Pro-Life Congresswoman and new mom Cathy McMorris Rodgers will deliver the State of the Union response on Tuesday night.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today announced that the House Republican Conference Chair and Washington state congresswoman ill deliver the Republican Address to the Nation following the State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 28, 2014.
Now in her fifth term representing Washington’s Fifth District, McMorris Rodgers hails from a farming family with deep roots in Eastern Washington, where she grew up working with her parents and brother at their orchard and fruit stand in Kettle Falls. She was the first in her family to graduate from college and later earned an Executive MBA from the University of Washington.
“I am honored to speak with Americans in every corner of the country on Tuesday and to share our Republican vision for a better future – one that trusts the American people and doesn’t limit where you finish because of where you started,” McMorris Rodgers said.
After rising to become minority leader in Washington’s State House, she was elected to Congress, where she serves on the House Energy & Commerce Committee and has been a member of Republican leadership since 2009. As Conference Chair, McMorris Rodgers is the fourth highest-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives. She co-founded the bipartisan Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus and the Congressional Military Family Caucus. She is married to Brian Rodgers, a retired Navy Commander, and they have three children: Cole, 6; Grace, 3; and Brynn, 2 months.
“Cathy McMorris Rodgers is proof that with humility, hard work, and dedication, you can overcome any obstacle – a story to which many Americans can relate,” Speaker Boehner said. “Through the lens of her family’s experiences, Cathy will share our vision for a better America built on a thriving middle class, guided by a fierce belief in life and liberty, and grounded in greater trust between citizens and their government. We are grateful to Cathy for lending her voice and perspective to this national occasion.”
“Cathy McMorris Rodgers is an excellent choice to present the Republican Address and share an alternative approach to the President’s plans to grow an already enormous federal bureaucracy,”Senator McConnell said. “Her experience, hard work and commitment to family provide an example that Americans outside the halls of Congress understand. A strong advocate of empowering citizens rather than just the federal government, Cathy is the right choice to deliver this important address.”
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Last year, Rogers became the first woman to give birth three times while serving in Congress. Brynn”s older brother Cole was born in 2007, and sister Grace was born in 2010. According to Roll Call, fellow Republicans Kevin Yoder of Kansas and Brad Wenstrup of Ohio both became fathers earlier this month.
Sharing the picture on Instagram, McMorris Rogers said: “Welcome Brynn Catherine! (Born at 6:19 am on Nov. 24, weighing 7 lbs. 6 oz.) Nothing compares to the miracle of bringing a new life into the world. She’s beautiful and seems to be taking it all in stride. Our hearts are full.”
