{{USCongRep/KS/116}}

{{USCongRep-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Pat}}

Category:1936 births

Category:20th-century American journalists

Category:20th-century Kansas politicians

Category:21st-century Kansas politicians

Category:American male journalists

Category:Methodists from Kansas

Category:Living people

Category:Military personnel from Kansas

Category:Politicians from Topeka, Kansas

Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kansas

Category:Republican Party United States senators from Kansas

Category:United States Marine Corps officers

Category:21st-century United States senators

Category:20th-century United States senators

Category:20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives