Mark Edward Green (born November 8, 1964) is an American politician, physician, and retired U.S. Army major who has served as the U.S. representative for Tennessee's 7th congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Green has chaired the Committee on Homeland Security since 2023.[1] Before his election to Congress, he served in the Tennessee Senate from 2013 to 2018, representing the 22nd district.
After graduating from West Point, Green was an infantry officer. He then graduated from Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University and became a flight surgeon, serving tours of duty in the War in Afghanistan and Iraq War. He wrote a book about his experience in Operation Red Dawn, in which Saddam Hussein was captured. After retiring from the military in 2006, Green became the CEO of a hospital emergency department staffing company.
Green first entered state politics in 2012 by defeating Democratic incumbent Tim Barnes for a seat in the Tennessee Senate. In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Green to serve as the United States Secretary of the Army, but when comments Green had made about the LGBT community were revealed, he withdrew his nomination. When U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn announced her candidacy for the United States Senate in 2018, Green announced his candidacy to succeed her, and was elected in November of that year. He was reelected in 2020 and 2022. In October 2023, he was a candidate for Speaker of the House of Representatives, but withdrew from the race on October 24.
Military career
In 1986, Green graduated from the United States Military Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in quantitative business management.[2][3] In 1987 he earned a master’s degree in systems management from the University of Southern California.[4] From 1987 to 1990, Green served as an infantry officer in the United States Army. His first duty assignment after graduation from the US Army Ranger School was with the 194th Armored Brigade at Fort Knox. There he served as a rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader, and battalion adjutant for an infantry battalion. After the Infantry Officer's Advance Course, then-Captain Green served with the 82nd Airborne Division[5] as an airborne battalion supply officer and rifle company commander.
Following a traumatic event in which a team of surgeons and critical care doctors saved his father's life, Green requested that the Army send him to medical school. He attended the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University, graduating with a Doctor of Medicine in 1999.[4] He did his residency in emergency medicine at Fort Hood, Texas. After his residency, Green was selected to serve as the flight surgeon for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.[6]
As a special operations flight surgeon, Green served a tour of duty in the Afghanistan War and two tours of duty in the Iraq War. He was the special operations flight surgeon during Operation Red Dawn, the military operation that captured Saddam Hussein. Green interrogated Hussein for six hours.[2][7] After his military service, he authored a book, A Night With Saddam, detailing the capture and interrogation of Hussein and his service with the Army's elite aviation unit.[5][8] Green was honorably discharged from the Army in 2006.[7][9]
For his service, Green was awarded the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with the V Device for valor under heavy enemy fire while rescuing British Special Operations forces wounded near Fallujah, and the Combat Medical Badge, among other awards. He also earned the Air Assault Badge and the Flight Surgeon Badge[2][5] during his service.
Civilian career
Green founded and served as chief executive officer of Align MD, a hospital emergency department management staffing company. Align MD provides staffing to emergency departments and hospital services in 50 hospitals in 10 states.[10] Green also founded Two Rivers Medical Foundation, which provides health care to underserved populations worldwide via medical mission trips, and operates a free medical clinic in his hometown and in Memphis, Tennessee.[10]
Green served on the boards of several for-profit companies, including American Physician Partners, Align MD, and Rural Physician Partners. Green is also a board member of the Middle Tennessee Boy Scouts of America. He has served on the advisory board of the political organization Latinos for Tennessee since 2015.
In 2015, Williamson College awarded Green an honorary Doctorate of Humanities.[10][11]
Political career
Tennessee State Senate
Green was first elected to the Tennessee Senate in 2012, defeating Democratic incumbent Tim Barnes.[5][12][13] He was rumored to be considering a challenge to Lamar Alexander in the 2014 U.S. Senate election,[14] but declined to do so.[15]
Green is most noteworthy for his legislation ending Tennessee's Hall Income Tax, only the second time in US history a state has repealed an income tax.[16] He also co-sponsored a bill that eliminated the statute of limitations on rape cases where the DNA profile of the suspect is known.[17] Green received awards recognizing his many laws protecting veterans and small businesses.[18][19] He led the charge in Tennessee for automated technology in auto manufacturing, speaking at national conferences on the topic.[20]
In 2015, Green proposed a pilot program to test an innovative solution to health care. The idea was to give Medicaid patients a reduced amount of health care dollars on a swipe card, giving them choice and control. The incentive is that any dollars not spent go to the patient as an addition to their earned income check. SJR 88 passed and was signed by the governor. The request for a waiver to test the program is at CMS for approval.[21]
Green won the 2016 Republican primary 84% to 16% over Lori Smith of Clarksville, Tennessee.[22] In the general election, he defeated Democratic nominee David Cutting, 67% to 33%.
Nomination as U.S. Army Secretary
In April 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Green for United States Secretary of the Army.[23] Green was Trump's second nominee for this position after his first nominee, Vincent Viola, withdrew from consideration.[24]
Green drew some opposition based on public comments about transgender people.[25] At a September 2016 Tea Party gathering in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Green said, "If you polled the psychiatrists, they're going to tell you that transgender is a disease."[26] He also supported a state law that limited access to public restrooms for transgender people to those matching their legal sex, not their gender identity, and told internet radio talk show host CJ Porter that he viewed his support of that law as part of his duty as a state senator to "crush evil".[26][27]
Green also said that if school districts "want to have a bathroom that's separate for all of the, you know, guys or gals with question marks" but were concerned the "AFL-CIO is going to sue you, well, I got your back." It is assumed Green meant the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), not the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO).[28] Green also said that he would "not tolerate" students learning about Muslim beliefs and practices.[29] Green added later that he doesn't "think we should teach the Lord’s Prayer" in schools either. In a call for separation of church and state, he said, "Leave that to the churches, the synagogues, and the mosques."[30]
Green withdrew his nomination on May 5, 2017.[31]
2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election
On January 4, 2017, Green filed paperwork to run for governor in the 2018 gubernatorial election.[32] But in late 2017, when 7th District Representative Marsha Blackburn announced her candidacy for the United States Senate, Green announced he was running for the open congressional seat.[33] His state senate district included almost all of the northeastern part of the congressional district.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2018
Green became the Republican nominee for the 2018 U.S. House of Representatives election in Tennessee's 7th congressional district after running unopposed for the nomination.[34] His State Senate district included much of the northern part of the congressional district. Green won the general election in November and took office in January 2019.
2020
In the 2020 Republican primary, Green was unopposed. On November 3, he defeated Democratic nominee Kiran Sreepada and two independents with 69.9% of the vote.
2022
In the 2022 Republican primary, Green was unopposed. On November 8, he defeated Democratic nominee Odessa Kelly with 60.0% of the vote.
Tenure
After incumbent U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander announced he would not seek reelection in 2020, Green was considered a likely candidate for the seat. But on July 11, 2019, he announced that he would not be a candidate.[35]
In late February 2021, Green and a dozen other Republican House members skipped votes and enlisted others to vote for them, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But he and the other members were actually attending the Conservative Political Action Conference, which was held at the same time as their slated absences.[36] In response, the Campaign for Accountability, an ethics watchdog group, filed a complaint with the House Committee on Ethics and requested an investigation into Green and the other lawmakers.[37]
Committee assignments
Caucus memberships
- Freedom Caucus[42]
- Republican Study Committee[43]
- Special Operations Forces Caucus
- GOP Doctor's Caucus
- Pro-Life Caucus
- Prayer Caucus
- Military Family Caucus
- Military Veterans Caucus
- Congressional Army Caucus
- House Republican Israel Caucus
- Songwriters Caucus
- Values Action Team
- Congressional Recording Arts and Sciences Caucus
Political positions
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Abortion
Green opposes abortion. In a 2019 op-ed, he wrote, "modern science has revealed that mother and baby are, in fact, two separate persons—long before the baby is born" and argued that "a child becomes a child at conception".[44]
Climate change
Green rejects the scientific consensus that human activity plays a key role in climate change.[45]
Creationism
Green rejects the theory of evolution, which is consensus in biology; in a 2015 lecture he used creationist reasoning such as "irreducible complexity".[46]
2020 election
In December 2019, Green voted against the articles of impeachment in the first impeachment of Donald Trump.[47]
In December 2020, Green was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden prevailed over incumbent Donald Trump.[48] The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.[49][50][51]
Vaccines
In 2018, as a congressman-elect, Green said at a constituent meeting, "there is some concern that the rise in autism is the result of the preservatives that are in our vaccines", a claim that has been repeatedly debunked by scientific studies and rejected by medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics.[52]
2024 Republican primary
Green was named as part of the Trump campaign's Tennessee leadership team in April.[53]
Israel-Palestine conflict
Green voted to support Israel following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.[54][55]
Personal life
Green and his wife, Camie, have two children. For most of his tenure in the state senate, he lived in Ashland City, in Cheatham County, south of Clarksville and west of Nashville.[6][56] He has since moved to Clarksville.
Bibliography
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Green | 79,393 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 79,393 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Green | 170,071 | 66.9 | |
| Democratic | Justin Kanew | 81,661 | 32.1 | |
| Independent | Leonard Ladner | 1,582 | 0.6 | |
| Independent | Brent Legendre | 1,070 | 0.4 | |
| Total votes | 254,384 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Green (incumbent) | 73,540 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 73,540 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Green (incumbent) | 245,188 | 69.9 | |
| Democratic | Kiran Sreepada | 95,839 | 27.3 | |
| Independent | Ronald Brown | 7,603 | 2.2 | |
| Independent | Scott Vieira | 2,005 | 0.6 | |
| Total votes | 350,635 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Green (incumbent) | 48,968 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 48,968 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Green (incumbent) | 108,421 | 59.96% | |
| Democratic | Odessa Kelly | 68,973 | 38.14% | |
| Independent | Steven J. Hooper | 3,428 | 1.90% | |
| Total votes | 180,822 | 100.0% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
References
- ↑ "Freedom Caucus Republican to Lead Homeland Security Committee". Bloomberg Government. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- 1 2 3 "Senator Green to speak to Wilson County Conservative Republicans". Thechronicleofmtjuliet.com. July 23, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ↑ "PN1038 – Army". U.S. Congress. May 2, 1986. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
- 1 2 "Mark Green's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 Bonecutter, Hank (November 22, 2011). "Mark Green to run for State Senate » Clarksville, TN Online". Clarksvilleonline.com. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- 1 2 "Tennessee State Senator Mark Green Launches new website". Clarksvilleonline.com. February 2, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- 1 2 Everett, Laurie (July 26, 2013). "State senator talks about his role in Saddam Hussein's capture". Lebanon Democrat. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ↑ Jordan, Elise (December 13, 2009). "A Sleepover With Saddam". Daily Beast.
- ↑ "Congressman Mark Green". Combat Veterans for Congress.
- 1 2 3 "Dr. Mark Green for Tennessee". Retrieved April 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Keynote Speaker Also Proud Military Veteran". Williamson College. Archived from the original on July 31, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ↑ Hicks, Mark (November 7, 2012). "Republican Mark Green victorious over incumbent Sen. Barnes". The Tennessean. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ↑ Bonecutter, Hank (December 21, 2012). "Tennessee State Senator Elect Mark Green Introduces First Bill » Clarksville, TN Online". Clarksvilleonline.com. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ↑ Garrison, Joey (July 8, 2013). "Political Notebook: Lawmaker sparks buzz he may challenge Alexander". The Tennessean. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ↑ Humphrey, Tom (July 14, 2013). "Political notebook: Ramsey, Campfield reject entreaties to oppose Sen. Alexander". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
- ↑ Harvath, Joe (May 15, 2016). "Hall Tax repeal will benefit Tennessee's economy". The Tennessean. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
- ↑ "Under New Legislation, Tennessee Prosecutors Can Stop Statute of Limitations When Suspect's DNA Profile is Known". Tennessee Senate Republicans, via Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on November 10, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- ↑ Erwin (November 2016). "Senator Mark Green receives NFIB award". Clarksville Now. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ↑ "A First for Tennessee Veterans Courts". Tennessee Senate Republicans. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ↑ "Senator Mark Green speaks in national forum on autonomous cars, job creation". The Leaf-Chroncle. May 20, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
- ↑ Rech, Marcus (April 6, 2016). "Tennessee Senate Unanimously Approves Medicaid opt-out Program". The Heartland Institute. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ↑ Ingersoll, Stephanie (August 4, 2016). "Green wins GOP nomination for Senate race". The Leaf-Chronicle. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ↑ Collins, Michael (April 7, 2017). "President Trump nominates Tennessee state Sen. Mark Green for Army secretary". USA Today. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- ↑ Palmeri, Tara; O'Brien, Connor (March 17, 2017). "Sources: Trump to nominate former flight surgeon Mark Green as Army secretary". Politico. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
- ↑ "LGBT advocates 'deeply concerned' with Mark Green nomination as Army secretary". The Tennessean. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- 1 2 Collins, Michael (May 2, 2017). "Sen. John McCain: Army Secretary Nominee's past comments 'very concerning'". USA Today. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
- ↑ Terkel, Amanda (April 20, 2017). "Trump Pick For Army Secretary Says He Opposes Transgender Equality Because He Must 'Crush Evil'". Huffington Post. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Trump derelict in filling key military defense roles". MSNBC. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
- ↑ Collins, Michael (April 16, 2017). "Muslims, LGBT Advocates prepare to fight Mark Green's nomination as Army Secretary". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
- ↑ "Sen. Mark Green discusses Sec. Of Army nomination, opioid crisis, illegal immigration and more - Franklin Home Page". Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
- ↑ "NBC Twitter". NBC News. May 5, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ↑ "Sen. Mark Green launches bid for governor, hires Trump's state director". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ↑ "Blackburn for Senate, Green for House". Nashville Post. October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ↑ Almukhtar, Sarah (August 2, 2018). "Tennessee Primary Election Results". The New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
- ↑ Allison, Natalie; Ebert, Joel (July 11, 2019). "US Rep. Mark Green says he won't run for US Senate in 2020". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ↑ Bash, Dana; Raju, Manu; Diaz, Daniella; Fox, Lauren; Warren, Michael (February 26, 2021). "More than a dozen Republicans tell House they can't attend votes due to 'public health emergency.' They're slated to be at CPAC". CNN. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ↑ Grayer, Annie; Diaz, Daniella (March 10, 2021). "First on CNN: Watchdog group requests investigation into 13 GOP lawmakers for misusing proxy voting". CNN. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ↑ "Rep. Green Selected Chairman of House Homeland Security Committee". Congressman Mark Green. January 9, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Full Committee". Committee on Foreign Affairs. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific". Committee on Foreign Affairs. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere". Committee on Foreign Affairs. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ↑ McPherson, Lindsey (October 31, 2018). "As House Republicans Brace for Losses, Freedom Caucus Prepares for Growth". rollcall.com. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
Potential recruits receiving Freedom Fund money this cycle include Chip Roy in Texas' 21st District, Yvette Herrell in New Mexico's 2nd District, Mark Harris in North Carolina's 9th District, Greg Steube in Florida's 17th District, Denver Riggleman in Virginia's 5th District, Mark Green in Tennessee's 7th District, Russ Fulcher in Idaho's 1st District, Ron Wright in Texas' 6th District and Ben Cline in Virginia's 6th District.
- ↑ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
- ↑ Mark Green, Scientific findings have the potential to change the way abortion is viewed, The Hill (January 17, 2019).
- ↑ "Mark Green talks climate change, medical marijuana and student loan debt during town hall meeting - Brentwood Home Page". Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ↑ "Trump Army secretary pick gave a lecture arguing against the theory of evolution". CNN. May 1, 2017.
- ↑ Ebert, Joel (December 18, 2019). "Tennessee's House members split along party lines on impeaching President Donald Trump". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ↑ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ↑ Liptak, Adam (December 11, 2020). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ↑ "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. December 11, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ↑ Diaz, Daniella. "Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court". CNN. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ↑ Allison, Natalie. "Tennessee U.S. Rep.-elect Mark Green alleges vaccines may cause autism, questions CDC data". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
- ↑ Metzger, Bryan; Saddiq, Omar (February 13, 2023). "Most Republicans are on the fence about Trump's 2024 re-election bid. Here are the few elected officials backing him so far". Business Insider. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ↑ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ↑ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (October 25, 2023). "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Green's listing at Tennessee State Senate page
- ↑ "State of Tennessee - August 6, 2020 Republican Primary" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State.
- ↑ "Tennessee Election Results: Seventh Congressional District". The New York Times. November 3, 2020.
- ↑ "State of Tennessee Republican Primary" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
- ↑ State of Tennessee General Election Results, November 8, 2022, Results By Office (PDF) (Report). Secretary of State of Tennessee. December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
External links
- Congressman Mark E. Green official U.S. House website
- Mark E. Green for Congress Archived December 17, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN