SHORT BIO
-Served sixteen years in the state legislature, including as Majority leader and the unanimously elected Speaker of the House.
-Unanimously elected State Chairman of the Republican Party.
-Co-founder of the multi-state Western States Coalition.
-Twenty-eight years as a high school teacher.
-Currently serving as a member of the United States House of Representatives, including positions on the Armed Services Committee, Resources Committee, and Education Committee.
-Married to Jeralynn Hansen Bishop. They are the parents of five and reside in Brigham City.
PROFILE
A Leader for Utah and the West:
As a member of the state House of Representatives, Rob worked for the issues that matter. When he was unanimously elected Speaker of the House, he made cutting taxes a major priority, passing the first tax cut in over a decade—opposing many politicians in his own party. He has consistently voted in Congress to cut taxes and has opposed Democrat efforts to raise taxes.
A strong advocate of states’ rights, Rob was a co-founder of the Western States Coalition—a group of nine states working to defend states’ rights issues. He is an ardent and vocal supporter of the Second Amendment. He is passionate about protecting private property rights and public access to public lands. As the top Republican on the Public Lands Subcommittee in the House, Rob is in the middle of the battles for wise management and use of our public lands and protection of private property rights. And he has been a leader in the battle for a comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy policy to lower energy costs for Americans and make our country more energy independent.
A Life-Long Advocate for Education:
As a life-long teacher, Rob has consistently fought the educational bureaucracy, putting the needs of students and teachers first. Sharing his love of country and helping students succeed has been a guiding principle in his life. He sits on the House Education Committee where he has opposed the No Child Left Behind law and fought for more local control of education.
A Member of the Right Committees in Congress:
Immediately after being elected to Congress in November of 2002, Rob went to work to try and secure spots on House Committees that matter for Utah’s First Congressional District. Although it was a long shot, Rob lobbied tirelessly for positions in Congress that would deal with the some of the most important issues for our area. Against the odds, Rob was fortunate as a freshman to become a member of his top three choices for committees. During his first term, he served on the House Armed Services Committee which works with the US Military, our installations here in Utah and the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. Rob also gained a spot on the House Resources Committee that deals with many issues affecting Utah’s public lands and our farmers, ranchers and those who enjoy recreation on the land. Finally, he asked for a seat on the Science Committee, where he served on the Space Subcommittee that has important ties to space related industries and organizations in Northern Utah.
At the start of his second term, Rob was appointed by the Speaker to serve on the powerful House Rules Committee, the legislative gatekeeper for every major piece of legislation headed to the House floor. When Republicans lost the majority last cycle, Rob returned to the Armed Services Committee (with his seniority there still intact) and the Resources Committee, and picked up a spot on the House Education Committee. |
