Summary
Current Position: US Representative since 2010
Affiliation: Republican
In the House, Representative Roby has been a forceful advocate for cutting wasteful spending and eliminating bureaucratic red tape that burdens American families and businesses.
Representative Roby serves on the House Committee on Appropriations, which has oversight on the whole range of government spending. On the Appropriations Committee, Representative Roby serves on the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science. She was the first representative from Alabama’s Second Congressional District to serve on this key congressional committee.
Source: Campaign page
OnAir Post: Martha Roby
About
Source: Government page
Representative Martha Roby (ROH-bee) is currently in her fifth term serving the people of Alabama’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to being elected to Congress, Representative Roby worked as an attorney and served as a city councilman in her hometown of Montgomery.
In the House, Representative Roby has been a forceful advocate for cutting wasteful spending and eliminating bureaucratic red tape that burdens American families and businesses.
Representative Roby serves on the House Committee on Appropriations, which has oversight on the whole range of government spending. On the Appropriations Committee, Representative Roby serves on the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science. She was the first representative from Alabama’s Second Congressional District to serve on this key congressional committee.
Representative Roby also serves on the House Judiciary Committee. She is currently Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
In her short tenure in Congress, Representative Roby has distinguished herself as an effective legislator and messenger for the conservative cause. She exposed abuses in the scandal-ridden Veterans Affairs health system and has worked tirelessly to improve care for veterans, both locally and nationally. A fierce advocate for the military, Representative Roby led efforts to stop devastating cuts that threaten military readiness.
Representative Roby obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from New York University in 1998, and her law degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 2001. Representative Roby is married to Riley Roby, and they have two children, Margaret and George. The Robys are members of Trinity Presbyterian Church, where they were married, their children were baptized, and where they are involved in various ministries.
Experience
Work Experience
- Attorney
2003 to 2010Practiced law in Montogomery
Education
- B.A.
New York University
1998 - J.D.
Samford University
2001
Personal
Birth Year: 1976
Place of Birth: Montgomery, AL
Gender: Female
Race(s): Caucasian
Religion: Christian: Presbyterian
Spouse: Riley Roby
Children: Margaret, George
Contact
Email:
Offices
Washington D.C. Office
504 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2901
Fax: (202) 225-8913
Dothan Office
217 Graceland Drive, Suite 5 Dothan, AL 36305
Phone: (334) 794-9680
Fax: (334) 671-1480
Andalusia Office
City Hall 505 E. Three Notch Street, Suite 322 Andalusia, AL 36420
Phone: (334) 428-1129
Fax: (334) 222-3342
Montgomery Office
401 Adams Avenue, Suite 160 Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: (334) 262-7718
Fax: (334) 262-8758
Web
Government Page, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Campaign Site
Politics
Source: none
Recent Elections
2018 of 2nd District
| Martha Roby (R) | 138,879 | 61.4% |
| Tabitha Isner (D) | 86,931 | 38.4% |
| Other/Write-in votes (Write-in) | 420 | 0.2% |
| TOTAL | 226,230 |
Source: Ballotpedia
Finances
ROBY, MARTHA has run in 5 races for public office, winning 5 of them. The candidate has raised a total of $7,517,547.
Source: Follow the Money
Committees
Committees
Committee on Appropriations Members
Committee on Appropriations Members
Subcommittees
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
New Legislation
Source: Government page
Issues
Source: Campaign page
Governance
Our tax code no longer reflects our modern economy and needs reforming. The current tax code is too complicated for small businesses and families to navigate. Excessive government regulation and an unpredictable tax structure stifle innovation and prevent hard working families from keeping the money they earn.
Easing the tax and regulatory burden on small businesses would allow them to hire new employees, give raises or bonuses to existing ones, or even expand the business. Pro-growth tax reform could unleash our country’s economic potential and lead to the creation of millions of jobs, many at small and medium-sized business.
For individuals, our plan would ensure that taxpayers with similar incomes receive similar tax bills, making it less complicated for people to file their own taxes. More simplicity and fairness in the tax code would offer American families the stability and predictability they need to plan for their future.
Ultimately, our goal is to overhaul our tax code to make it simpler, fairer, and flatter. It won’t be an easy task, but I am committed to working toward a solution that helps grow our economy and improve the quality of life for those I represent.
As you know, our nation continues to face a serious budget crisis, which is a threat to the security and prosperity of future generations of Americans. While some progress has been made to rein in wasteful spending, much work remains to put our country on a stabile fiscal course.
I have been an outspoken supporter of a Balanced Budget Amendment. Each Congress I have introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require Congress to pass a balanced budget, forcing the federal government to live within its means and requiring the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress. A balanced budget amendment would restore fiscal common sense that regular Americans employ every day. It would also provide economic clarity and confidence for our nation.
Serving on the House Appropriations Committee allows me to oversee a wide range of government funding and to set spending priorities. In particular, I sit on the Defense Subcommittee, which is responsible for crafting military spending plans.
One of the federal government’s primary responsibilities is providing for the common defense – restoring military funding and establishing better budget priorities will only help. Congress has taken small steps in the right direction to restore some military funding and made modest reforms to mandatory spending. It is my hope that we can build off of this momentum and pass more long-term reforms.
The fact is unrestrained growth of “auto-pilot” social programs is threatening our ability to properly fund many national priorities, including the military. Mandatory spending is automatic in nature and does not change unless the law does, which is the reason behind its “auto-pilot” growth. The problem is not limited to the military. Funding for other American priorities like transportation infrastructure, agriculture, or any other legitimate interests is also threatened by unrestrained growth of social welfare programs.
Unilateral regulatory action by executive branch agencies should not hinder economic growth and place undue burden on businesses. Any new regulations should have the public interest in mind and feedback from interested parties. I strongly support legislation that reduces or consolidates the number of existing regulations, and I believe all rules that will seriously impact the economy should have a cost estimate attached and go before Congress for approval.
One of my top priorities in Congress is stopping this so-called “backdoor legislating” in which government agencies like the EPA decide to single-handedly impose new, aggressive regulations. Our Constitution separates the powers of government among the three branches and sets up a system of checks and balances to ensure the people – not the government – are ultimately in charge.
Our laws have legitimacy because they are passed by representatives elected by and accountable to the people. That system is undermined when career bureaucrats in federal agencies are allowed to impose unilateral, binding regulations.
Civil Rights
As a gun owner herself and a lifetime NRA member, Martha strongly values the rights guaranteed in the Second Amendment. She has consistently fought efforts to erode gun rights in the past and will continue to in the future.
The U.S. Constitution as the supreme law of the land and it clearly protects an individual’s right to own firearms. The overwhelming majority of gun owners are law-abiding citizens who strictly adhere to applicable rules and safety procedures.
Martha’s strong support for Second Amendment rights and fight against attempts to pass overreaching gun control laws was cited by the Alabama Patriots as a key reason for their endorsement: http://yellowhammernews.com/politics-2/alabama-tea-party-group-endorses-roby-citing-her-support-for-military/
Economy
As a conservative, Martha Roby knows that that lower taxes and fewer government regulations can unleash the private sector and help our economy flourish. She has repeatedly fought against tax increases and has repeatedly lead efforts to rein in burdensome regulations.
I am honored to serve a district in which agriculture is the largest employer — responsible for more than 93,000 jobs and $11 billion in economic impact.
When it comes to farm policy, legislation does not just affect the farmer who puts the seed in the ground. We are affecting the ones who sell the seed, who build the equipment to cultivate and harvest the crop, and those who help process the goods to their final products. That farming dollar turns over many times, and there is an entire agriculture supply chain that is affected by farm policies set by Congress. When Washington politicians mess around with farm policy, they are messing around with the livelihoods of the people I represent.
In Congress, I am proud to be a strong voice for farmers and to represent their concerns. Our goal is to create a fiscally responsible framework of laws and programs that promote sustainable and profitable agriculture in Alabama while recognizing our current budget limitations.
Education
As a mother of two young children, I know how important it is to get it right when it comes to education. I believe decisions about education are best made locally. That is why I have worked in Congress to implement education policies that puts local educators and parents in the driver’s seat for improving education.
While in Congress, I introduced the Defending State Authority Over Education Act, a bill to stop federal coercion in education policy that tied the hands of state and local educators. I said at the time the true goal was having the language of this bill included in a rewrite of the unworkable No Child Left Behind law (NCLB). The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced NCLB and became law, incorporated my bill by placing new, unprecedented restrictions on the U.S. Secretary of Education. Specifically, the ESSA prohibits the Department of Education from using money and rule waivers to coerce a state’s policy decisions, such as Common Core.
I will always fight to improve our education laws with policies that reflect a more conservative, state-driven approach to education. By reducing the federal footprint in education, we empower teachers, principals, and parents to be the driving force behind our children’s education.
Health Care
Individual Americans and their doctors should determine which health care options best meet an individual’s needs, not federal bureaucrats and politicians. It is clear that under our current health care laws with Obamacare in place costs are skyrocketing and reducing access to quality care. In Alabama, there is only one option for health insurance because of this law.
I am staunchly opposed to Obamacare and all of its regulations. Throughout my time in Congress, I have voted consistently to repeal, replace, dismantle, or defund this law.
The American people are ill-served by a one-size-fits-all health care system that imposes numerous mandates, regulations, and tax hikes. As Obamacare has been implemented, many from Alabama and throughout the country have shared their stories of insurance policy cancellations, skyrocketing premiums or co-pays, and new limitations on what physicians they can see. There’s no question that America’s health care system is in need of reforms.
I favor replacing Obamacare with a patient-centered system that is not run by the government that can lower costs and increase choices through more competition and fewer mandates.
I am focused on finding solutions that will be focused on returning freedom to health care decision-making in America by unleashing the power of the private sector to reduce costs, increase choices, and return health care decisions back to where they belong—with doctors and patients.
Immigration
I continue to believe our nation’s immigration system is broken. Any efforts to reform our immigration system must begin by truly strengthening border security, enforcing the laws currently on the books, and removing incentives for illegal immigration.
As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I have the opportunity to consider and debate immigration bills before Congress. One top priority of mine will always remain that I’m opposed to amnesty for illegal immigrants in any form.
I will oppose any attempt at reform that won’t truly secure the border, and I will fight to ensure American taxpayers are not forced to pay for the addition of millions of illegal immigrants to the rolls of our assistance programs
I understand the strain placed on the American taxpayers by those who abuse our immigration laws. We must work to strike the balance between maintaining legal immigration which has benefited our nation for generations and curtailing illegal immigration.
The promise of freedom, opportunity and hope for a better life have been drawing people to this land for hundreds of years, which is something we should be proud of. However, if people truly want to become Americans then they must be willing to follow the legal process and abide by our laws. When we fail to enforce this basic and reasonable requirement, it undermines the rule of law and invites more immigrants to come here illegally.
Veterans
Veterans have no greater fighter in Congress than Martha Roby. She has consistently voted to support veterans and make sure they receive the care and benefits they were promised.
When the VA scandal hit Central Alabama, Martha worked with courageous whistleblowers and the media to expose major instances of corruption and malfeasance within the system, such as:
Manipulation of veteran patient scheduling data was pervasive, as a national-high of more than 57 percent of employees reported that managers instructed them to change appointment times to artificially hide chronically long waits.
More than 1000 patient X-Rays, some showing malignancies, went missing for months and years.
A pulmonologist was caught twice falsifying more than 1200 patient records, but somehow given a satisfactory review.
An employee took a recovering veteran to a crack house, bought him drugs and paid for prostitutes all to extort his benefits. When caught, the employee wasn’t fired – not until a year and half later when we exposed it publicly.
Martha’s efforts led to the Central Alabama VA director being fired, the first VA employee terminated under a new VA accountability law.
Her efforts earned her the “Minuteman of the Year” Award from the Alabama Reserve Officer’s Association at the National Veterans Day celebration in Birmingham.
Pro-Life And Defunding Planned Parenthood
As a prominent leader in the pro-life movement, Martha Roby has fought to increase protections for the unborn and expose the brutality of the abortion industry.
She was the first Member of Congress to speak out on the House Floor about the undercover videos that revealed Planned Parenthood’s organ harvesting and marketing scheme. She was also the last one standing in the fight to defund Planned Parenthood, leading a “last ditch effort” to takeaway taxpayer dollars from the organization.
Martha was recently named by Newsmax as one of the “Most Influential Pro-Life Advocates” alongside the Rev. Franklin Graham, Tim Tebow and Dr. Ben Carson. http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/pro-life-advocates-influential/2015/11/04/id/700495/
