Robert Brown Aderholt^[1] (/ˈædərˌhoʊlt/AD-ər-hohlt; born July 22, 1965) is an American politician and attorney serving as theU.S. representative forAlabama's 4th congressional district since 1997. He is a member of theRepublican Party. The district includes most ofTuscaloosa County north of theBlack Warrior River, as well asBirmingham's far northern suburbs inWalker County and the southern suburbs ofHuntsville andDecatur.

Robert Aderholt
Official portrait, 2018
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromAlabama's4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Tom Bevill
Personal details
Born	Robert Brown Aderholt (1965-07-22)July 22, 1965 (age 59) Haleyville,Alabama, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Caroline McDonald ​ (m. 1994)​
Children	2
Education	University of North Alabama Birmingham–Southern College (BA) Samford University (JD)
Signature
Website	House website Campaign website
Robert Aderholt's voice Aderholt honors James T. Stanford, an Alabaman marine who died during the1954 USSBennington explosion and fire Recorded July 27, 2017

Asocial conservative, Aderholt was a member of theTea Party Caucus.^[2] He became the dean of Alabama's congressional delegation following SenatorRichard Shelby's retirement at the end of the117th Congress.^[3] According to theCook Partisan Voting Index, Aderholt represents the most Republican district in the country, with an index rating of R+33.^[4]

Aderholt was born inHaleyville, Alabama, to Mary Frances Brown and Bobby Ray Aderholt.^[5] Aderholt's father, a part-time minister for a small group ofCongregational churches in northwest Alabama, was a circuit judge for more than 30 years. He attended theUniversity of North Alabama and thenBirmingham-Southern College, from which he graduated with a degree in history and political science.^[6] During college, Aderholt was a member ofKappa Alpha Order. Aderholt received hisJ.D. from theSamford UniversityCumberland School of Law and practiced law after graduation.^[7]

In 1992, Aderholt was appointed Haleyville municipal judge.^[8] The same year, he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 1995, he became the top aide toGovernorFob James. He won the 1996 Republican primary in the race to succeed 15-termDemocratic incumbentTom Bevill.^[9]

As the Republican nominee, Aderholt faced a considerable challenge against State Senator Bob Wilson Jr., who called himself a Democrat "in the Tom Bevill tradition". This was a seriously contested race, receiving considerable national coverage and significant support from the Republican Party.Newt Gingrich personally visited the district during the campaign. Aderholt won, 50%–48%, becoming only the second Republican to represent the district since Reconstruction. Two years later, he was reelected over Tom Bevill, Jr., his predecessor's son. The first Republican to win the seat had beenJim Martin, who was swept into office in what was then the 7th District during the 1964 wave that delivered the state's electoral votes toBarry Goldwater. After his first win, Aderholt has never faced another contest nearly that close, and has been reelected nine times. He ran unopposed in 2004, 2010, 2014, and 2016. His increasing margins reflected the growing Republican trend in this part of Alabama.

Aderholt is associated with theFellowship Foundation, which paid for his trip to Romania in 2017 to promote "traditional family values".^[10] Over the course of 16 years, Aderholt traveled to 18 countries on the Fellowship's behalf.

Aderholt is one of147 Republican lawmakers whovoted to overturn results in the2020 presidential election.^[11] He was at the Capitol to certify the election results when it wasattacked. During the attack, he tweeted a prayer to God to "guide & protect this nation." In a video message, he later said that some of the attackers "crossed the line".^[12] Even after the attack, he supported overturning the election. Aderholt later opposed impeachingTrump for the second time.^[13]

In February 2021, Aderholt voted against theAmerican Rescue Plan, claiming that his opposition was because half the bill's funding went to "unrelated liberal policies" and that the bill "has nothing to do withCOVID-19 relief".^[14]

As of October 2021, Aderholt had voted in line withJoe Biden's stated position 7.5% of the time.^[15]

In January 2023, Aderholt announced that he had secured $13.8 million in funding for 14 infrastructure projects in his district, including broadband expansion, roadways and access to medical care. Although announced during the118th Congress, the funds were fromthe previous House session.^[16]

In February 2023,CoinDesk reported that Aderholt is one of three members of Alabama's congressional delegation who received money fromFTX, the defunctcryptocurrency exchange, alongsideKatie Britt andGary Palmer. His office did not respond to aCoinDesk inquiry about what had been done with the funds.^[17]

Aderholt voted to provide Israel with support following the2023 Hamas attack on Israel.^[18][19]

For the118th Congress:^[20]

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Defense
  • Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Chair)

• Republican Study Committee^[21]
• Tea Party Caucus
• Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans
• Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus^[22]
• United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus^[23]
• Congressional Coalition on Adoption (co-chair)^[24]

Sponsor HR 3808: Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010, 111th Congress

RepresentativesBruce Braley,Mike Castle, andArtur Davis co-sponsored the bill.

H.R. 3808 Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010 – To require any federal or state court to recognize any notarization made by a notary public licensed by a state other than the state where the court is located when such notarization occurs in or affects interstate commerce.

April 27, 2010: This bill passed the House of Representatives by voice vote. A record of each representative's position was not kept.

September 27, 2010: This bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent. A record of each senator's position was not kept.

October 8, 2010: vetoed by President.

H.R. 2017 Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012

May 26, 2011: Introduced

June 2, 2011: Passed House with amendments

September 26, 2011: Passed Senate with amendments

September 30, 2011: Became Public Law 112-33^[25]

TheAmerican Conservative Union's center for legislative accountability gave Aderholt a 83% lifetime conservative rating^[26] and the progressive PACAmericans for Democratic Action gave him a 5% liberal quotient in 2019.^[27]

During theMarch for Life in Washington on January 22, 2010, Aderholt said, "The issue of abortion and the sanctity of life is something that I feel strongly about and I encourage my colleagues to look for ways to curb and stop abortions in the United States, while compassionately educating on this important issue."^[28] Aderholt supported the 2022overturning ofRoe v. Wade and called it a "watershed moment for life".^[29]

Aderholt opposes reducing the defense budget to close theAmerican deficit, and in May 2012 said "cuts to defense budgets – the federal government's primary Constitutional responsibility – shouldn't be the relief valve for uncontrolled domestic program spending".^[30]

During the2023 United States debt-ceiling crisis, Aderholt voted for the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.^[31] Aderholt called the debt-ceiling deal betweenKevin McCarthy and PresidentJoe Biden "a step in the right direction", though he also said it was "not perfect".^[32]

Aderholt opposessame-sex marriage. Aderholt condemned the Supreme Court decision inObergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage bans violated the US constitution.^[33] He has received high ratings from theFamily Research Council, theTraditional Values Coalition, and theAmerican Family Association.^[34] In 2013, theHuman Rights Campaign gave him a score of 0 on its Congressional Scorecard.^[35]

During the111th Congress, Aderholt voted forSteve Scalise's amendment^{[Notes 1]} to "require that Congress be allowed to vote on any executive regulation that would impose any tax, price, or levy upon carbon emissions... effectively prevents the executive branch from levying any form ofcarbon tax without Congressional approval. Since acarbon tax would be tremendously destructive to the economy as a whole, this measure would hopefully make such a tax unlikely to pass."^[36] Aderholt opposed regulations ongreenhouse gas emissions, and in December 2008 helped write a letter to theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency that read, "I am opposed to any attempt to impose greenhouse gas regulations under theClean Air Act on the agricultural industry."^[37]

Aderholt supportsgun rights. He has been repeatedly endorsed by theNRA Political Victory Fund,^[38][39] and received $2,000 in 2010.^[40]

In the wake of the 2016Orlando nightclub shooting, Aderholt called it aterrorist attack and said, "we do not have the luxury of debating the political correctness of 'radical Islam'", adding that there was a need to "hunt down those who would do us harm". He opposed the media and PresidentObama using the shooting to "push any type of political agenda relating to gun control" and called on the White House and Congress to "protect the homeland".^[41]

In 2019, Aderholt introduced a bill to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco to 21.^[42]

Robert Aderholt has an "F" rating from theNational Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) for his voting history regardingcannabis-related causes.^[43]

In December 2011, Aderholt voted in support of H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act, which would have required congressional approval for any "major regulations" issued by the executive branch but, unlike the 1996Congressional Review Act, would not require the president's signature or override of a probablepresidential veto.^[44][45]

Aderholt is a signer ofAmericans for Tax Reform'sTaxpayer Protection Pledge.^[46] He voted for theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017,^[47] saying it would "give back more money to Alabama taxpayers"^[48] and "does the right thing". He cited the raising of thechild tax credit, changes to the state and local tax deductions, and said, "more than 80% the people in the 4th District of Alabama will receive a tax cut." Aderholt also said that more businesses will stay in the U.S. due to a lower corporate tax rate and therefore the act is a "jobs bill".^[49]

In December 2020, Aderholt was one of 126 Republican members of theHouse of Representatives to sign anamicus brief in support ofTexas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at theUnited States Supreme Court contesting the results of the2020 presidential election, in whichJoe Biden defeated^[50] incumbentDonald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lackedstanding underArticle III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.^[51][52][53]

In September 2021, Aderholt was among 75 House Republicans to vote against the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, which contains a provision that would require women to be drafted.^[54][55]

Aderholt is married to Caroline McDonald. Her father,Albert, served in theAlabama State Senate and wasAlabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.^[68] They have two children.^[69]

On December 4, 2020, Aderholt announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 after going into quarantine eight days earlier after his wife had tested positive.^[70]

Aderholt is aCongregationalist.^[71]

Aderholt has been awarded the following foreign honors:

•   Commander of theOrder of the Star of Romania,Romania (June 8, 2017)^[72][73]
•   Serving Brother of theMost Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem,United Kingdom (September 21, 2017)^[74]

• Congressman Robert B. Aderholt official U.S. House website
• Robert Aderholt official U.S House twitter
• Appearances onC-SPAN
• Biography at theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at theFederal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at theLibrary of Congress
• Profile atVote Smart