Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Infobox_Congressman
name =Cathy McMorris Rodgers


date of birth= Birth date and age|1969|5|22
place of birth= Salem, Oregon
occupation= Orchardist
residence= Colville, Washington
alma_mater= Pensacola Christian College, University of Washington
state = Washington
district = 5th
term_start= January 3, 2005
preceded = George Nethercutt
succeeded =
state_house2 =Washington
district2 =7th
term_start2 =1995
term_end2 =2005
preceded2 =
succeeded2 =Joel Kretz
party = Republican
spouse = Brian Rodgerscite web
url = http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/?id=9059
title = Congressional Biography - Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers
accessdate = 2007-02-06
work = congress.org
publisher = Capitol Advantage LLC]
religion = Evangelical Free Church [Gardner, Cara. [http://www.inlander.com/election/288752453178079.php Fruits of Labor] . "The Pacific Northwest Inlander", 2004-08-19.]

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (born May 22 1969) is a Republican politician from Washington. She has represented ushr|Washington|5| in the United States House of Representatives since January 2005. The district is based in Spokane and includes much of the eastern portion of the state.

Biography

Cathy McMorris Rodgers was born and raised on a farm in Kettle Falls, Washington. She worked in the family owned and operated business, the Peachcrest Fruit Basket Orchard and Fruit Stand, for 13 years.cite web
url = http://mcmorris.house.gov/about.shtml
title = Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers
accessdate = 2007-02-06
publisher = United States House of Representatives] She is the descendant of pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail in the early 1850s to the Pacific Northwest where her father's family pursued agriculture and her mother's family worked in the forestry industry. McMorris Rodgers has one brother, Jeff McMorris, who served as her campaign manager in 2004.

In 1990 McMorris Rodgers earned a BA in Pre-Law from the non-accredited Pensacola Christian College. In 2002 she received an Executive MBA from the University of Washington.cite web
url = http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M001159
title = Biographical Information - McMORRIS RODGERS, Cathy
accessdate = 2007-02-06
work = Congressional Biographical Directory
publisher = United States Congress]

On 5 August 2006 in San Diego, Cathy McMorris married Brian Rodgers, a retired Navy commander and a native of Spokane, Washington. Rodgers is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and the son of David Rodgers, the mayor of Spokane from 1967 to 1977. In April 2007, she became the first member of Congress in more than a decade to give birth while in office, with the birth of Cole McMorris Rodgers. [cite news|url=http://spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=9671|title=It's A Boy|date=2007-04-30|work=The Spokesman-Review] The couple later announced their child was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

McMorris Rodgers currently lives in Colville, in Stevens County. However, she is listed in the House roll as "R-Deer Lake."

Early political career

McMorris Rodgers was elected in 1994 to the Washington State House of Representatives where she represented the 7th legislative district. She took office in January 1995 and was re-elected biennially until 2004. Between 2002 and 2003, she served as the House Republican leader. She was the first woman to lead a caucus in the House, and the youngest since World War II. She chaired the House Commerce and Labor Committee, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee, and the State Government Committee. In 2004, she did not run for re-election, instead launching a bid for Congress. Her term in the the state House expired in January 2005.

Congressional career

2004 campaign

In 2004, McMorris Rodgers ran to succeed Republican congressman George Nethercutt in the 5th congressional district. She faced two other Republicans in the primary election, winning 49.6% of the vote to Larry Sheahan's 27.3% and Shaun Cross' 23.0%. [ [http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/voterguides/2004PrimaryResults/www.eirs-wa.org/results/federal_bp3fe9.html?office=2005&district=5&estat=p Washington Secretary of State: 2004 primary election results] ] In the general election, she defeated Democrat Don Barbieri with 59.7% of the vote. [ [http://vote.wa.gov/Elections/Results/Results.aspx?e=a3501711-c318-45f4-8a03-1d926ac839b7&j=a077943e-44ef-4b4e-b051-34b41c48179b&o=d0a04446-6b21-417f-a85e-8de44ac4245f 2004 Washington Secretary of State: 2004 general election results] ]

Freshman term: 2005–2007

McMorris Rodgers was sworn into the United States House of Representatives on January 4, 2005. She actively supports missions to protect and expand Fairchild Air Force Base and worked to keep the base off the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. McMorris Rodgers co-introduced health information technology (IT) legislation and is co-leading a statewide health IT task force to position Washington state for future health IT advancements with Congressman Adam Smith (D–WA). McMorris Rodgers sponsored the American Competitiveness Amendment to the College Access and Opportunity Act.

Her committee assignments included the committees on Armed Services, Natural Resources and its Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, and the committee on Education and Labor. She also served on the Speaker’s High-Tech Working Group and as Chairwoman of the National Task Force on Improving the National Environmental Policy Act. [ [http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/wa05_mcmorris/issue_050408_nepa.html McMorris (WA05) - Issue - Taskforce to Improve the National Environmental Policy Act will highlight its economic impacts on Eastern Washington ] ]

McMorris Rodgers also served as the freshman class representative on the Steering Committee and on the Republican whip team.

2006 re-election

In November 2006 McMorris Rodgers won reelection with 56.4% of the vote. Her Democratic challenger Peter Goldmark earned 43.6%. [ [http://vote.wa.gov/Elections/General/Results.aspx?o=da1e2236-6e8d-4f74-a13d-65c025bfa26d Washington Secretary of State: 2006 general election results] ]

ophomore term: 2007–2009

In 2007, McMorris Rodgers became the Republican co-chairwoman of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues. The Democratic co-chairwoman is Rep. Lois Capps (D–CA). The caucus has pushed for pay equity, tougher child support enforcement, women's health programs and laws protecting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. [cite web
url = http://www.zimbio.com/pilot?SP=1&ID=2&ZURL=/portal/Congresswoman+Cathy+McMorris/trackers/1?Sort=rank&URL=http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/davidpostman/archives/2007/01/mcmorris_to_head_womens_caucus.html
title = McMorris to head women's caucus
accessdate = 2007-02-06
author =
last = Postman
first = David
date = 2007-01-22
work = Postman on Politics
publisher = The Seattle Times]

References

External links

* [http://www.mcmorris.house.gov/ Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers] official U.S. House website
* [http://www.mcmorrisforcongress.com/ Cathy McMorris Rodgers for U.S. Congress] official campaign website