David Roe

Phil Roe has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 1st district of the State of Tennessee, since 2009.

Positions, record and controversies
During the 2008 campaign, Roe took expressed his positions on the following issues:

Energy
Roe supports using coal and available technology to ensure an adequate amount of domestic energy in the short term. However, in the long term, Roe supports tax credits for using non-fossil fuel technology like solar water heaters.

Taxes
Roe said he will work to balance the budget with reduced spending, lower taxes on top corporations and individuals, and make the Bush 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent. He supports the fair tax and flat tax proposals. He said he is open to a complete reworking of the tax code.

Healthcare
Roe said he will reduce healthcare costs by streamlining administrative costs. He also said that government "over-regulates and under-delivers".

Education
Roe said that the "best educational system is one directed by parents, teachers and local school boards". He believes in more accountability, school choice and innovation. To promote math and science, Roe said he supports incentives to such as ultra low interest loans and loan forgiveness for those student who will teach math and science.

National Debt
Roe said he will ask the President to form a commission which will study the budget and identify specific items which can be cut by 10-20 percent without hurting the government's vital functions. The commission would cover all branches of government.

Same Sex Marriage
Roe does not support same sex marriage. He would prefer the issue to remain at the state level, but would support a constitutional ban to combat decisions made by judges.

Veterans
Roe said he will support providing strong assistance and support to veterans and their families.

Immigration
Roe believes that illegal immigrants should be deported, and the INS should have more funding to do as such.

Minimum Wage
Roe does not support raising the federal minimum wage, but supports creating jobs and opportunities to help those working low-paying jobs.

Foreign Policy
Roe supports the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but says that Americans deserve to know how the wars will be won and that a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq is dangerous for our troops. He supports refocusing the war effort in Afghanistan.

Bio
Roe was born on July 21, 1945 in Clarksville, Tennessee. Roe attended Austin Peay, where he earned a degree in biology with a minor in chemistry, and then earned a medical degree from the University of Tennessee in 1970. Roe served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps for two years and for 31 years ran a medical practice in Johnson City, Tennessee. Roe was Vice Mayor of Johnson City from 2003-2007 and Mayor from 2007-2009.

2008 elections
Roe defeated incumbent Rep. David Davis (R-Tenn.) in the Republican primary. . Roe went on to defeat Democratic challenge Robert Russell in November 2008 general elections.

Money in Politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)
Roe will be assigned committees if and when he is elected to Congress.

External resources

 * 2008 Race Tracker page on Tennessee's 1st Congressional District
 * Official Phil Roe for Congress website