Tim Roemer

{{Short description|American politician (born 1956)}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Tim Roemer |image = Timothy J. Roemer.jpg |office = [[United States Ambassador to India]] |president = [[Barack Obama]] |term_start = August 11, 2009 |term_end = July 1, 2011 |predecessor = [[Peter Burleigh]] (acting) |successor = [[Peter Burleigh]] (acting) |office1 = Chair of the [[New Democrat Coalition]] |alongside1 = [[Cal Dooley]], [[Jim Moran]] |term_start1 = January 3, 1997 |term_end1 = January 3, 2001 |predecessor1 = Position established |successor1 = [[Jim Davis (Florida politician)|Jim Davis]] [[Ron Kind]] [[Adam Smith (Washington politician)|Adam Smith]] |state2 = [[Indiana]] |district2 = {{ushr|IN|3|3rd}} |term_start2 = January 3, 1991 |term_end2 = January 3, 2003 |predecessor2 = [[John P. Hiler|John Hiler]] |successor2 = [[Chris Chocola]] (redistricted) |birth_name = Timothy John Roemer |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|10|30}} |birth_place = [[South Bend, Indiana]], U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |spouse = {{marriage|Sally Johnston|1989}} |relations = [[J. Bennett Johnston]] (father-in-law) |children = 4 |education = [[University of California, San Diego]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]) [[University of Notre Dame]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]]) }} '''Timothy John Roemer''' (born October 30, 1956) is an American diplomat and politician from [[Indiana]] who, as a member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], served in the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1991 to 2003 in [[Indiana's 3rd congressional district]]. Subsequently, he was later the president of the [[Center for National Policy]] (CNP), a [[Washington, D.C.]]–based [[national security]] [[think tank]]. He served as [[List of ambassadors of the United States to India|United States Ambassador to India]] from 2009 to 2011. Roemer later served on the advisory board of Washington, D.C.–based non-profit [[America Abroad|America Abroad Media]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://americaabroadmedia.org/user/181/Tim_Roemer|title=Tim Roemer|access-date=June 16, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140616173403/http://americaabroadmedia.org/user/181/Tim_Roemer|archive-date=June 16, 2014}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Tim Roemer was born in 1956 in [[South Bend, Indiana]]. His grandfather, William F. Roemer, was a philosophy professor at the [[University of Notre Dame]]; and his grandmother was an elementary school teacher. Roemer's parents, James and Mary Ann Roemer, also worked at Notre Dame as dean of students and coordinator of volunteer activities, respectively. His uncle, [[William F. Roemer Jr.]], was an agent for the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] who battled [[organized crime]]. Roemer graduated from [[Penn High School]] in 1975 and worked at various jobs from the age of 14 to help pay for college.

Tim Roemer graduated from the [[University of California, San Diego]] with a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] [[Academic degree|degree]] in 1979. He earned his [[Master of Arts]] and [[Doctor of Philosophy]] degrees from the [[University of Notre Dame]]; his 1985 [[Thesis|dissertation]] was titled ''The Senior Executive Service: Retirement and Public Personnel Policy.''

==Political career== Tim Roemer entered politics by serving on the staff of [[United States House of Representatives|United States Houses of Representatives]] member [[John Brademas]] of [[Indiana]] (1978–1979) while still in college. After completing his doctorate, he served on the staff of [[United States Senate]] member [[Dennis DeConcini]] of [[Arizona]] (1985–1989). [[File:Bio roemer.jpg|thumb|left|Roemer as a Congressman]]

In 1990, Roemer ran and won as a Democrat in [[1990 United States House of Representatives elections|1990]] to represent [[Indiana's 3rd congressional district]], his boss' former district, serving six terms in Congress from 1991 to 2003. While in the House, Roemer served on the [[United States congressional committee]]s of the [[United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence]], the [[United States House Committee on Education and Workforce]], and the [[United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology]]. He did not run for reelection in [[2002 United States House of Representatives elections|2002]].

Tim Roemer voted in favor of the [[General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade]] (GATT), the [[African Growth and Opportunity Act]], and the [[Caribbean Basin Initiative]]. He opposed the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA), feeling it provided incentives for businesses to move out of the country (as may have happened in his district). Roemer voted against [[President of the United States|presidential]] [[Fast track (trade)|fast-track trade promotion authority]], believing that the United States should have been stricter in its enforcement of existing agreements.

Much of Roemer's efforts during his congressional career were related to improving [[Education in the United States]]. He was the principal author of the Ed-Flex bill, which encouraged states to seek innovative approaches to education. Roemer was the chief sponsor of the "[[Transition to Teaching]]" bill that helped address teacher shortages by recruiting and training [[professional]]s to become [[teacher]]s. Roemer was also the lead sponsor of the five-year reauthorization of [[Higher Education Act of 1965]], which reduced rates of [[interest]] on [[student loan]]s, increased [[Pell Grant]]s, increased funding for teacher training, and expanded aid to families.

Tim Roemer was a principal sponsor of the [[AmeriCorps]] [[national service]] program, and a co-author of a bill to expand [[Head Start (program)|Head Start]] services to provide childcare coverage for women moving from welfare to work. He co-wrote legislation on reauthorizing the [[Individuals with Disabilities Education Act]] and wrote an amendment to tax relief legislation for teacher certification of professionals in outside fields. He co-authored "School-to-Work" legislation to help non-college-bound high school students learn skills to prepare them for the workforce.

In his final term in Congress, Roemer was instrumental in passing the [[No Child Left Behind Act]] and pushed for [[Unfunded mandate|full funding]] for the program.

Roemer was one of the first [[Member of congress|members of Congress]] to call for a [[Cabinet of the United States|Cabinet]]-level federal executive department to oversee [[national security]], and was an original sponsor of the legislation to create the [[United States Department of Homeland Security]]. Eventually he opposed the revisions proposed by the Bush administration, because of concerns about bureaucratic inefficiencies, and voted against the creation of DHS. Roemer advocated a "civilian reserve corps" to train more fluent speakers in foreign languages for the [[United States Intelligence Community]]. Roemer was an original sponsor of [[bioterrorism]] legislation and legislation aimed at creating the [[9/11 Commission]], upon which he later served.

==Post-electoral career== [[File:Tim Roemer 2007.jpg|thumb|right|Roemer addressing the audience at CNP's 2007 Edmund S. Muskie Distinguished Service Award Dinner]] Tim Roemer was appointed as a member of the [[9/11 Commission]] to investigate the terrorist attacks on the US. He was a [[2005 Democratic National Committee chairmanship election|candidate for chair]] of the [[Democratic National Committee]] (gaining the support of Democratic leaders [[Nancy Pelosi]] and [[Harry Reid]]). He lost to [[Howard Dean]], who had unsuccessfully sought the [[2004 Democratic Party presidential primaries|2004 Democratic presidential nomination]].

Roemer was criticized as too [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] for the post, due to his [[Anti-abortion movements|anti-abortion]] stance and his oft-mentioned vote in 1993 against the President [[Clinton administration|Bill Clinton]] economic plan. Roemer is a moderate Democrat, voting more liberally on some foreign policy issues and conservatively on social issues.

Roemer endorsed [[Barack Obama]] in the [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008|2008 Democratic presidential primaries]] and campaigned vigorously for him, particularly in his home state of Indiana, where he joined former U.S. House of Representatives member [[Lee Hamilton]] in support of Obama. Roemer's moderate, bipartisan politics, and national security experience led to speculation (from [[Chris Cillizza]] and [[Ben Smith (journalist)|Ben Smith]]) that Roemer was considered a possible [[Vice President of the United States|vice presidential]] [[running mate]] for Obama.<ref>[http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/05/the_friday_line_veepstakes_1.html?nav=rss_blog ''The Friday Line'': Veepstakes!]. [[The Washington Post]] blog. May 9, 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2008/04/the-democratic-veep-prospects-a-guide-009394|title=The Democratic veep prospects: A guide|last=Smith|first=Ben|work=Politico|date=April 5, 2008|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

Roemer served as a distinguished scholar at the [[Mercatus Center]] at [[George Mason University]]. He became a partner at Johnston and Associates, a public and legislative affairs [[Consultant|consultancy]]. He was later selected as the president of the Center for National Policy. After leaving his post as U.S. Ambassador to India in 2011, he became a senior executive at the Washington, D.C.–based public affairs firm APCO Worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rollcall.com/2011/12/10/tim-roemer-joins-apco-worldwide-leaves-door-open-to-future-run/|last=Ackley|first=Kate|title=Tim Roemer Joins APCO Worldwide, Leaves Door Open to Future Run|date=December 10, 2011|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

Roemer served on the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, a bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2007. This was one of the reforms recommended by the 9/11 Commission to examine how the United States can best address this threat to national security.

In addition, Roemer served on the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Presidential Task force on Combating the Ideology of Radical Extremism, and the National Parks Second Century Commission.

==Diplomatic career== [[File:Tim Roemer Receives Notre Dame Award.jpg|thumb|Roemer receiving the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Notre Dame after delivering the commencement address for the university's graduate school]] Roemer was nominated by [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]] as the 21st [[List of ambassadors of the United States to India|U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of India]] on May 27, 2009. His nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 10, 2009, he was sworn in on July 23, 2009, in the State Department's ceremonial Benjamin Franklin [[Diplomatic Reception Rooms|Treaty Room]] and he presented his credentials to [[President of India]] [[Pratibha Patil]] on August 11, 2009.<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer:Bio|url=http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/ambroemertjbio.html| access-date=August 19, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209020454/http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/ambroemertjbio.html|archive-date=February 9, 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://www.wibc.com/news/Story.aspx?ID=1114079&FORM=ZZNR6 Former Ind. congressman to be ambassador to India]. Associated Press via Wibc.com. July 11, 2009.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Senate confirms Tim Roemer as new US ambassador to India|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/senate-confirms-tim-roemer-us-2551029|work=[[Deccan Herald]]|date=July 11, 2009|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

During his tenure as Ambassador, several policies and initiatives were announced. President Obama stated during his visit to India in November 2010 that the U.S. would support India as a permanent member to a reformed United Nations Security Council.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/08/AR2010110807129.html|title=Obama endorses India for U.N. Security Council seat|last1=Wilson|first1=Scott|last2=Wax|first2=Emily|work=[[The Washington Post]]|date=November 8, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> The United States also removed India's defense and space-related entities from the U.S. "Entity List," opening the door for increased cooperation, technology transfer, and commercial sales in the defense and space industries.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/print/us-removes-isro-and-drdo-from-entities-list/|title=US removes ISRO and DRDO from entities list|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=January 25, 2011|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> The United States agreed to set up a Global Disease Detection Center.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/latest-news/india-us-to-set-up-global-disease-detection-centre/lite/|title=India, US to set up global disease detection centre|work=The Indian Express|date=November 8, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> and will work with India on its new Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/us-joins-india-to-set-up-global-n-centre-in-haryana/cid/462096|title=US joins India to set up global N-Centre in Haryana|work=[[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]]|date=November 8, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> The United States and India will partner globally to support food security in Africa and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

On July 23, 2010, Ambassador Roemer and Indian Home Affairs Secretary G.K. Pillai signed the Counterterrorism Cooperation Initiative.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/India-U.S.-sign-counter-terrorism-initiative/article16207465.ece|title=India, U.S. sign counter-terrorism initiative|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=July 23, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> This agreement expands cooperation in several areas such as transportation security, border security, money laundering and terrorist financing, and megacity policing. The U.S. government also agreed to give the Government of India access to David Headley, one of the planners of the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/print/india-granted-access-to-headley/|title=India granted access to Headley|work=The Indian Express|date=June 5, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

Ambassador Roemer presided over several high level visits including visits by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. The first annual strategic dialogue meeting between the United States and India was held in June 2010 in Washington D.C.,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world/first-india-us-strategic-dialogue-to-be-held-today/story-WC9EIfiFolkpDkknFU2AOK.html|title=First India-US Strategic Dialogue to be held today|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=June 3, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> with the second scheduled for July 2011 in New Delhi.

During his two-year tenure, India moved up to be the 12th leading trade partner of the United States. In 2010, exports in goods from the United States to India were up 17 percent and two-way trade in goods increased 30 percent. During President Obama's visit to India, the United States announced 20 deals totaling $10 billion in U.S. exports that will lead to more than 50,000 jobs in America.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/06/obama-india-trip-presiden_n_779872.html|title=Obama India Trip: President Announces $10 Billion In Trade Deals Supporting 50,000 U.S. Jobs|last=Feller|first=Ben|work=[[HuffPost]]|date=November 6, 2010|access-date=}}</ref> During his tenure, the United States also pushed to make the G-20 the premier international economic body <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/24/us.g.twenty.summit/index.html|title=Officials: G-20 to supplant G-8 as international economic council|agency=[[CNN]]|date=September 24, 2009|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> and reformed the IMF to give India greater representation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indianexpress.com/news/imf-reforms-in-sync-with-reality-g20/710309/|title=IMF reforms in sync with reality: G-20|work=The Indian Express|date=November 12, 2010|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

Ambassador Roemer travelled throughout India during his two years, visiting 17 states. He was the first Ambassador in over 10 years to visit Jammu and Kashmir, including a September 20, 2010, visit to the city of Leh to bring relief supplies to 400 rural families affected by a recent flash flood.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/report/whats-us-ambassador-roemer-doing-in-kashmir/20110317.htm|last=Ahmad|first=Mukhtar|title=What's US ambassador Roemer doing in Kashmir|website=[[Rediff.com]]|date=March 17, 2011|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

In May 2011, Roemer received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Notre Dame and gave the commencement address to The Graduate School.<ref>[http://articles.southbendtribune.com/2011-05-21/news/29570466_1_indias-new-delhi-hindus Roemer talks about time as ambassador|work=[[South Bend Tribune]]|date=May 21, 2011|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

On April 26, 2011, he announced his resignation as Ambassador and returned to the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/video/i-m-resigning-says-us-ambassador-197905|title='I'm resigning,' says US Ambassador|agency=[[NDTV]]|date=April 28, 2011|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> A press release from the U.S. embassy in India stated ambassador Roemer leaving by June citing family reasons.<ref>[http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/pr042811.html Press Releases 2011 | Embassy of the United States New Delhi, India] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501122601/http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/pr042811.html|date=May 1, 2011}}. Newdelhi.usembassy.gov (April 28, 2011). Retrieved August 14, 2011.</ref> Indian politician [[Shashi Tharoor]] wrote that Roemer resigned the post following India's decision to reject two American aircraft manufacturing tenders worth US$10 billion for the [[Indian MRCA competition]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2011/5/11/obama-dismayed-as-india-rejects-arms-deal/|last=Tharoor|first=Shashi|title=Obama dismayed as India rejects arms deal|agency=Al Jazeera English|date=May 11, 2011|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref>

==Personal life== Tim Roemer married Sally Johnston of Louisiana in 1989. They have four children: Patrick Hunter Roemer, Matthew Bennett Roemer, Sarah Kathryn Roemer, and Grace Elizabeth Roemer. Roemer is the son-in-law of [[J. Bennett Johnston]] and Mary (Gunn) Johnston. His father-in-law Johnston was a Democratic politician who served as a member of the [[United States Senate]] from [[Louisiana]] from 1972 to 1997. The Roemers are [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]. When in Washington, they attend St. Thomas à Becket Catholic Church in [[Reston, Virginia]].

==Citations== {{Reflist|35em}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Timothy J. Roemer}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100209020454/http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/ambroemertjbio.html Official bio] from the Embassy of the United States in New Delhi *[http://www.app2us.com/interviews/us-ambassador_timothy_roemer.htm Interview with app2us.com] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080515153432/http://www.cnponline.org/ht/d/sp/i/1321/pid/1321 Official profile] from the [[Center for National Policy]] *[https://svaradarajan.blogspot.com/2009/04/obama-pick-for-india-has-ear-of-white.html Obama pick has ear of White House] from [[The Hindu]] *{{CongLinks|congbio=r000385|votesmart=|fec=H0IN03065|congress=}} *{{C-SPAN|17897}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{s-bef|before=[[John P. Hiler|John Hiler]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Indiana|U.S. House of Representatives]] from [[Indiana's 3rd congressional district]]|years=1991–2003}} {{s-aft|after=[[Mark Souder]]}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-new|office}} {{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[New Democrat Coalition]]|years=1997–2001|alongside=[[Cal Dooley]], [[Jim Moran]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[Jim Davis (Florida politician)|Jim Davis]] [[Ron Kind]] [[Adam Smith (Washington politician)|Adam Smith]]}} |- {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before=[[Peter Burleigh]] Acting}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Ambassador to India]]|years=2009–2011}} {{s-aft|after=[[Peter Burleigh]] Acting}} |- {{s-prec|usa}} {{s-bef|before=[[Charles Boustany]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]] ''{{small|as Former U.S. Representative}}''|years=}} {{s-aft|after=[[John Hostettler]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roemer, Timothy J.}} [[Category:1956 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century United States representatives]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to India]] [[Category:Catholics from Indiana]] [[Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from Indiana]] [[Category:Politicians from South Bend, Indiana]] [[Category:University of California, San Diego alumni]] [[Category:University of Notre Dame alumni]]