I want to begin this week’s column by sending my thoughts and prayers to those across the country, particularly Minnesotans, New Yorkers and New Jerseyans, who were targeted by senseless acts of terrorism over the weekend. Unfortunately, these attacks are seemingly becoming the new normal in our country, and it’s clearer than ever that these radical Islamic terrorists present a serious threat to our security. The cowards who carry out these acts are weak, and desperately want to change the way w... Read more

Earlier this year, media outlets began reporting that the prisoner swap announced the same time President Obama shared the details of his misguided and dangerous Iran deal could be the result of a $1.7 billion payment included in the deal to “settle an arms dispute”. Unsurprisingly, the Obama Administration denied these claims, but a Wall Street Journal investigation this summer uncovered the administration secretly sent a plane loaded with cash, equal to about $400 million, to Iran just as four... Read more

JOHNSON CITY, TENN. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following statement on the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks: “Today, on the 15th anniversary of one of the darkest days in American history, let us pause to remember the lives lost and reflect on the legacies that remain. My thoughts and prayers are with every victim, family member, loved one and first responder who suffered because of the heinous attacks that forever changed our country. In the fift... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) announced he will host the 7th Annual Military Service Academy Day on Saturday, September 17, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Walters State Community College in Morristown. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. Congressman Roe will host the 7th annual Military Service Academy Day to assist those interested in applying for any U.S. Service Academy. Those who attend will have an opportunity to speak with representatives from the United State... Read more

On Monday, we observed Labor Day, a federal holiday that began as a way to honor the contributions and achievements of the American worker. According to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment has hovered around 4.9 percent for most of 2016, meaning many are still struggling to find work. Worse, many Americans – 94 million to be exact – have given up looking for work altogether. The labor-force participation rate is around 62 percent, the lowest since 197... Read more

(479) - HR 5578: Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights – Passage September 06, 2016 - Goodlatte, R-Va., motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would establish additional rights for sexual assault survivors, including the right to have a sexual assault evidence collection kit preserved for the shorter of the maximum applicable statute of limitations or 20 years without charge, the right to be informed of results of a kit, the right to be notified prior to the intended destruction of the ki... Read more

Last week, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance approved double-digit premium increases for Tennesseans who purchase their insurance through the exchanges created by Obamacare. These premium increases ranged from 44 percent to 62 percent, and Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak told The Tennessean these premium increases were necessary, in part, because the exchange market in Tennessee is “very near collapsing.” While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must still approve t... Read more

Last month the Commission on Care released their final report recommending ways Congress and the administration can make the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) work better for our nation’s veterans. The report was required by the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, a bill I helped negotiate. Throughout the August district work period, I’ve been studying the report and talking with veterans in East Tennessee. While many are pleased with the care they’ve received through the ... Read more

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the first cases of locally-acquired Zika had been diagnosed in Miami, Florida. Up to this point, patients diagnosed with Zika in the United States had been infected while traveling, including 23 Tennesseans as of August 1. The cases diagnosed in Florida last week, however, were acquired locally. This is no longer just a concern to travelers; the Zika virus has arrived in the United States and we need to take action. U... Read more

BRISTOL, TENN. – Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) will speak at a town hall forum for veterans in Tennessee’s First Congressional District on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at Bristol Regional Hospital. WHAT: Roe to Speak at Town Hall Meeting WHEN: Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Bristol Regional Hospital 1 Medical Park Blvd. Bristol, TN 37620 Read more