Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers reflects on his six year career as House Appropriations Chairman

With a Daniel Boone painting ahead and Kentucky seal above,

Congressman Hal Rogers looks out on his Capitol Hill office.

“I cherish that experience and I am greatly honored," Rogers (R-KY-3) said.

Rogers has been Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee for six years, just six of his nearly 40 year long career on Capitol Hill. But overseeing our nation’s spending and returning the process to regular order, Rogers said, is no easy task.

“My goal from the very beginning was to try to restore regular order," Rogers said.

Rogers said he accomplished this goal and more holding 650 budget and oversight hearings during his three two year terms. But even during all of this, he kept the heart of his work deeply based in Kentucky.

“You see up there on the wall, the Kentucky seal, this is the office of the Appropriations committee since 1867 and I’m proud that we got the Kentucky logo up there," Rogers added.

Programs like UNITE to fight the war on drugs, PRIDE to clean up the region and SOAR to expand job creation in Appalachian Kentucky all launched by Rogers during his time in this office. Rogers said he is especially proud of the money the provided for flood control.

“On the Cumberland River since we put all those damns and levies in place we’ve not had a since town flood since that time," Rogers said.

Soon Rogers will be turning in the gavel. His portrait will be added to the wall in the House Appropriations Committee meeting room on Capitol Hill. But Rogers said that doesn’t mean he’ll be slowing down.

"To have served in this job as Congressman for some 36 years, three and half decades, that’s the greatest thrill and honor of my life, and I want to continue that work," he said.

As for the person that’s up next to fill his shoes.

"Keep your eye on the horizon, your head in the clouds, and your foot to the grindstone, and stay with it.”