Senator Pat Roberts is a political consultant and commentator with a focus on ag-policy, global trade, and national security issues. Roberts retired from the U.S. Senate in January 2021, ending a Washington career that spanned 10 presidencies. Elected in 1980, he represented the 1st District of Kansas, the “Big First”, in the U.S. House of Representatives for 16 years. In 1996, he was elected to the U. S. Senate, where he served 24 years, making him the longest serving Member of Congress in Kansas history after winning 24 straight elections. Prior to his time in elected office, Roberts worked as Chief of Staff to Senator Frank Carlson (’68-’70) and Congressman Keith Sebelius (’70-’80).

First in the House and later as a Senator, Roberts built a reputation as a national leader in agriculture, health care and defense. He was an advocate of a strong education system, free and fair-trade policies, increased investment in science and technology, a focused foreign policy and a strong military.

Upon taking the gavel of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Roberts became the first in history to hold the position in both the House and the Senate. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, his leadership ranged from taxes to trade, health care, Medicare, Social Security, the aviation industry and transportation--issues impacting all families.

Roberts has been recognized as a leader in food and biosecurity and held the first hearings on the issue in Congress, helping pass major biosecurity legislation, leading to the Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State (housed in Pat Roberts Hall).

As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee for four years, he worked to improve intelligence gathering and analysis capabilities at a critical time in our history and led the Congress through one of the most sweeping and exhaustive reviews of U.S. intelligence ever conducted. The bipartisan report revealed systemic failures within the intelligence community, leading to proposals by Roberts for critical and forward-thinking intelligence reforms, many of which were included in the 9/11 Intelligence Reform Act of 2004.

Senator Roberts was also proud to serve as Chairman of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, working to complete a national memorial to honor Dwight D. Eisenhower and inspire future generations with his leadership, integrity, life-long work ethic, and his total devotion to the values and processes of democracy.

A 4th generation Kansan, Roberts was born in Topeka, graduated from Holton High School and went on to earn his journalism degree from Kansas State University. Following his graduation from KSU, Roberts served in the U. S. Marine Corps for four years. Roberts and his wife, Franki, have three grown children--David, Ashleigh and Anne-Wesley, and seven grandchildren.

Politicians, Government & Political Professionals, Political, Senators, Leadership, Economy Finance,