WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Mac Thornberry has been chosen to chair the House Armed Services Committee for the 114th Congress. Thornberry is the first Texan – Republican or Democrat – ever selected to lead the Committee or its predecessors. “I am grateful for the opportunity and also mindful of the responsibility it entails,” Thornberry said. “The men and women who serve our nation in the military deserve the full support and backing of the Congress and of the country. Providing that support wi... Read more

Amarillo physician Dr. Richard McKay will be in the nation’s Capitol Tuesday as an attendee of the 2014 State of the Union address. He will be a guest of area Congressman Mac Thornberry. “I spent last week listening to folks share their experiences with the Affordable Care Act. I hope the President will recognize the confusion and hardship his health law is causing in our part of Texas and across the country,” said Rep. Thornberry. “I think inviting someone like Dr. McKay, who spent nearly 40 ye... Read more

Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) made the following comments after the Senate refused latest offer to resolve funding differences: "In the last ten days, I voted for three different proposals that keep the government open and operating while protecting Americans from Obamacare. Each was a reasonable and responsible option and each passed the House. Then, close to midnight last night, the House passed yet another measure calling on the Senate to work with us to resolve our differences. Th... Read more

Washington, DC -- Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) made the following comments after the President's latest economic speech: "The House is passing bills while President Obama is passing the buck. The reality is the economy is still struggling in large part because of the big-government policies the President has staked his legacy on, with Obamacare leading the pack. The President’s economic formula continues to be excessive regulations, more taxes on small businesses, restrictions on dom... Read more

Recent polls suggest that trust in the federal government remains near a historic low, while frustration with government remains high. These sentiments have been fueled by the terrorist attack in Benghazi, the Justice Department’s investigation of reporters, and the IRS scandal. Coming on the heels of these troubling headlines are leaks about national security programs aimed at preventing terrorist attacks. However, it would be wrong to lump all of these controversies into a single bucket. There... Read more

U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon), the Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following comments after the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The vote was 315 to 108: “Budgets are shrinking, but the threats to our country are not. This strong, bipartisan bill reflects both of these realities, while also providing significant support for our fighting forces, offering additional resources for other national security efforts,... Read more

Congressman Mac Thornberry, the Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced a bill today that would, for the first time, require prompt notification to the Congressional defense committees of any overseas lethal or capture operation outside of Afghanistan– including those conducted with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, commonly referred to as “drones.” “As we work to keep Americans safe from evolving threats, we must ensure that every action is consistent with our civil liberties an... Read more

U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) made the following statement about the budget proposal submitted by President Obama: "The budget that the President submitted today does not seem serious. It is full of accounting gimmicks that expand the federal government’s role in the lives of hardworking Americans; it increases taxes; and it rapidly grows the size of our debt and deficit. Instead of reforming the mandatory spending programs that make up nearly two-thirds of the federal budget, th... Read more

U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) will once again serve as the Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in the 113th Congress. Rep. Thornberry was first tapped by the House Republican Conference Steering Committee on the recommendation of Speaker John Boehner to serve as the Committee’s Vice Chairman in December 2010. New House committee appointments became official last week. “Helping to lead the Armed Services committee gives me a chance to shape policies that affect our... Read more

U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) made the following statement about President Obama's Executive Order on cybersecurity: “No executive order can possibly do what needs to be done to protect our networks and our nation. It also cannot take the place of legislation. Strengthening cybersecurity must be collaborative and bipartisan. The only way we are going to be able to move forward is with the House, Senate, and Administration working together and taking steps to make progress on cybe... Read more