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5 Questions With
from January—March 2020
by NMEDA
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CONGRESSMAN BURGESS
By Amy Schoppman NMEDA DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Representative Michael Burgess (R-TX) is a senior member of two of the most powerful committees in Congress: the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Rules. Rep. Burgess also currently serves as the Ranking Member (and former Chairman) of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, and he recently announced his decision to run for Ranking Member or Chairman – the role will depend on whether or not Republicans secure a majority of House seats after the 2020 elections – of the full Energy and Commerce Committee (which notably has jurisdiction over the vast majority of any autonomous vehicle legislation that will be debated, advanced, and/or voted on in the House). The Congressman’s 17-year career as a public servant, and potential ascent to one of the most influential positions on arguably the most powerful House committee, has been somewhat unexpected. After spending nearly three decades practicing medicine in North Texas, he launched a long-shot campaign for Congress in 2002…and won. Now he is the most senior medical doctor of either party serving in the House of Representatives, and is routinely involved in decisions impacting healthcare policy. Having developed a reputation as a problem-solver who is willing to “reach across the aisle” to arrive at sensible legislative solutions, NMEDA’s Government Relations team recently met with Rep. Burgess to speak with him directly about issues important to our members. Learn more about Congressman Michael Burgess in this edition of “5 Questions With…”
1. What inspired you to run for public office?
The events of September 11, 2001. At that time, I had my life mapped out as a tidy sequence of relatively low-risk, five-year plans that strategically built upon one another until they led to a day that I suspected I would retire. But was this what I was supposed to be doing? What could I do that would be more meaningful and contributory? And if I could identify such a path, would I even have the courage to abandon my secure and familiar existence and embark upon it? Three months after 9/11, when the Congressman who had represented the 26th district in Texas announced that he would not be seeking reelection, I submitted the paperwork to run for Congress. Many people called me naïve when they found out that a small-town doctor with no political experience was running for Congress. Others called me crazy when they realized I would be running against the son of the House Majority Leader. The odds were against me but my tenacity, focus, and determination led to what was considered a surprise victory.
2. What skill(s) do you utilize most frequently on Capitol Hill?
Many of the skills I learned and developed in medical school, along with 25 years in practice, are the ones that serve me best today. Doctors must be good listeners, and no other skill has served me as well as learning
to listen – first to patients and now to constituents. Those all-night study sessions before a major exam turned out to be great practice for sorting through volumes of information and learning new policy concepts before a congressional hearing or debate in committee or on the House floor. Finally, although sometimes it seems counterintuitive, medicine has given me an appreciation of order and discipline. The way many things are supposed to work helps me stay focused when things become chaotic in the People’s House.
3. What is your favorite aspect of Texas’s 26th congressional district?
The 26th district of Texas is my home and has been since the early 1950s. I have watched the area grow and change over my lifetime. I identify with the people. They are my family, friends, and neighbors. And, of course, we have the best chicken fried steak in the country.
4. What problem or policy issue do you think deserves more attention?
Paying for healthcare, keeping healthcare coverage, or being
NMEDA GR Team meets with Rep. Burgess in Washington, DC. L to R: David Lieberman, David Goch, Rep. Burgess, Amy Schoppman.
able to see the doctor of your choice are major concerns for many Americans. As a physician, healthcare is my passion and I will fight for healthcare reforms that will make it more affordable and accessible for everyone. Another priority is fighting for a pro-growth, pro-job creation agenda. Creating jobs and getting Americans back to work is a vital necessity. In order to be successful, we must address the Federal Government’s out-of-control spending. We need a government that is more efficient, less expensive, and
more responsive. I will continue to work hard to promote a pro-growth, pro-job creation agenda which will put people back to work, reduce the national debt, and get the economy growing again.
5. What is the last thing you read for fun (not a briefing memo)?
Shot All To Hell: Jesse James, The Northfield Raid, and the Wild West’s Greatest Escape by Mark Gardner
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