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{{Short description|American politician and journalist (born 1936)}}
{{for-multi|the English footballer|Patrick Roberts|the Australian violinist|Patrick Roberts (violinist)|the Welsh golfer|Pat Roberts (golfer)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Pat Roberts
| image               = Pat Roberts official Senate photo.jpg
| caption             = Roberts in 2015
| jr/sr               = United States Senator
| state               = [[Kansas]]
| term_start          = January 3, 1997
| term_end            = January 3, 2021
| predecessor         = [[Nancy Kassebaum]]
| successor           = [[Roger Marshall]]
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Committee positions|titlestyle=border: 1px dashed lightgrey;}}
{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office1             = Chair of the [[United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry|Senate Agriculture Committee]]
| term_start1         = January 3, 2015
| term_end1           = January 3, 2021
| predecessor1        = [[Debbie Stabenow]]
| successor1          = Debbie Stabenow
| office2             = Chair of the [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Senate Intelligence Committee]]
| term_start2         = January 3, 2003
| term_end2           = January 3, 2007
| predecessor2        = [[Bob Graham]]
| successor2          = [[Jay Rockefeller]]
| office3             = Chair of the [[United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics|Senate Ethics Committee]]
| term_start3         = January 20, 2001
| term_end3           = June 6, 2001
| predecessor3        = [[Harry Reid]]
| successor3          = Harry Reid
| term_start4         = November 19, 1999
| term_end4           = January 3, 2001
| predecessor4        = [[Bob Smith (New Hampshire politician)|Bob Smith]]
| successor4          = Harry Reid
| office5             = Chair of the [[United States House Committee on Agriculture|House Agriculture Committee]]
| term_start5         = January 3, 1995
| term_end5           = January 3, 1997
| predecessor5        = [[Kika de la Garza]]
| successor5          = [[Robert Freeman Smith|Robert Smith]]
}}
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
| state6              = [[Kansas]]
| district6           = {{ushr|KS|1|1st}}
| term_start6         = January 3, 1981
| term_end6           = January 3, 1997
| predecessor6        = [[Keith Sebelius]]
| successor6          = [[Jerry Moran]]
| birth_name          = Charles Patrick Roberts
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1936|4|20}}
| birth_place         = [[Topeka, Kansas]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Franki Fann|1969}}
| children            = 3
| education           = [[Kansas State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| website             = {{URL|roberts.senate.gov|Senate website}}
| allegiance          = {{flag|United States}}
| branch              = {{flag|United States Marine Corps}}
| rank                = [[First Lieutenant (United States)|First Lieutenant]]
| serviceyears        = 1958–1962
| module              = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Sen. Pat Roberts Opens a Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing on Restructuring the Intelligence Community.ogg |title=Roberts's voice |type=speech |description=Roberts opening a [[Senate Intelligence Committee]] hearing on post-[[September 11 attacks|9/11]] intelligence community restructuring.<br>Recorded July 20, 2004}}
}}
'''Charles Patrick Roberts''' (born April 20, 1936) is a retired American politician and journalist who served as a [[United States Senate|United States senator]] from [[Kansas]] from 1997 to 2021. A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], Roberts served 8 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1981 to 1997, before his election to the Senate.

Born in [[Topeka, Kansas]], Roberts is a graduate of [[Kansas State University]]. He served as a First Lieutenant in the [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine Corps]] and worked as a newspaper reporter before entering politics in the late 1960s. He was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] in 1980 to succeed [[1st Congressional District of Kansas|1st District]] Congressman [[Keith Sebelius]], for whom he had worked. He served eight terms in the House, including one as chairman of the [[U.S. House Committee on Agriculture|House Agriculture Committee]].

Roberts was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996. On the Intelligence Committee, he was responsible for an investigation into the intelligence failures prior to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. He was the dean of Kansas's congressional delegation and Chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry|Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee]] (ANF). He is the first person to chair both the House and the Senate agriculture committees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/03/the-irresistible-allure-of-the-united-states-senate/387499/|title=The Senate: Trumping the House for Over 200 Years|last=Berman|first=Russell|date=2015-03-12|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-30}}</ref>

On January 4, 2019, Roberts announced that he would not seek reelection in [[2020 United States Senate election in Kansas|2020]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/kansas-sen-pat-roberts-announces-he-wont-seek-reelection-in-2020/2019/01/04/569b7bf4-0a1c-11e9-a3f0-71c95106d96a_story.html |title=Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts not to seek reelection |date=4 January 2019 |website=WashingtonPost.com}}</ref> He was succeeded by Representative [[Roger Marshall]] of Great Bend on January 3, 2021.

{{TOC limit|3}}

==Early life, education, and early political career==

Roberts was born on April 20, 1936, in [[Topeka, Kansas]],<ref>{{CongLinks |congbio=r000307}}</ref> the son of Ruth B. (née Patrick) and [[C. Wesley Roberts]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/roberts.htm |title=Roberts |website=[[RootsWeb]] |access-date=December 2, 2015 |archive-date=September 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905222626/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/roberts.htm |url-status=dead }}{{self-published source|date=August 2018}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=August 2018}} His father served for four months as [[Chairman of the Republican National Committee]] under [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]. Roberts's great-grandfather, J.W. Roberts, was the founder of the ''Oskaloosa Independent'', which is the second-oldest newspaper in Kansas.

Roberts graduated in 1954 from [[Holton High School]] in [[Holton, Kansas]].<ref name="Printing2014">{{cite book|author=Joint Committee on Printing|title=Official Congressional Directory: 113th Congress|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AOsRkb1EJ_EC&pg=PA105|date=2 May 2014|publisher=Government Printing Office|isbn=978-0-16-091922-0|pages=105–}}</ref> He went on to earn a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in [[journalism]] from [[Kansas State University]] in 1958,<ref name="Printing2014" /> where he became a member of the [[Pi Kappa Alpha]] fraternity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://onlinedigitalpublishing.com/article/ALPHA+OMEGA+CHAPTER+ENJOYS+100+YEARS/1516435/176731/article.html|title=ALPHA OMEGA CHAPTER ENJOYS 100 YEARS|website=onlinedigitalpublishing.com|access-date=2020-04-15}}</ref> From 1958 to 1962, he served as an officer in the [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine Corps]], achieving the rank of First Lieutenant.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} Roberts was a reporter and editor for several [[Arizona]] newspapers between 1962 and 1967,<ref>{{cite news|title=Washington Post US Congress Votes Database|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/R000307|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=19 November 2014}}</ref> when he joined the staff of Republican Kansas Senator [[Frank Carlson]]. In 1969, he became administrative assistant to [[1st Congressional District of Kansas|Kansas's 1st District]] Congressman [[Keith Sebelius]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.k-state.edu/landon/speakers/pat-roberts/|title=Sen. Pat Roberts {{!}} Speakers {{!}} The Landon Lecture Series {{!}} Kansas State University|website=www.k-state.edu|access-date=2020-04-15}}</ref>

==U.S. House of Representatives (1981–1997)==

[[File:Reagan Contact Sheet C49627 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Roberts (right) with President [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1988]]
[[File:Chairman Kika de la Garza and Pat Roberts at a meeting of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.jpg|thumb|right|Roberts and [[Kika de la Garza]] at a [[United States House Committee on Agriculture|House Agriculture Committee]] meeting in 1994]]
[[File:Pat Roberts.jpg|thumb|alt=Pat Roberts's congressional portrait|A previous official congressional portrait of Pat Roberts]]
[[File:Pat Roberts and Richard Myers.gif|thumb|Senator Pat Roberts with [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] General [[Richard Myers|Richard B. Myers]] in 2005]]

===Elections===

After Keith Sebelius announced his retirement, Roberts easily won the Republican primary, which was [[tantamount to election]] in the heavily Republican 1st District. He was re-elected seven times without serious difficulty, never receiving less than 60 percent of the vote; in 1988, he ran unopposed.

===Committee assignments===
Roberts served as the chairman of the [[U.S. House Committee on Agriculture|House Agriculture Committee]] from 1995 to 1997.

===Sponsored Legislation that became Law===
* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/house-bill/4302 Public Law 99-624]: [[Dwight David Eisenhower]] Centennial Commission Act
* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/101st-congress/house-bill/3048 Public Law 101-353]: To designate the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, animal health research building in [[Clay Center, Nebraska]], as the "[[Virginia D. Smith]] Animal Health Research Laboratory"
* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-bill/2854 Public Law 104-107]: [[Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996]]

==U.S. Senate (1997–2021)==
===Elections===
====1996====
{{Main|1996 United States Senate election in Kansas}}
After Republican Senator [[Nancy Kassebaum]] declined to seek a fourth term, Roberts ran to succeed her. He easily won the Republican primary, defeating three minor candidates with 78% of the vote. In the general election, he faced Democratic [[Kansas State Treasurer|State Treasurer]] Sally Thompson. [[Term limits in the United States|Term limits]] were an issue during the campaign; while Roberts said he was not totally opposed to term limits, he was wary of limits that did not apply to current members of Congress, saying the proposed limits should apply to everyone. While Thompson signed the national term limits pledge from the group [[Americans for Limited Government|Americans for Limited Terms]], Roberts declined to do so, becoming the only major party candidate for the U.S. Senate in the [[United States Senate elections, 1996|1996 elections]] to not sign the pledge.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19960925&id=QjczAAAAIBAJ&pg=6637,4661878 |title=Roberts sole candidate to resist term limits tide |work=Lawrence Journal-World |date=September 25, 1996 |access-date=October 15, 2014}}</ref> However, he did say that "I plan only to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate." Despite that stated intention, he eventually served four terms.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/pat-roberts-said-he-in-1996-hed-serve-2-terms-in-senate-hes |title=Pat Roberts Said In 1996 He'd Only Serve Two Terms – He's Running For His Fourth |author=Kaczynski, Andrew|work=BuzzFeed |date=October 14, 2014 |access-date=October 15, 2014}}</ref>

In the general election, Roberts defeated Thompson by 652,677 votes (62.02%) to 362,380 (34.44%), almost certainly helped by the presence of former Kansas Senator [[Bob Dole]] atop the ticket as the Republican presidential nominee.

====2002====

{{Main|2002 United States Senate election in Kansas}}
Roberts was opposed in the Republican primary by Tom Oyler, who had run against him in 1996. Roberts defeated him 84% to 16%. No Democratic candidate opposed him in the general election; he faced only Libertarian nominee Steven Rosile and Reform nominee George H. Cook, defeating them by 641,075 votes (82.52%) to 70,725 (9.10%) and 65,050 (8.37%), respectively.

====2008====

{{Main|2008 United States Senate election in Kansas}}
Roberts was unopposed in the Republican primary and defeated the Democratic nominee, former Congressman [[Jim Slattery]], in the general election by 727,121 votes (60.06%) to 441,399 (36.46%).

====2014====

{{Main|2014 United States Senate election in Kansas}}

In the 2014 election, Roberts faced a hard-fought primary challenge from physician [[Milton R. Wolf]]. Wolf received several endorsements from national organizations associated with the Tea Party movement. Roberts defeated Wolf in the Republican primary by 125,406 votes (48.12%) to 106,202 (40.75%). In the general election, for the second time in his tenure, Roberts did not face a Democratic opponent; Democratic nominee [[Chad Taylor (politician)|Chad Taylor]] withdrew from the race.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.cjonline.com/news/state/2014-09-18/court-permits-taylor-withdraw-senate-race|title=Court permits Taylor to withdraw from Senate race|date=September 18, 2014|first=Tim|last=Carpenter|work=[[The Topeka Capital-Journal]]|access-date=September 18, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141015141703/http://m.cjonline.com/news/state/2014-09-18/court-permits-taylor-withdraw-senate-race|archive-date=October 15, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Roberts won the general election, obtaining 53.15% of the vote; [[Independent politician|Independent]] [[Greg Orman]] received 42.53%, while Libertarian nominee Randall Batson received 4.32%.

===Tenure===

Despite being the longest-serving member of the Kansas delegation, Roberts spent the first 14 years of his Senate career as Kansas's ''junior'' senator, since [[Sam Brownback]] had taken office on election day 1996 to finish out Dole's term. However, after Brownback gave up his seat to make a successful run for [[Governor of Kansas|governor]], Roberts became Kansas's senior senator.

Roberts was a senior member of the [[U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services|Senate Armed Services Committee]], chairing the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. This subcommittee oversaw the [[United States military|military]]'s work in the area of [[homeland security]] and the efforts to prevent proliferation of [[Weapons of mass destruction|nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons]].

After winning the 2008 Presidential election, [[Barack Obama]] nominated [[Tom Daschle]] for [[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/08/AR2009010800469.html?hpid=topnews|title=Obama's pick to lead on health care gets hearing|last=Freking|first=Kevin|date=January 8, 2009|work=in Washington Post|agency=Associated Press|access-date=January 8, 2009}}</ref> In February, after Daschle offered a public apology for his failure to pay income taxes on use of a luxury car and driver, Roberts declined to state his opinion of Daschle's explanation and stated that sentiment for the nomination in Kansas was "not especially good".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/us/politics/03daschle.html|title=Daschle Apologizes Over Taxes as Allies Give Support|first1=Carl|last1=Hulse|first2=Robert|last2=Pear|date=February 3, 2009|work=New York Times|access-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref> Daschle subsequently withdrew.

In March 2009, Roberts was one of fourteen senators to vote against a procedural move that essentially guaranteed a major expansion of a national service corps. The bill was estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to cost at least an outlay for the fiscal year 2010 of $418{{spaces}}million toward around $5.7{{spaces}}billion from 2010 through 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/national-service-corps-bill-clears-senate-hurdle/|title=National Service Corps Bill Clears Senate Hurdle|first=Kate|last=Phillips|date=March 23, 2009|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref>

In May 2009, President Obama nominated [[Sonia Sotomayor]] for Supreme Court Associate Justice. Roberts had previously voted against Sotomayor with twenty-eight other Republicans when she was nominated for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. In an interview shortly after the nomination, Roberts was asked if he would vote for Sotomayor to avoid being called a "bigot" and answered, "I’m a Marine and nothing much scares me. That's not going to be a consideration in my vote." Roberts stated his reasons for voting against Sotomayor in 1998 in a separate interview, and that he did "not plan to vote for her". Roberts's comments were significant for his being the first Republican to announce how he would vote on the Sotomayor nomination.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/sotomayor-gets-her-first-nay-vote/|title=Sotomayor Gets Her First 'Nay' Vote|first=Kate|last=Phillips|date=May 28, 2009|work=New York Times|access-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref> Sotomayor was confirmed in August in a vote of 68 to 31 with Roberts voting against the nomination.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/us/politics/07confirm.html|title=Sotomayor Confirmed by Senate, 68-31|first=Charlie|last=Savage|work=The New York Times|date=August 6, 2009|access-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref>

President Obama's top domestic agenda at the start of his presidency was to ensure health insurance for all Americans, which entailed Democrats in Congress scaling back their proposals in attempts to trim tens of billions of dollars a year from existing health programs. Roberts pushed back against a proposal by the Obama administration to use $600{{spaces}}billion of Medicare and Medicaid savings to pay for health care legislation, saying, "More cuts to Medicare? Let’s not do that right now, please."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/us/19health.html|title=Democrats Scramble to Cut Costs From Health Plan|first=Roberts|last=Pear|date=June 18, 2009|work=New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2020}}</ref>

Roberts rose to the Chair of the [[United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry#Historical committee rosters|Committee on ANF]] in the 2014-2016 [[114th Congress]]. He continued to chair the Committee for the duration of his tenure in the [[115th Congress]] and the [[116th Congress]].

In June 2016, the "Roberts GMO bill" which had come out of the Committee on ANF was proposed as an amendment to [[Public Law 114-214]] by [[Mitch McConnell]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2016/06/29/senate-section/article/S4703-1|title = Congressional Record Senate Articles}}</ref> Public Law 114-214 was also known to opponents as the DARK Act, for "Deny Americans the Right to Know" about [[GMO foods]].<ref name=labelit/><ref name=ecow>{{cite web| url=http://www.ecowatch.com/dark-act-clears-first-senate-hurdle-now-what-1908717697.html |author=Lorraine Chow |title=GMO Label Bill Clears Major Hurdle in Senate ... Now What?| publisher=EcoWatch |date=July 7, 2016 |access-date=November 4, 2016}}</ref><ref name=brodwin>{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/opinion/economic-intelligence/2015/07/30/dont-stop-states-from-passing-gmo-labeling-laws |author=David Brodwin |title=Don't Leave GMOs in the Dark |publisher=U.S. News & World Report |date=July 30, 2015 |access-date=August 1, 2015}}</ref>

In February 2019, when asked about comments by House Agriculture Committee Chairman [[Collin Peterson]] regarding the passage of the reauthorization of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act, Roberts stated his support for both, and in passing child nutrition reauthorization legislation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.tsln.com/news/roberts-wants-to-revive-child-nutrition-legislation/|title=Sen. Pat Roberts wants to revive child nutrition legislation|date=February 7, 2019|publisher=tsln.com}}</ref>

Roberts served as chairman of the [[Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial]] Commission, dedicating the [[List of national memorials of the United States|memorial]] on September 17, 2020, after many years of planning.

In September 2020, with less than two months to the next presidential election, Roberts supported an immediate vote on President Trump's nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy caused by the death of justice [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]]. Roberts argued that it was the "Senate’s constitutional duty to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court". Previously in March 2016, around seven months before the next presidential election, Roberts argued that President Obama's Supreme Court nominee should not be considered by the Senate, as the process would be "rushed", and that this was "about giving the American people and the next president a role in selecting the next Supreme Court justice" via the upcoming presidential election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Desjardins |first1=Lisa |title=What every Republican senator has said about filling a Supreme Court vacancy in an election year |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-every-republican-senator-has-said-about-filling-a-supreme-court-vacancy-in-an-election-year |access-date=September 30, 2020 |work=[[PBS NewsHour]] |date=September 22, 2020}}</ref>

===Agriculture Committee attendance===

During his tenure in the Senate, Roberts missed 130 (65%) of his Agriculture Committee meetings.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://cjonline.com/news/2014-10-13/roberts-misses-two-thirds-ag-committee-meetings-2000 |title=Roberts misses two-thirds of ag committee meetings since 2000 |last=Carpenter |first=Tim |work=[[The Topeka Capital-Journal]] |date=October 13, 2014 |access-date=December 2, 2015}}</ref> The Agriculture Committee is responsible for farm, nutrition and forestry issues.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://6lawrence.com/news/politics/12241-records-pat-roberts-missed-most-agricultural-committee-meetings |title=Records: Pat Roberts missed most agricultural committee meetings |website=[[6 News Lawrence]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=October 14, 2014 |access-date=December 2, 2015}}</ref>

===Controversy===

While participating in negotiations over the Republican-sponsored [[American Healthcare Act]], Roberts was asked by Alice Ollstein if he supported a proposed revision to mandated coverage in the bill. He responded: "I wouldn't want to lose my mammograms."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-maternity-care_us_58d3de49e4b0b22b0d1a6c7a |title=Nancy Pelosi: GOP Health Care Plan Would Make 'Being A Woman A Preexisting Condition' |author=Terkel, Amanda|website=[[Huffington Post]] |date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> This comment was widely condemned.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theslot.jezebel.com/ahca-amendment-would-stop-medicaid-coverage-for-moms-wh-1793577711 |title=AHCA Amendment Would Stop Medicaid Coverage For Moms Who Don't Find Work 60 Days After Giving Birth |website=[[Jezebel (website)|Jezebel]] |author=Lutkin, Aimée|date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a9174031/pat-roberts-obamacare-joke/ |title=This Dude Senator Made a Sh*tty Joke About Women's Health Care |author=Nelson, Rebecca|website=[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]] |date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> Roberts subsequently apologized.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/03/23/i-wouldnt-want-to-lose-my-mammograms-snipes-gop-male-lawmaker/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_fix-mamogram550p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory |title='I wouldn't want to lose my mammograms,' male GOP senator says – then immediately regrets |author=Phillips, Amber|newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=March 23, 2017 |access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref>

===Sponsored legislation===

* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/senate-bill/1718 Public Law 108-144]: A bill to designate the facility of the [[United States Postal Service]] located at 3710 West 73rd Terrace in [[Prairie Village, Kansas]], as the "Senator [[James B. Pearson]] Post Office"
* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/senate-bill/2136 Public Law 108-207]: An original bill to extend the final report date and termination date of the [[9/11 Commission]], to provide additional funding for the Commission, and for other purposes
* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/643 Public Law 109-17]: A bill to amend the [[Agricultural Credit Act of 1987]] to reauthorize State mediation programs
* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/1025 Public Law 109-299]: [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]] Project Equus Beds Division Authorization Act of 2005
* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1616 Public Law 115-60]: [[Bob Dole]] [[Congressional Gold Medal]] Act
* [https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2040 Public Law 115-162]: A bill to designate the facility of the [[United States Postal Service]] located at 621 Kansas Avenue in [[Atchison, Kansas]], as the "[[Amelia Earhart]] Post Office Building"

===Committee assignments===

* '''[[United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry|Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry]]''' (Chairman during 114-116th Congresses)
** [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology|Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology]]
** [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health|Subcommittee on Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health]]
** [[United States Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support|Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support]] 
* '''[[United States Senate Committee on Finance|Committee on Finance]]'''
** [[United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Taxation, IRS Oversight, and Long-Term Growth|Subcommittee on Taxation, IRS Oversight, and Long-term Growth]]
** [[United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy|Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy]]
** [[United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness|Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness]]
* '''[[United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions|Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions]]'''
** [[United States Senate Health Subcommittee on Children and Families|Subcommittee on Children and Families]]
* '''[[United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics|Select Committee on Ethics]]'''
* '''[[United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration|Committee on Rules & Administration]]'''

===Caucuses===

[[Senate Republican Conference]]

==Political positions==
===Social issues===

Roberts is [[anti-abortion]],<ref>[http://www.robertsforsenate.com/index.cfm/pat-roberts-is-pro-life PAT ROBERTS IS PRO-LIFE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025131127/http://robertsforsenate.com/index.cfm/pat-roberts-is-pro-life |date=October 25, 2014 }}. Official Website. Retrieved: 22 October 2014.</ref> opposes [[same-sex marriage]],<ref name="Pat Roberts on the Issues">[http://ontheissues.org/Senate/Pat_Roberts.htm "Pat Roberts on the Issues".] OnTheIssues. Retrieved December 14, 2009.</ref> and denied Americans the right to know about [[GMO foods]] as part of [[Public Law 114-214]].

====Healthcare and Obamacare====

Roberts opposed President [[Barack Obama]]'s health reform legislation; he voted against the [[Affordable Care Act]] in December 2009,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00396|title=Roll Call Vote|publisher=Senate.gov|access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref> and he voted against the [[Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00105|title=U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home > Votes > Roll Call Vote|publisher=Senate.gov|access-date=August 29, 2010}}</ref>
In September 2017, Roberts supported the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill. When interviewed about why he supported it, Roberts repeatedly refused to say why he thought the bill was good, and avoided speaking about the bill's policy contents. Instead, he said he supported the bill because it was the last best chance to repeal Obamacare.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/9/20/16333876/republican-senators-graham-cassidy|title=GOP senators are rushing to pass Graham-Cassidy. We asked 9 to explain what it does.|author=Stein, Jeff|work=Vox|access-date=2018-08-13}}</ref>

====GMO foods law====

Roberts introduced a biotech labeling and [[GMO foods]] bill on February 19, 2016. The bill aims to establish a standardized voluntary labeling plan that would block the state of [[Vermont]] from enacting its mandatory genetic engineering labeling law on July{{spaces}}1 of that year. In addition it seeks to promote "consumer acceptance of agricultural biotechnology". The Roberts GMO bill was supported by the [[Grocery Manufacturers of America]], the [[Food & Agriculture, Biotechnology Innovation Organization]], the [[American Bakers Association]], the [[International Dairy Foods Association]], and the [[Snack Food Association]] amongst others in the face of the opposition for more than a decade of more than 90% of the public.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smartbrief.com/s/2016/02/bill-proposes-national-labeling-policy-biotech-foods|title=Bill proposes national labeling policy for biotech foods|date=2016-02-22|website=SmartBrief|language=en|access-date=2020-01-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2016/02/20/Senator-Pat-Roberts-proposes-GMO-labeling-bill|title = Sen. Pat Roberts proposes GMO labeling bill, as July 1 deadline to label products in Vermont looms| date=February 20, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/regulation/270140-gop-senator-unveils-bill-to-block-state-gmo-label-laws|title = GOP senator unveils bill to block state GMO label laws|date = February 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/science/strong-support-for-labeling-modified-foods.html|title = Strong Support for Labeling Modified Foods|newspaper = The New York Times|date = July 27, 2013|last1 = Kopicki|first1 = Allison}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97567&page=1|title=Poll: Skepticism of Genetically Modified Foods|website=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/10/29/its-not-that-gmo-labeling-is-popular-its-that-people-are-clueless/ |title=Here's why GMO labeling initiatives might fail – again |date=2021-11-25 |orig-date=2014-10-29 |author1=Chris Mooney |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}}{{WaPoCheckDates}}</ref> It was noted that the [[World Health Organization]], the [[American Medical Association]], the [[National Academy of Sciences]] and "the concerted advocacy of 107 concerned Nobel laureates" all were in favour of GMO foods. The ''fait accompli'' fallacy was used by a writer for ''[[National Geographic]]'' to conclude her article in favour of the Roberts bill,<ref name=natgeogmo/> whereas labeling of GMO food is mandated in at least 64 countries, including most European countries, China, Russia, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia.<ref name=labelit>{{cite web |url= http://www.justlabelit.org/right-to-know-center/labeling-around-the-world/ |title=Labeling around the world| publisher=justlabelit.org| date=  | access-date=November 4, 2016}}</ref>

The bill was engrossed into [[Public Law 114-214]]. At the time, Vermont governor [[Peter Shumlin]] said that "For a Republican-controlled Congress that continually argues for states’ rights to act to take away Vermonters’ right to know what is in their food is the height of hypocrisy and a sad statement on the power of special interests in Congress." An environmental advocacy organization said that "the food lobby spent over $100 million in the fight to block GMO labeling in 2015".<ref name="natgeogmo">{{cite news |last1=RUPP |first1=REBECCA |title=GMOs: Is Just Any Label Enough? |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/gmo-label |agency=National Geographic Society |publisher=National Geographic Partners, LLC |date=14 July 2016}}</ref>

President Obama signed the bill into law on July 29, 2016.

====Environment====

Roberts worked to secure $15{{spaces}}million for research on [[carbon sequestration]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cjonline.com/stories/102900/kan_subercol.shtml|title=CJ Online &#124; Kansas News &#124; Jim Suber: Roberts's study of carbon sequestration is in search of 'win-win' situation 10/29/00<!--bot generated title-->}}</ref> On the topic of [[global warming]], Roberts has said, "There's no question there's some global warming, but I'm not sure what it means. A lot of this is condescending elitism."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cjonline.com/news/state/2010-08-24/oil_gas_industry_its_not_our_fault|title=Oil, gas industry: It's not our fault|last=Carpenter|first=Tim|work=The Topeka Capital|access-date=2018-02-22|language=en}}</ref>

Roberts voted to confirm [[Gale Norton]] as [[United States Secretary of the Interior|U.S. Secretary of the Interior]], to exclude oil and gas [[smokestack]]s from [[mercury (element)|mercury]] regulations, and to reclassify the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) as a Cabinet department.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Pat_Roberts.htm#Environment|title=Pat Roberts on Environment|publisher=[[On the Issues]]|access-date=December 2, 2015}}</ref>

In 2012, Roberts introduced an amendment that would open up the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]] to drilling for oil and approve the [[Keystone XL Pipeline]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/article/20120313/senate-rejects-drilling-oil-arctic-refuge|title=Senate rejects drilling for oil in Arctic refuge|date=March 13, 2012|access-date=September 16, 2014|publisher=Alaska Dispatch News}}</ref>

In 2017, Roberts was one of 22 senators to sign a letter<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/download/?id=E1E34574-5655-42AA-92E8-0D23DC8C33BA&download=1|title=Senator|last1=Inhofe|first1=James|access-date=7 June 2017}}</ref> to President [[Donald Trump]] urging the President to have the United States withdraw from the [[Paris Agreement]]. According to  [[OpenSecrets]], Roberts has received over $415,000 from oil, gas and coal interests since 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/01/republican-senators-paris-climate-deal-energy-donations|title=The Republicans who urged Trump to pull out of Paris deal are big oil darlings|first1=Tom|last1=McCarthy|first2=Lauren|last2=Gambino|date=June 1, 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=June 1, 2017}}</ref>

====Education====

In January 2014, Roberts introduced the Opportunities Created At the Local Level Act. The bill would allow states to freely choose without federal intervention in their education standards, testing and curricula.<ref>Martin, Aaron. [http://riponadvance.com/news/roberts-measure-aims-state-educational-autonomy/6424 "Roberts measure aims for state educational autonomy"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313225733/http://riponadvance.com/news/roberts-measure-aims-state-educational-autonomy/6424 |date=March 13, 2014 }}. ''Ripon Advance''. January 31, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.</ref>

In February 2019, Roberts was one of twenty senators to sponsor the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, enabling employers to contribute up to $5,250 to the student loans of their employees as a means of granting employees relief and incentivizing applicants to apply to jobs with employers who implement the policy.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wtkr.com/2019/02/13/warner-thune-introduce-legislation-to-address-student-debt-crisis/|title=Warner, Thune introduce legislation to address student debt crisis|first=Julia|last=Varnier|date=February 13, 2019|publisher=wtkr.com}}</ref>

====Domestic security====

Roberts supports the [[Patriot Act]], and the President's authority for warrantless surveillance.<ref name="Pat Roberts on the Issues" /><ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/sen-roberts-bush-has-authority-for-nsa-program "Sen. Roberts: Bush Has Authority for NSA Program"] Fox News. Retrieved September 29, 2014.</ref> Roberts was the only senator blocking the nomination of Army Secretary [[Eric Fanning]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/11/us/eric-fanning-army-secretary-nomination-blocked.html|title=Army Secretary Nomination is Blocked by a G.O.P. Senator|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|date=11 May 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=11 May 2016|pages=A14}}</ref> Roberts's refusal to lift his hold on the nomination until President Obama promised to never move anyone from the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]] to [[Fort Leavenworth]] drew criticism on the Senate floor from Armed Services Committee Chairman [[John McCain]], who noted that the [[United States Secretary of the Army]] has no control over the detainees.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/05/11/eric-fanning-and-the-army-deserve-better-than-this-from-congress/|title=Eric Fanning and the Army deserve better than this from Congress|last1=Capehart|first1=Jonathan|date=11 May 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref>

====Intelligence program====

{{Main|Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program}}

The 2004 [[Intelligence Authorization Act]] saw the creation of the [[Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program]]. The program links undergraduate and graduate students with US security and intelligence agencies" by providing funding to selected US students entering university, in return for a commitment to join the agency for at least 18 months on graduation.<ref name="counterpunch">''[[CounterPunch]]'', June 23, 2009, [http://www.counterpunch.org/price06232009.html Son of PRISP: Obama's Classroom Spies] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129210246/http://www.counterpunch.org/price06232009.html |date=November 29, 2010 }}</ref> PRISP is a decentralized program which funds students through various intelligence agencies.<ref name="CPMar05">''[[CounterPunch]]'', March 12, 2005, [http://www.counterpunch.org/price03122005.html Exposing the Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program: The CIA's Campus Spies] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001012451/http://www.counterpunch.org/price03122005.html |date=October 1, 2010 }}</ref>

====Investigation into pre-war intelligence on Iraq====

As chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Roberts was responsible for the committee's investigation into the intelligence failures prior to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. The first half of the [[Senate Report of Pre-war Intelligence on Iraq]] was released on July 9, 2004. The second half, according to language voted on by the full Committee, consists of five parts including: whether public statements and reports and testimony regarding Iraq by U.S. Government officials made between the Gulf War period and the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom were substantiated by intelligence information; the postwar findings about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and weapons programs and links to terrorism and how they compare with prewar assessments; prewar intelligence assessments about postwar Iraq; any intelligence activities relating to Iraq conducted by the Policy Counterterrorism Evaluation Group (PCTEG) and the Office of Special Plans within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; and the use by the Intelligence Community of information provided by the Iraqi National Congress (INC).

====Immigration====

A member of the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] at the time, Roberts voted against Ronald Reagan's [[Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986|1986 immigration limited amnesty bill]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Pat_Roberts_Immigration.htm|title=Pat Roberts on Immigration|website=www.ontheissues.org|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref>

In June 2018, Roberts was one of 13 Republican senators to sign a letter to [[United States Attorney General|U.S. Attorney General]] [[Jeff Sessions]] requesting a moratorium on the [[Trump administration family separation policy]] while Congress drafted legislation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/393108-dozen-gop-senators-ask-administration-to-pause-separation-of|title=13 GOP senators ask administration to pause separation of immigrant families|date=June 19, 2018|work=The Hill}}</ref> He is in favor of increasing border patrols to reduce undocumented immigrant flow.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Pat_Roberts_Immigration.htm|title=Pat Roberts on Immigration|website=www.ontheissues.org|access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref>

====Net neutrality====

In May 2018, Roberts voted against a bill that would reinstate net neutrality rules and thereby overturn the FCC's repeal via a law authorizing Congress to reverse regulatory actions by a simple majority vote.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-internet/senate-approves-bill-in-bid-to-retain-u-s-net-neutrality-idUSKCN1IH2DS|title=Senate approves bill in bid to retain U.S. net neutrality|date=May 16, 2018|first=David|last=Shepardson|publisher=Reuters}}</ref>

====Taxes====

In March 2019, Roberts was a cosponsor of a bipartisan bill to undo a drafting error in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that mandated stores and restaurants to have to write off the costs of renovations over the course of 39 years via authorizing businesses to immediately deduct the entirety of costs of renovations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/433916-senators-offer-bipartisan-bill-to-fix-retail-glitch-in-gop-tax-law|title=Senators offer bipartisan bill to fix 'retail glitch' in GOP tax law|first=Naomi|last=Jagoda|date=March 14, 2019|work=The Hill|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811085017/https://thehill.com/policy/finance/433916-senators-offer-bipartisan-bill-to-fix-retail-glitch-in-gop-tax-law|archive-date=August 11, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

====United States Postal Service====

In March 2019, Roberts was a cosponsor of a bipartisan resolution led by [[Gary Peters]] and [[Jerry Moran]] that opposed privatization of the [[United States Postal Service]] (USPS), citing the USPS as an establishment that was self-sustained and noting concerns that a potential privatization could cause higher prices and reduced services for customers of USPS with a particular occurrence in rural communities.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Peters-Moran-opposing-privatization-of-USPS-506834151.html|title=Peters, Moran reintroduce bipartisan resolution opposing privatization of USPS|date=March 7, 2019|publisher=uppermichiganssource.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308095553/https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Peters-Moran-opposing-privatization-of-USPS-506834151.html|archive-date=March 8, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Gun law===

Roberts has an "A" grade from the [[National Rifle Association of America]] (NRA) for his consistent, ongoing support of pro-gun legislation. The NRA endorsed Roberts in the 2014 election; the NRA-Political Victory Fund chairman said, "Pat is the only ally and battle-tested candidate in this race who has consistently protected our Second Amendment freedoms."<ref name="NRAPVF1004G">{{cite web|title=NRA Endorses Pat Roberts for U.S. Senate in Kansas|url=https://www.nrapvf.org/articles/20140908/nra-endorses-pat-roberts-for-us-senate-in-kansas|website=NRA-PVF|access-date=4 October 2017|language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909183403/https://www.nrapvf.org/articles/20140908/nra-endorses-pat-roberts-for-us-senate-in-kansas|archive-date=September 9, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 1998, the NRA has provided Roberts $23,800 in donations.<ref name="Kraske1004G">{{cite web|last1=Kraske|first1=Steve|title=Who's the top recipient of NRA donations anywhere in the country? Take a bow, Sen. Roy Blunt|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article83852587.html|website=The Kansas City Star|access-date=4 October 2017|language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616174553/http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article83852587.html|archive-date=June 16, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

One month after the [[Orlando nightclub shooting]] Roberts voted for two Republican-backed proposals on gun policy: [[Chuck Grassley]]'s amendment to increase funding for [[background check]]s and [[John Cornyn]]'s policy that would have put a 72-hour hold on any terrorist suspect buying a gun. He voted against both the Democrat's policies, including the Feinstein Amendment, which banned suspected terrorists from buying guns.<ref name="Tate1004G">{{cite web|last1=Tate|first1=Curtis|title=On Senate gun vote, Kansas' Roberts, Moran stick to party line|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article84939727.html|website=McClatchy|access-date=4 October 2017|language=en}}</ref> Roberts voted against the Manchin-Toomey amendment to expand [[background check]]s for gun purchases.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/04/17/senate-roll-call-vote-gun-background-checks/2091625/|title=How Senators voted: Expanding gun background checks|date=April 17, 2013|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=USA Today}}</ref>

In the immediate aftermath of the [[2017 Las Vegas shooting]], Roberts said it was "too early" to discuss gun policy change.<ref name="FP1004G">{{cite web|agency=Agence France-Presse|title=Republicans freeze on gun control demand – The Manila Times Online|url=http://www.manilatimes.net/republicans-freeze-gun-control-demand/354575/|website=The Manila Times|date=October 4, 2017|access-date=4 October 2017}}</ref>

In February 2018, after the [[Stoneman Douglas High School shooting]] in which 17 were killed, Roberts came out in favor of age limits on the [[AR-15]], the weapon used at the high school shooting. Roberts said, "Certainly nobody under 21 should have an AR-15. I don't know why anybody would want an AR-15 unless they're going to take one out on the shooting range."<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/02/22/nra-backed-sen-pat-roberts-nobody-under-21-should-have-an-ar-15/|title=NRA-backed Sen. Pat Roberts: 'Nobody under 21 should have an AR-15'|last=O'Keefe|first=Ed|date=2018-02-22|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2018-02-22|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name=nyt20180225>{{cite news |title=Is This the Moment for Gun Control? A Gridlocked Congress Is Under Pressure |first1=Sheryl Gay|last1=Stolberg |first2=Jonathan |last2=Martin |first3=Thomas |last3=Kaplan |date=February 25, 2018 |access-date=July 9, 2018 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/25/us/politics/gun-control-congress-governors.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kansas Republican backs raising age to buy semiautomatic rifles |first=Sophie |last=Tatum |date=February 22, 2018 |access-date=July 9, 2018 |agency=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/22/politics/pat-roberts-age-limits-guns/index.html}}</ref>

In January 2019, Roberts was one of thirty-one Republican senators to cosponsor the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill introduced by [[John Cornyn]] and [[Ted Cruz]] which would grant individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state the right to exercise this right in any other state with concealed carry laws while concurrently abiding by that state's laws.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kcbd.com/2019/01/10/sens-cruz-cornyn-file-concealed-carry-reciprocity-bill/|title=Sens. Cruz, Cornyn file Concealed-Carry Reciprocity Bill|date=January 10, 2019|publisher=kcbd.com}}</ref>

===Foreign policy===

In December 2010, Roberts voted against the ratification of [[New&nbsp;START]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Mark Memmott |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/22/132262684/senate-ratifies-start |title=Senate Ratifies START |publisher=npr.org |date=22 December 2010 |access-date=22 December 2010}}</ref> a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and [[Russia|Russian Federation]] obliging both countries to have no more than 1,550 strategic warheads as well as 700 launchers deployed during the next seven years along with providing a continuation of on-site inspections that halted when [[START&nbsp;I]] expired the previous year. It was the first arms treaty with Russia in eight years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/world/europe/23treaty.html|title=Senate Passes Arms Control Treaty With Russia, 71-26|first=Peter|last=Baker|work=New York Times|date=December 22, 2010}}</ref>

In September 2016, Roberts was one of thirty-four senators to sign a letter to [[United States Secretary of State]] [[John Kerry]] advocating for the United States using "all available tools to dissuade Russia from continuing its airstrikes in Syria that are clearly not in our interest" and saying there should be clear enforcement by the US of the airstrikes violating "a legally binding Security Council Resolution".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/296603-gop-pressures-kerry-on-russias-use-of-iranian-airbase|title=GOP pressures Kerry on Russia's use of Iranian airbase|date=September 19, 2016|first=Rebecca|last=Kheel|work=The Hill}}</ref>

In June 2017, Roberts voted against a resolution by [[Rand Paul]] and [[Chris Murphy]] that would block President Trump's $510{{spaces}}million sale of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia which made up a portion of the $110{{spaces}}billion arms sale Trump announced during his visit to Saudi Arabia the previous year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/13/politics/senate-saudi-arms-deal-paul/index.html|title=Senate narrowly votes to back Saudi arms sale|author=Herb, Jeremy|date=June 13, 2017|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/13/saudi-arabia-weapons-sales-senate-approves-239505|title=Senate backs weapons sales to Saudi Arabia|first=Elana|last=Schor|date=June 13, 2017|publisher=Politico}}</ref>

In March 2018, Roberts voted to table a resolution spearheaded by [[Bernie Sanders]], [[Chris Murphy]], and [[Mike Lee]] that would have required President Trump to withdraw American troops either in or influencing [[Yemen]] within the next thirty days unless they were combating [[Al-Qaeda]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/379392-senate-sides-with-trump-on-providing-saudi-military-support|title=Senate sides with Trump on providing Saudi military support|author=Carney, Jordain|date=March 20, 2018|work=The Hill}}</ref>

In July 2019, Roberts was one of sixteen Republican senators to send a letter to Acting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director [[Russell Vought]], Acting White House Chief of Staff [[Mick Mulvaney]], and Treasury Secretary [[Steven Mnuchin]] encouraging them to work with them to prevent a continuing resolution "for FY 2020 that would delay the implementation of the President's National Defense Strategy (NDS) and increase costs" and that the year long continuing resolution suggested by administration officials would render the Defense Department "incapable of increasing readiness, recapitalizing our force, or rationalizing funding to align with the National Defense Strategy (NDS)".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2019/07/06/marsha-blackburn-david-perdue-colleagues-encourage-trump-administration-to-avoid-another-continuing-resolution/|title=Marsha Blackburn, David Perdue, Colleagues Encourage Trump Administration to Avoid Another Continuing Resolution|date=July 6, 2019|publisher=clarksvilleonline.com}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Roberts married Franki Fann in 1969. The couple has three adult children: David, Ashleigh, and Anne-Wesley.<ref>[http://jrm.phys.ksu.edu/Genealogy/Needham/d0003/I112.html "Patrick 'Pat' ROBERTS".] The Needham Family. Retrieved December 14, 2009.</ref>

Roberts lives in [[Alexandria, Virginia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/05/us/politics/national-gop-moves-to-take-over-campaign-of-kansas-senator.html?_r=2 |title=National G.O.P. Moves to Take Over Campaign of Kansas Senator|first=Jonathan |last=Martin|work=The New York Times|date=September 4, 2014|access-date=September 4, 2014}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that the house Roberts claimed as his residence in [[Dodge City, Kansas]], is actually owned and occupied by campaign contributors C. Duane and Phyllis Ross.<ref name="Out_of_Dodge">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/us/senator-races-to-show-ties-including-an-address-in-kansas.html |title=Lacking a House, a Senator Is Renewing His Ties in Kansas |last1=Martin |first1=Jonathan |date=February 7, 2014 |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 9, 2014}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
'''[[2014 United States Senate election in Kansas]]'''
{|
|-
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 53.3%'''
|-
|Greg Orman (Ind.) 42.4%
|-
|Randall Batson (Lib.) 4.3%
|}

'''United States Senate Republican Primary election in Kansas, 2014'''
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 48%'''
|-
|Milton Wolf (R) 40.7%
|-
|D.J. Smith (R) 5.7%
|-
|Alvin Zahnter (R) 5.3%
|}

'''[[2008 United States Senate election in Kansas]]'''
{|
|-
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 60%'''
|-
|Jim Slattery (D) 36%
|}
'''[[2002 United States Senate election in Kansas]]'''

{|
|-
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 82.5%'''
|-
|Steven Rosile (Lib.) 9.1%
|-
|George Cook (Reform) 8.4%
|}

'''United States Senate Republican Primary election in Kansas, 2002'''
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 83.7%'''
|-
|Tom Oyler (R) 16.3%
|}

'''[[1996 United States Senate election in Kansas]]'''

{|
|-
|'''Pat Roberts (R) 62%'''
|-
|Sally Thompson (D) 34.4%
|-
|Mark S. Marney (Reform) 2.3%
|-
|Steven Rosile (Lib.) 1.2%
|}

'''United States Senate Republican Primary election in Kansas, 1996'''
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Pat Roberts (R) 78.2%'''
|-
|Tom Little (R) 8%
|-
|Thomas Oyler (R) 7.4%
|-
|Richard Cooley (R) 6.4%
|}

'''1994 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election'''

{|
|-
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 77%'''
|-
|Terry L. Nichols (D) 23%
|}

'''1992 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election'''
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 68%'''
|-
|Duane West (D) 29%
|-
|Steven Rosile (L) 2%
|}

'''1990 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election'''
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 62%'''
|-
|Duane West (D) 37%
|}

'''1988 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election'''
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 100%'''
|}

'''1986 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election'''

{|
|-
|'''Pat Roberts (R) (inc.) 76.5%'''
|-
|Dale Lyon (D) 23.5%
|}

'''1980 Kansas 1st District United States Congressional Election'''

{|
|-
|'''Pat Roberts (R) 62%'''
|-
|Phil Martin (D) 38%
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}

[[United States congressional delegations from Kansas]]

==Notes and references==

{{Notelist}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [https://roberts.senate.gov/ Senator Pat Roberts]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} official U.S. Senate website
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150624083608/http://www.robertsforsenate.com/ Pat Roberts for Senate]
{{CongLinks |congbio=r000307 |votesmart=26866 |fec=S6KS00080 |congress=pat-roberts/968}}
* {{C-SPAN|16354}}
* [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/pat-roberts Collected news and commentary] at ''[[Huffington Post]]''
* [http://www.topix.com/us-senate/pat-roberts Collected news and commentary] at [[Topix]]
* [http://maplight.org/us-congress/legislator/602-charles-pat-roberts Financial information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115133236/http://maplight.org/us-congress/legislator/602-charles-pat-roberts |date=January 15, 2017 }} at Maplight
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726140212/http://www.eisenhowerinstitute.org/scholarships/eisenhower_leadership_prize.dot 2004 Eisenhower Leadership Prize to Pat Roberts]
* ''[http://www.smalltownpapers.com/newspapers/newspaper.php?id=302 Oskaloosa Independent]''

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Pat}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American journalists]]
[[Category:20th-century Kansas politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:20th-century United States senators]]
[[Category:21st-century Kansas politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century United States senators]]
[[Category:20th-century American male journalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Methodists from Kansas]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Kansas]]
[[Category:Politicians from Topeka, Kansas]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kansas]]
[[Category:Republican Party United States senators from Kansas]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps officers]]