Mark Green

Mark Edward Green (born November 8, 1964) is an American politician, physician, and retired U.S. Army Major who currently represents Tennessee's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. A Republican, Green previously served in the Tennessee State Senate.

Following his graduation from West Point, Green was initially an infantry officer. After his father was saved from a life-threatening event, Green requested the military send him to medical school. He graduated from Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University and became a flight surgeon, serving tours of duty in the Afghanistan War and Iraq War. He authored a book about his experience in Operation Red Dawn, which saw the capture of Saddam Hussein. Following his military retirement in 2006, Green became the CEO of a hospital emergency department staffing company.

Green first entered politics in 2012 by defeating Democratic incumbent Tim Barnes for a seat in the Tennessee State Senate. In 2017, Green was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the United States Secretary of the Army, but withdrew his nomination when offensive comments he had previously made about transgender people and Muslims came to light. When Representative Marsha Blackburn announced her candidacy for the United States Senate in 2018, Green announced his campaign to succeed her, which he won in November 2018. Green has been considered a potential future candidate for Governor of Tennessee or the United States Senate.

Green graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1986, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in quantitative business management. From 1987 through 1990, Green served as an infantry officer in the United States Army.His first duty assignment following graduation from the US Army Ranger School was with the 194th Armored Brigade (United States) at Fort Knox.There he served as a rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader and battalion adjutant for an infantry battalion. Following the Infantry Officer's Advance Course, then Captain Green served with the 82nd Airborne Division as an airborne battalion supply officer and a rifle company commander.

Following a traumatic event where his father's life was saved by a team of surgeons and critical care doctors, Green requested the US Army send him to medical school.He attended Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, graduating with an MD degree in 1999. He did his residency in emergency medicine at Fort Hood, Texas.After his residency Dr. Green was selected to serve as the flight surgeon for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

As a special operations flight surgeon, Green served a tour of duty in the Afghanistan War and two tours of duty in the Iraq War. He was the special operations flight surgeon during Operation Red Dawn, the military operation that captured Saddam Hussein. Green interrogated Hussein for six hours. Following his military service, he authored a book, titled A Night With Saddam, detailing the capture of Hussein, his interview with the dictator and his service with the Army's elite aviation unit. Green was honorably discharged from the Army in 2006.

For his service, Green was awarded the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with the V Device for valor under heavy enemy fire while rescuing British Special Operations forces wounded near Fallujah, and the Combat Medical Badge among numerous other awards. He also earned the Air Assault Badge and the Flight Surgeon Badge during his military service.

Green founded and served as chief executive officer of Align MD, a hospital emergency department management staffing company. Align MD provides staffing to emergency departments and hospitalist services in 50 hospitals across 10 states. Green also founded Two Rivers Medical Foundation, which provides healthcare to underserved populations throughout the world via medical mission trips, and operates a free medical clinic in his hometown, and in Memphis, Tennessee.

Green served on the boards of several for profit companies including, American Physician Partners, Align MD, and Rural Physician Partners. Green is also a board member of the Middle Tennessee Boy Scouts of America. He has served on the advisory board of the political organization Latinos for Tennessee since 2015.

In 2015, Green was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities by Williamson College in Franklin, Tennessee.

Tennessee State Senate

He was first elected to the Tennessee Senate in 2012, defeating Democratic incumbent Tim Barnes. He was rumored to be considering a challenge to Lamar Alexander in the 2014 U.S. Senate election, but declined to do so.

Green is most noteworthy for his legislation ending the Hall Income Tax in Tennessee, only the second time in US history a state has repealed an income tax. He also co-sponsored a bill which eliminated the statute of limitations on rape cases where the DNA profile of the suspect is known. Sen. Green has received awards recognizing his many laws protecting veterans and small businesses. He has led the charge in Tennessee for automated technology in the auto manufacturing world speaking at national conferences on the topic.

In 2015 Green proposed a pilot program to test an innovative solution to healthcare.The idea provides a reduced amount of healthcare dollars on a swipe card for Medicaid patients giving them choice and control.The incentive is that any dollars not spent go to the patient as an addition to their earned income check.SJR 88 passed and was signed by the governor.Currently, the request for a waiver to test the program is at CMS for approval.

Green was opposed for re-election in the 2016 Republican primary but he won 84% to 16% over Lori Smith of Clarksville, Tennessee. In the general election, Senator Green won re-election defeating Democrat David Cutting 67% to 33%.

Nomination as U.S. Army Secretary

In April 2017, Green was nominated by President Donald Trump to be United States Secretary of the Army. Green was Trump's second nominee for this position after initial nominee Vincent Viola withdrew from consideration.

Green drew some opposition based on public comments directed at transgender people. A statement that Green made which brought wide attention to him in the media was made before a Tea Party group in September 2016 at a gathering in Chattanooga, Tennessee. At that event Green said, "If you polled the psychiatrists, they're going to tell you that transgender is a disease." As well as his support for a state law which defined access to public restrooms for transgender individuals matching their legal sex, rather than gender identity.

In an internet radio talk show with CJ Porter, Green also stated that his duty as a state senator is to "crush evil." Green said this in the context of his support for a bill to prohibit transgender individuals from entering the restrooms for the gender they identified with.

Green also stated that if school districts "want to have a bathroom that's separate for all of the, you know, guys or gals with question marks" but were concerned the "AFL-CIO is going to sue you, well I got your back." It is assumed Green meant the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) not the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO). Green has also said that he would "not tolerate" students learning about Muslim beliefs and practices. Green added later that he doesn't "think we should teach the Lord’s Prayer" in schools either. In a call for separation of church and state, he said: "Leave that to the churches, the synagogues, and the mosques."

Green withdrew his nomination on May 5, 2017.

2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election

On January 4, 2017, Green officially filed paperwork to run for Governor as a Republican candidate for the 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election. However, in late 2017 when 7th District congresswoman Marsha Blackburn announced she was running for the United States Senate, Green announced he was running for the open congressional seat. His state senate district includes almost all of the northeastern portion of the congressional district.

Elections

2018 general election

Green became the Republican nominee for the 2018 U.S. House of Representatives election in Tennessee's 7th congressional district after running unopposed for the Republican nomination. His state senate district included much of the northern portion of the congressional district. Green won the general election in November and took office in January 2019.

Tenure

In December 2019, Green voted against the articles of impeachment regarding the Impeachment of Donald Trump.

After incumbent U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander announced he would not seek reelection in 2020, Green was considered a likely candidate for the seat. However, Green announced on July 11, 2019, that he would not be a candidate.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism
  • Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security
• Committee on Oversight and Reform
  • Subcommittee on National Security
  • Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis

Caucus memberships

• House Freedom Caucus
• Republican Study Committee
• Special Operations Forces Caucus
• GOP Doctor's Caucus
• Pro-Life Caucus
• Prayer Caucus
• Military Family Caucus
• Military Veterans Caucus
• Congressional Army Caucus
• House Republican Israel Caucus
• Songwriters Caucus
• Values Action Team
• Congressional Recording Arts and Sciences Caucus

Abortion

Green opposes abortion. In a 2019 op-ed, Green claimed that "modern science has revealed that mother and baby are, in fact, two separate persons -- long before the baby is born" and argued that "a child becomes a child at conception."

Climate Change

Green rejects the scientific consensus that human activity plays a key role in climate change.

Vaccines

In 2018, as a congressman-elect, Green stated at a constituent meeting that "there is some concern that the rise in autism is the result of the preservatives that are in our vaccines," a claim that has been repeatedly debunked by scientific studies and reiterated by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Green asserted that the Centers for Disease Control had "maybe fraudulently managed" data regarding vaccines and autism and pledged "to stand on the CDC's desk and get the real data on vaccines." Green clarified the comment and said he vaccinated his own children and "would encourage families to get vaccinated at this time."

Creationism

Green self-identifies as a young earth creationist, rejecting the scientific consensus on evolution. In a 2015 lecture, he advanced the "irreducible complexity" argument.

Green and his wife, Camie, live near Ashland City, in Montgomery County. He has two children.