Washington, DC  -  Standing with his wife and family at his side and his left hand on the Holy Bible, Congressman Mike Rogers joined House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert today in the U.S. Capitol to mark the beginning of Rogers’ second two-year term as the Third District’s Congressional representative in Washington.

Rogers’ official swearing-in ceremony, which occurred earlier in the day on the floor of the House of Representatives, was led by Speaker Hastert and featured all of the chamber’s 435 members reciting the Congressional Oath of Office simultaneously.

“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to continue serving the citizens of Alabama’s Third District,” Rogers said. “Congress has many important issues on the agenda this year, and I look forward to ensuring East Alabama’s voice continues to be heard loud and clear during the debate.”

Rogers said he will use his growing seniority to support strong and stable funding for our nation’s military, as well as oppose efforts to close or downsize any of the Third District’s military installations. “We are still a nation at war and it is imperative we strengthen our nation’s military infrastructure, not downsize it,” he said.

Rogers said he also plans to follow closely the debate regarding Social Security, and will continue to work to ensure East Alabama’s seniors have access to the new benefits included in last year’s Medicare prescription drug legislation. “Congress must continue to strengthen and secure Social Security and Medicare, and I will continue to oppose the wholesale privatization of either system.”

Rogers is also a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and said he will continue to support pro-growth policies to help strengthen agriculture, Alabama’s largest industry.

As he does at this time every year, Rogers says he plans to spend parts of the next several weeks meeting with local officials across the Third District to hear their 2005 priorities. “My job is to be an advocate for Third District interests, and I look forward to learning more about these initiatives,” he said.