Roger F. Wicker has represented Mississippi in the United States Senate since December 2007. During his time in the Senate, Wicker has championed pro-growth policies to create jobs and has worked to reduce spending, limit federal overreach, and maintain a strong national defense.
In November 2014, Wicker was elected by the Senate Republican Conference to serve as Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Wicker is also a member of the Armed Services Committee; the Budget Committee; the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; the Environment and Public Works Committee; and the Rules Committee. He serves as Chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, and the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet.
Senator Wicker has been a strong advocate for economic development initiatives to help keep Mississippians competitive in a global marketplace. He has been honored by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) for his work on pro-growth, pro-manufacturing policies in Congress.
Senator Wicker has actively supported cancer survivorship programs and efforts to fight heart disease with the American Heart Association, diabetes, and childhood obesity. He has been recognized as a "champion" of polio eradication for his work to wipe out polio worldwide. Senator Wicker is the co-founder of the Senate Malaria Caucus and has worked to eliminate this preventable disease.
He has been instrumental in bringing more research funding to Mississippi universities for a wide range of health-related projects to fight disease and improve quality of life. Most notably, Wicker authored the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education (MD CARE) Act of 2001, which created NIH centers of excellence to coordinate and enhance muscular dystrophy research. The Wicker Project at Children's National Medical Center is a leader in muscular dystrophy research.
Prior to his service in the Senate, Wicker was elected seven times, beginning in 1994, to represent Mississippi’s First Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Before being elected to Congress, he served in the state Senate on behalf of Lee and Pontotoc counties.
Senator Wicker served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force and then joined the Air Force Reserve. He retired from the Reserve in 2004 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
A native of Pontotoc, Mississippi, the Senator is the son of former Circuit Judge Fred Wicker and the late Mrs. Wordna Wicker. He was educated in the public schools of Pontotoc and received his B.A. and law degrees from the University of Mississippi. Wicker is a member of the First Baptist Church Tupelo, where he sings in the choir.
Senator Wicker is married to the former Gayle Long of Tupelo. They have three children: Margaret and son-in-law Manning McPhillips; Caroline and son-in-law Kirk Sims; and McDaniel Wicker and his wife Kellee; and four grandchildren: Caroline, Henry, Maury McPhillips, and Evelyn Sims.
