Gary Palmer

Gary James Palmer is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Alabama's 6th Congressional District since 2015. Born in Haleyville and raised in Hackleburg, Alabama, Palmer was the first in his family to attend college, earning a B.S. in Operations Management from the University of Alabama in 1977. During his time at the university, he was a walk-on member of the football team under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Before his election to Congress, he worked for 12 years in the private sector as a cost and project control engineer for major engineering and construction firms. Palmer's professional background also includes significant experience in public policy research. In 1989, he co-founded the Alabama Family Alliance, which later became the Alabama Policy Institute (API), a conservative think tank. He served as the president of API for 24 years, influencing state-level policy on issues such as welfare reform and government efficiency. He was first elected to the 114th Congress in 2014, having never previously held public office. In the House, he has held leadership roles, including serving as the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee from 2019 to 2025.

Palmer maintains a consistently conservative voting record and public platform. On healthcare, he strongly opposes the Affordable Care Act and has voted repeatedly to repeal and replace it with market-based alternatives. His economic priorities include reducing the national debt through spending cuts, combatting inflation, and implementing regulatory reform to decrease the financial burden on American households. In the area of energy and environment, Palmer advocates for the development of U.S. energy resources and has introduced legislation to limit the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases without Congressional approval. Regarding immigration, he opposes amnesty, supports increased border security, and has voted to withhold federal funding from "sanctuary" cities. Additionally, Palmer identifies as pro-life, supports religious freedom protections, and emphasizes a strong national defense with a focus on reducing strategic reliance on foreign adversaries.