Chip Pickering
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Sonny Montgomery
Born	August 10, 1963 (1963-08-10) (age 44) Laurel, Mississippi
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Leisha Jane Pickering
Religion	Baptist

Charles Willis Pickering, Jr., usually known as Chip Pickering (born August 10, 1963), is a politician in the U.S. state of Mississippi. He has represented Mississippi's 3rd congressional district as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives since first being elected in 1996. The district is based in Meridian and stretches from the Alabama border to the Louisiana border, including areas such as Starkville, Natchez and part of Jackson, the state capital. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Mississippis 3rd congressional district cuts across the center of the state, including many urban areas such as the states capitol, Jackson. ... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Gillespie V. Sonny Montgomery (born August 5, 1920) was a congressman representing Mississippi. ... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. ... GOP redirects here. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Baptist is... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Mississippis 3rd congressional district cuts across the center of the state, including many urban areas such as the states capitol, Jackson. ... GOP redirects here. ... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... Meridian is a city located in, and the county seat of, Lauderdale County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Starkville is a city in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. ... Melrose, an antebellum home in Natchez, Mississippi. ... This article is about Jackson, the city and related subjects within the city. ...

In mid-August 2007, Pickering announced that he would not seek re-election in 2008^[1] due to insufficient attention to his family. Pickering was considered a top Republican contender if U.S. Senator Trent Lott had retired in 2006, and was waiting a decision by Senator Thad Cochran to make his re-election plans clear in 2008; it is widely suspected that Pickering's decision to leave Congress reflected Cochran's decision to run for re-election. ^[2] The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... Chester Trent Lott Sr. ... William Thad Cochran (born December 7, 1937) is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi. ...

When Trent Lott announced his resignation as Senator from Mississippi, Pickering was rumored to be the likely appointee of Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour to replace him. However, in December, Pickering announced that he was not interested in the post,^[3] and fellow Republican Congressman Roger Wicker, of Mississippi's 1st congressional district, was appointed to Lott's seat. Chester Trent Lott Sr. ... Governors of Mississippi Territory, 1801–1817 Winthorp Sargent (Federalist) (7 May 1798–25 May 1801) William C. C. Claiborne (Democrat) (25 May 1801–1 March 1805) Robert Williams (Democrat) (1 March 1805–7 March 1809) David Holmes (Democrat) (7 March 1809–10 December 1817) Governors of the State of Mississippi... Haley Reeves Barbour (born October 22, 1947) is the current Republican governor of Mississippi. ... Congressman Roger F. Wicker Roger F. Wicker (born July 5, 1951) is an American politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, a position he has held since 1995. ... Mississippis four congressional districts since 2003 Mississippis first congressional district is in the northeast corner of the state. ...

As a result of Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election, 2008, Pickering is currently the sole Republican Representative from Mississippi.

Early life

Pickering was born in Laurel, Mississippi. His father is Judge Charles Pickering, Sr., a Mississippi lawyer, former municipal judge, retired Federal Court Judge, and prominent Republican politician. Chip graduated from the University of Mississippi where he was a legacy member of the Eta Chapter of Sigma Chi. He went on to receive a Masters degree from Baylor University in 1989. Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Charles Willis Pickering, Sr. ... The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. ... Sigma Chi (ΣΧ) is one of the largest and oldest all-male, college, Greek-letter social fraternities. ... {{Infobox_University |image_name = 135px-Baylor_seal. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...

Pickering then very briefly served as a Southern Baptist missionary to Hungary, after the end of Hungarian government persecution of religious believers. In the same year, 1989, President George H. W. Bush appointed Pickering as a Department of Agriculture liaison to the former European Communist countries. This appointment provided Pickering with official diplomatic immunity. After returning to the United States, Pickering served on the staff of Senator Trent Lott from 1992 to 1996. The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a United States cooperative ministry agency serving missionary Baptist churches around the world. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ... The U.S. Department of Agriculture, also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA, is a Cabinet department of the United States Federal Government. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... Chester Trent Lott Sr. ...

U.S. House

After a year as a government employee of the Senate Commerce Committee, Pickering returned to Mississippi to run as the Republican candidate for the 3rd District. Congressman Sonny Montgomery, a 30-year Democratic incumbent, was not running for reelection. Pickering won by a wide margin. This was not surprising, as it had always been a rather conservative district; it actually elected a Republican in 1964 (when it was numbered as the 4th District), when Barry Goldwater won an unheard-of 87 percent of Mississippi's popular vote. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate in charge of all senate matters related to the following subjects: Coast Guard Coastal zone management Communications Highway safety Inland waterways, except construction Interstate commerce Marine and ocean navigation, safety, and transportation Marine... Gillespie V. Sonny Montgomery (born August 5, 1920) was a congressman representing Mississippi. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Barry Morris Goldwater (January 1, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–87) and the Republican Partys nominee for president in the 1964 election. ...

During this and following elections, questions have been raised about whether Pickering was a legal resident of Mississippi and lawfully qualified to run for the office. He owns a farm in Madison County, but his permanent residence is in the Washington area. Nonetheless, Pickering was unopposed for reelection in 1998 and defeated token Democratic opposition in 2000. In response to criticism regarding place of residence, Pickering has stated that he was advised by Montgomery to keep his residence and family in the Washington area, in order to have more time to spend with his family. Madison County is a county located in the state of Mississippi. ...

In 2002, Pickering was pitted against fellow Congressman Ronnie Shows, a conservative Democrat from the neighboring 4th District, after Mississippi lost a seat in the 2000 Congressional re-districting. Pickering soundly defeated Shows with over 60% of the vote in the new 3rd District. In 2004 Pickering faced minor independent candidate Jim Giles and several other candidates. Clifford Ronald Shows (born January 26, 1947) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Mississippis Fourth Congressional District covers the southeastern region of the state. ... Jim Giles is a news and features reporter for the journal Natures website[1]. Giles studied physics at the University of Bristol. ...

This photo previously appeared on Pickering's official Congressional website. It was removed in 2003 after critics charged the photo was intentionally deceptive. This is because Pickering is not a military pilot and has never served in any capacity in any U.S. military force.^{[citation needed]}

Pickering is arguably one of the more conservative members of the House. He has risen rapidly through the chamber's ranks, and currently serves as vice-chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. He has sometimes been mentioned as a candidate for Lott's Senate seat; indeed, most pundits believed that had Lott opted not to run for reelection in 2006, Pickering would have been drafted to run in his place. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The U.S. House Commerce Committee on Energy and Commerce residing at 2125 Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC is the oldest (208 years) legislative standing committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. ...

Pickering considered leaving Congress in 2003 to take a lobbying job.^{[citation needed]}

On August 16, 2007, Pickering announced that he would not run for re-election in 2008.^[4] is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

Committee Assignments

• Energy and Commerce Committee
  • Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee
  • Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee
  • Telecommunications & the Internet Subcommittee

PAC money

The Federal Election Commission has revealed that Pickering receives most (two out of every three dollars) of his campaign donations and financing from political action committees (PACs). A large part of the remaining monies are received from individuals outside the 3d District.^{[citation needed]} In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group organized to elect or defeat government officials in order to promote legislation, often supporting the groups special interests. ...

Family

Pickering and his wife, Leisha, have five sons, one of which attends the Veritas School. The others attend Jackson Academy, a college prep school in Jackson. Pickering's sons show an interest in sports. All five play football, his oldest two for the JA teams. July 1, 2008: Pickering announced that on Friday, June 27, 2008 he filed for divorce from Leisha in Madison County, Mississippi, citing irreconcilable differences.

Appearance in Borat movie

Pickering was one of several politicians to appear in the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. In the film he briefly appears at a lively Pentecostal meeting where spoken views against the teachings of evolution are cheered by the congregation [1]. A spokesperson for Pickering said that his boss "hasn't seen the film." The spokesperson added, "[o]f course he doesn't support the offensive nature of the movie" ([2]). The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ...

References

is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other senses of this term, see roll call (disambiguation). ... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

External links

• Congressman Chip Pickering official U.S. House site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Financial disclosures Clarion Ledger, June 15, 2006
• Pickering considers job as top lobbyist
• Lawmakers' Help for Drug Firm Tests LimitsThe Washington Post, April 29, 2005