The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s VoteForBusiness Bandwagon is scheduled to roll into Meridian this morning to promote the U.S. Chamber’s endorsement of U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS).

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker continued his call for national leaders to address issues to lower gas prices during a visit to Jones County Wednesday.

At a press conference at a local oil field, Wicker said there’s a need for Congress to act now to lower gas prices.

Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker said he has the plan to bring down prices at the gas pumps.

Citing the substantial benefit in protecting the nation's critical frontline-caregiver infrastructure, the Coalition to Protect Senior Care (CPSC) today thanked Senator Roger Wicker for helping to lead a successful, bipartisan effort in Congress to stop the Bush Administration from moving forward with a new regulation that would have cut Medicare-funded nursing home care by $4 billion over the next five years, and $770 million for FY 2009.

Monday, at the monthly luncheon sponsored by The John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University and the Capitol Press Corps, former Democratic Governor Ronnie Musgrove spoke to reporters about his campaign for U.S. Senate against Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who spoke last month.

In his speech, Wicker never mentioned Musgrove and only briefly even acknowledged the election. His was the speech of a Senator absent campaign rhetoric and dwelling more on wonkish policy than political swipes. On the other hand, Musgrove mentioned Wicker by name (or by "my opponent") ten times, essentially repeating his campaign stump speech from the Neshoba County Fair. Each discourse fit the respective candidate's style: Wicker implementing a Cochranesque gentlemanpolitik; Musgrove a campaign street fighter always ready for a political Pier 6 brawl.

During a stop today in Jones County, Sen. Roger Wicker announced he was co-authoring a bill in the Senate with Sen. Thad Cochran known as the 2008 Gas Price Reduction Act.

The Gas Price Reduction Act, introduced by Wicker and Sen. Thad Cochran in June, calls for increased deep sea oil drilling, the opening of oil reserves in several Rocky Mountain states, and increased research funding for electric vehicles

On Wednesday, Republican Senator Roger Wicker introduced the Marriage Protection Act, a measure aimed at amending the Constitution to declare that marriage is a union between one man and one woman.

The high cost of gasoline, the nation’s energy situation and illegal immigrants were some of the issues U.S. Senator Roger Wicker discussed during his recent campaign stop in Jones County. At one of Wicker’s stops, he visited veterans and their families at the Veterans Memorial Museum on Hillcrest Drive. Following a tour of the facility, Wicker talked about issues facing local residents and the nation. Talking about energy, increased gas prices and illegal immigrants, Wicker said there’s much work to be done in the nation’s capital.

A U.S. Senator from Mississippi is introducing legislation that declares unborn babies to be "persons" under the 14th amendment. Republican Senator Roger Wicker introduced the Life at Conception Act. Wicker says the legislation declares human life begins at conception and addresses a question left unresolved by the Supreme Court in its Roe v. Wade decision.

The appointed senator from Pontotoc stood atop a stack of lumber in a warehouses and addressed the company's more than 100 employees about the price of fuel. Fuel costs, along with a faltering housing industry, have been cited as one of the chief culprits crippling Mississippi's forestry industry.

LIBERTY — Sen. Roger Wicker visited Amite County for a tour Friday of the Air Cruisers plant — seeing a contaminant control product funded by a congressional earmark and promising to work for more jobs in southwest Mississippi. Wicker, who was appointed to fill former Sen. Trent Lott’s seat by Gov. Haley Barbour when Lott retired, will be up for re-election in November.

The visit allowed him to see the fruits of taxpayer money while campaigning around the state, with Air Cruisers officials touting the “LIDS-CBRNE” contaminant control product during Wicker’s trip.

In a town hall meeting Wednesday, interim U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker listened to South Mississippians' troubles with high-priced fuel and costly health and homeowner insurance.

With over five months to go until the general election, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) is already airing an ad touting his work in helping secure funding to help rebuild the Gulf Coast part of the state after Hurricane Katrina.

Sen. Roger Wicker visited city and county officials Monday in Magnolia and Pike County, campaigning to stay in the vacated seat of former Sen. Trent Lott. After Lott’s resignation in December, Wicker was appointed to the post by Gov. Haley Barbour, but he will need to convince voters he should remain there through a special election in November. Making his case Monday, Wicker, R-Miss., touted the ways federal officials can work with local leaders to fund projects, promising he would “fight for Mississippi’s fair share.” “This is something that I’ve done for 13 years,” Wicker said, referring to his time as a U.S. representative. “The local needs of a county and city have not changed. They need grants ... and ways the federal government can be a partner to provide a better environment for job creation.”

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker halted his campaigning Friday just long enought to talk public policy at the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce. Local officials and businessmen asked Wicker questions in a public forum, and he explained his position on major issues. Wicker said he supports the U.S. 82 to downtown connector road project and is hopeful that more federal money will come for the road. Getting the rest of the money will require help from local and state agencies, though,Wicker said. “Almost anything of this nature we have to do as a partnership,” Wicker said. Congress recently reinstated $2.5 million for the project, which had been cut in an effort to eliminat earmarks. Greenwood Mayor Sheriel Perkins said the project will cost $5.9 million. “We feel that this would really strengthen our economic growth (downtown),” Perkins said.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has a little bit longer commute now that his offices are on the other side of the Capitol. Appointed to the Senate December 31, the former congressman from Tupelo drives his tiny Toyota Paseo from his Virginia condo to the Senate side of the Capitol dome, encountering more traffic en route as he drives through a tunnel that backs up in rush hour. But, otherwise, the transition from House to Senate doesn't seem to have been that difficult for the 13-year House veteran. Well, except for that image thing. Wicker has noticed that his automobile doesn't exactly fit in among the tony, more exclusive Senate vehicles. "It may be the rattiest car in the entire U.S. Senate," he said. Wicker, who faces a Nov. 4 special election to fill out the remainder of former Sen. Trent Lott's, R-Miss., seat, sat for a recent interview with the Sun Herald in his trailer - yes, trailer - in temporary offices in the courtyard of the Russell Senate office building. (Senate archivists had to spend time in Lott's office after he resigned.) Wicker finally moved in mid-February to Lott's former digs in the Russell building, although in the reconfigured suite, the new Mississippi senator took a much smaller office than the one Lott occupied. Wicker's staff did the actual moving, while the senator went on a campaign swing that included a stop on the Gulf Coast for the dedication of the expanded terminal at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.

Jackson County economic-development officials expect the county to reap benefits from the selection of Northrop Grumman and its European partner to produce military refueling tankers in nearby Mobile. "We here in Jackson County are absolutely ecstatic with the Air Force's decision to select the KC-130 refueling tanker and to locate the manufacturing and assembly process at Brookley Field," said George Freeland, executive director of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, after learning about the selection Friday. Northrop Grumman and Paris-based European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. beat out Boeing Co. to build 179 refueling tankers in Mobile, creating an estimated 2,000 jobs. The contract is worth at least $30 billion to $40 billion over 10 to 15 years. It is the first of three deals to replace the Air Force's entire fleet of nearly 600 tankers. Freeland said the Economic Development Foundation has worked over the last two years to align the county with Mobile officials in support of the program and to court potential suppliers for Jackson County. "Trent Lott International Airport, with close to 200 acres, is but a mere 45 or 50 miles from Brookley, so we have worked with Mobile very closely to support the contract decision itself and strategically position ourselves for supplier opportunities with these contracts," Freeland said. Mississippi's top elected officials see long-term benefits to Mobile's success in landing such an enormous project.

Mississippi stands to benefit from the selection of a Mobile site for a multibillion-dollar Air Force contract. The Air Force announced Friday it had picked Northrop Grumman and its Paris-based partner, EADS, to build 179 refueling tankers at a site at Mobile, creating an estimated 2,000 jobs. The contract is worth $30 billion to $40 billion over 10 to 15 years and could be even more lucrative. It is the first of three deals to replace the Air Force's fleet of nearly 600 tankers. The facility will bolster economic development in Alabama and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran said in a written statement. "Mississippians will realize sizable economic advantages because of this project," he said. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called it a victory for the Gulf Coast. "While the tankers will be built in Mobile, the economic impact will be felt throughout south Mississippi," he said in a statement. "I expect suppliers and other support businesses to locate in Mississippi and create quality jobs for our citizens." Pascagoula, a 30-minute drive from Mobile, is home to Northrop Grumman.

Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Friday said the U.S. Air Force's decision to award its tanker contract to Northrop Grumman/EADS will lead to up to 2,000 jobs created along the Gulf Coast. The $40 billion contract is for 179 tankers that Northrop Grumman/EADS will build in Mobile, Alabama. "This announcement is a huge victory for the Gulf Coast," Senator Roger Wicker said. "I've been a strong supporter of Northrop Grumman/EADS throughout this process and I commend the Air Force for making what I've always believed was the right choice for this contract." "This decision will lead to the creation of up to 2,000 Gulf Coast jobs," Wicker added. "And while the tankers will be built in Mobile, the economic impact will be felt throughout South Mississippi. I expect suppliers and other support businesses to locate in Mississippi and create quality jobs for our citizen."

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker made stops in Meridian Friday, visiting Meridian Naval Air Station and the downtown area. The Republican was appointed to take Trent Lott's seat on an interim basis in December. He's also a candidate for the permanent position. An election will be held for it in November. Wicker said Meridian and NAS Meridian are important to national security and international stability.

GULFPORT -- When the area's congressional delegation and other government officials stick shovels into the dirt Monday, they'll be launching a new era in housing for military retirees. The much-anticipated groundbreaking on a new Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport is set for 10 a.m. Monday, the U.S. General Services Administration announced. The government awarded a $189 million contract to build the retirement home to Yates Construction in September. The home will replace the old 11-story building that was imploded last year on the beachfront property. The main building at the 44-acre complex will be more than 650,000 square feet and will provide independent living, assisted living and long-term care. The building will be large enough to hold up to 584 residents. The project includes parking, landscaping, walking paths and recreation areas. A few days after Hurricane Katrina pummeled the beachfront campus in Gulfport, nearly 400 veterans evacuated and headed for the government's only other retirement home, just four miles from the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., spoke at Jones County Junior College Monday afternoon as part of several appearances throughout southeast Mississippi. Wicker was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour nearly two months ago to replace U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, who retired late last year. The appointment moved Wicker from the U.S. House of Representatives, where he had served as a Congressman 13 years before the appointment. “I’ve always met with people from all over the state when they’ve come to Washington,” Wicker said, “even though I only represented one-fourth of the state. I felt it was necessary to meet with everybody; it didn’t matter if they were from the Coast, Jones County or northwest Mississippi. I’m familiar with the needs because I’ve always met with the delegation.”

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker visited Oak Grove High School seniors Tuesday, passing out pocket-sized copies of the Constitution and talking about the lyrics of the national anthem. "What Francis Scott Key was saying in this song was that we've won the battle," Wicker said after students performed the song. "But when it comes your time, will we make sure the flag still waves over the land of the free and the home of the brave?" During a question-and-answer session, Wicker was asked about everything from whom he would vote for in the presidential election - Republican John McCain - to his thoughts on welfare and Social Security. More than campaigning for a vote, Wicker wanted to leave the students with another message.

More than $47 million in federal funding has been awarded to the cities of Biloxi and Bay St. Louis for hurricane-related repairs. U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Thad Cochran, both R-Miss., said in a statement that the grants, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, would go for repair to potable water, water distribution, and sewer collection systems in the two Gulf Coast cities. Funds will also be used to repair Bay St. Louis' natural gas distribution system.

Metal corrosion cost the U.S. Department of Defense $20 billion last year, according to polymer science and engineering experts at the University of Southern Mississippi. "That's staggering," said U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, who was named in December as an interim replacement for retired Sen. Trent Lott. Wicker is a candidate to complete Lott's term. Wicker, a Republican, was in Hattiesburg Monday to hear a presentation from polymer science advocate Shelby Thames and other Southern Miss officials about defense contracts the school now has to research and develop products made from materials that don't corrode. The meeting was in the Shelby Thames Polymer Science Center, the campus building named for the former Southern Miss president, who is now a research professor. Large contractors such as Boeing and Northrop Grumman may soon be hiring more polymer scientists than metallurgists, said Jeff Wiggins, a polymer science and high performance materials professor. Using composites, military contractors can build stronger, lighter and faster Air Force jets and Navy ships, he said. Federal funding for research at Southern Miss increased in recent years. "That's a dramatic investment of federal funds," Wicker said. "It will mean a safer country and more jobs for Missisippians."

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., was appointed Thursday to committees dealing with military, trade and transportation and veterans issues. Wicker will serve on the Armed Services Committee, the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee. Wicker, who was sworn in Tuesday, said he will work on national security issues and military programs important to communities all across Mississippi that support active duty, National Guard and Reserve installations and their hundreds of employees.

Despite being the Senate’s most-junior member, Sen. Roger Wicker has won some pretty good committee assignments. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell gave Wicker seats on the Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs, and Commerce, Science and Transportation committees. “He has already proven himself a worthy advocate for Mississippi in the House, and I trust that Roger’s extensive military experience and familiarity with the critical role Mississippi plays in defending our nation will serve him well as he continues to serve the families of the Magnolia State,” McConnell said. Wicker, an Air Force veteran, said he had asked McConnell “to serve on committees that will have the potential to make a positive impact on Mississippi.” “That’s exactly what these key positions will enable me to do,” Wicker said.

Senators from both sides of the aisle on Tuesday welcomed their newest colleague, Mississippi Republican Roger Wicker . Wicker, who succeeds former Minority Whip Trent Lott, placed his hand on a Bible and took the oath of office, which was administered by Vice President Dick Cheney . He has been a senator since Dec. 31, when Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour , a fellow Republican, appointed him to replace Lott until a special election can be held to fill out the remaining five years of Lott’s term. But Senate Rule III required Wicker to take the oath “in open Senate.”

It was short and sweet as Vice President Dick Cheney swore in Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., on the Senate floor shortly after 9 a.m. and then re-enacted it for the cameras in the Old Senate Chamber.

Roger Wicker, a Republican from Tupelo, became the Senate’s newest member Tuesday when he was sworn in by Vice President Dick Cheney. A second, ceremonial swearing-in was held later in the Old Senate Chamber, where Wicker was flanked by his wife, Gayle, and other family members. “It feels wonderful, especially since so many of my family and friends were able to make it,” Wicker, 56, said. “It’s very humbling.”

Sen. Roger Wicker tours the Pascagoula River on Friday. Wicker decided to view the river for himself after concern about protecting its environment was called for by many of his constituents.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker came here to get some facts from local leaders Wednesday and left with a singular message: Although Katrina struck more than two years ago, the county is still bleeding. "I'm here to learn what I can about an area of the state that a lot of people in the country have forgotten about," Mississippi's new senator told elected officials and business people during an evening meeting at the Hancock County complex on Longfellow Drive. After touring Pearl River County before coming to Bay St. Louis and Waveland, Wicker also gave his first impression of the area post-hurricane: "It doesn't take five minutes in town to see that Katrina is not over."

The appointment of U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker to replace U.S. Sen. Trent Lott was no surprise. Gov. Haley Barbour made the right choice but he was obviously following the tradition and time-honored practice of sending men to the U.S. Senate who were born in north Mississippi or out-of-state. The state now has two from Pontotoc County.

"It is an honor to me to be asked to follow in the footsteps of Trent Lott," newly appointed U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker said Friday to members of the Mississippi State community. Wicker made a stop on campus for a speech sponsored by the College Republicans following a five-day bus tour of the state. He was recently appointed temporary senator after former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott resigned from his position on Dec. 18. Wicker was formerly an officer in the U.S. Air Force, a state senator and a member of the House of Representatives. "I appreciate the confidence the government has put on me by asking me to fill this roll, and in doing so, I will have a lot to live up to," he said. Mississippi District 6 Sen. Alan Nunnelee, who worked with Wicker, said he feels Wicker is qualified for the job. "I think Sen. Wicker is an excellent appointment by Gov. [Haley] Barbour," Nunnelee said. "He has done an excellent job representing the state of Mississippi in the House of Representatives, so I am excited to see what he will do for Mississippi while being a part of the United States Senate."

"Newly-appointed U.S. Senator Roger Wicker shakes hands with District One Supervisor Cam Walker as District Three Supervisor Tony Sandridge and District Five Supervisor Bill Burford look on. Wicker stopped in Senatobia last Monday as part of his bus tour of the state."

"While in town, Wicker said it was important to him to reach every part of the state, to be able to better serve us all. For Southwest Mississippi — a part of the state easily forgotten because of its out-of-the-way location — that's great news. We hope to see more of Wicker now, and more of whoever wins the election in the long run."

"Reminding listeners at a campaign rally in Starkville, that as a U.S. Congressman representing the 1st District - which does not include Oktibbeha County - he was not a stickler for district boundaries, the recently-appointed U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) affirmed his pledge and commitment to the entire state."

"Roger Wicker made a stop at Williams Brothers Store. While there, he talked about some of the major projects he hopes to influence in Washington."

"'We have been energized. There's been a lot of enthusiasm. I am so humbled and pleased,' Wicker told the Leader-Call. 'I know there is a lot of work to do.'"

Wicker described himself to the club as a problem-solver with mainstream Mississippi conservative values in the mold of Lott and U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. He said that it is important to him to make sure Jackson County residents know he will look out for their best interests -- just as Lott did for more than 35 years.

The Pascagoula Rotary Club had a standing-room-only crowd Wednesday for Roger Wicker, the state's new senator, who has been on the campaign trail since he was appointed to replace Trent Lott.

"Senator Roger Wicker's bus rolled through as local leaders and citizens waited outside of Lil Ray's restaurant in Long Beach. The senator arrived with his wife Gayle. It wasn't long after Wicker's arrival before everyone was ready to load up and show the Senator how the coast is building back."

Jackson County Supervisor John McKay was at the luncheon. He said, "I think Roger being a member of congress, knowing what he does with the experience he has, will be a great benefit to the Mississippi Gulf Coast."

Brad Kessie Reports On Roger Wicker's Visit To South Mississippi.

Governor Barbour made a wise choice by placing Roger Wicker in the seat left vacant by retiring Senator Trent Lott. They are men with similar political sensibilities, and Wicker has a proven record in state and national politics.

While U.S. Senate appointee Roger Wicker has universal support among conservatives, local GOP leaders expect that he will also be able to achieve compromise and cooperation with Democrats, in the same spirit as Trent Lott, the man he is replacing. "Like Lott, Wicker does have a can-do approach to the legislative process," said Andy Taggart, a Madison attorney and Republican strategist. "Although he is a strong and loyal Republican, he will be very capable of working across the aisle." Republicans also expect a deep roster of potential candidates will keep the state's First District in the GOP column, despite the relatively strong presence of traditional Democrats in northeast Mississippi. Wicker was president of the 1994 "class" of representatives elected to Congress under the guidance of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and rose to a position on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, earning praise for his ability to work with partisan opponents to reach solution.