Pennsylvania Senator Mike Brubaker Republican, 36th District
 

State Senator Mike Brubaker represents more than just the 36th District. He represents a new breed of Pennsylvania political leader, a species impatient with the status quo, the good-old-boy network, and a too often glacially sluggish bureaucracy.

At the same time, he’s not a scorched-earth politician who deems he was sent to Harrisburg to demolish all that’s gone before.

Brubaker knows state government can — and does — do good things.

He believes that state government is an essential factor in people’s lives and it exists to serve them within the framework of Pennsylvania’s constitution. But, that its primary mandate is to protect all Pennsylvanians from an overreaching government.

And that, Brubaker asserts, requires relentless vigilance, constant fine tuning and an occasional attitude adjustment.

"It doesn’t matter if the subject is school funding, infrastructure, healthcare or crime, people just want the job done economically, professionally and ethically," Brubaker says.

"That’s why I’m here. As far as I’m concerned, the only way to do that is to put people and principles before politics. That’s how my staff and I approach everything we do in state government."

People and principles before politics. A nice alterative phrase, to be sure. But does it really mean anything?

It does for Brubaker and his staff. And it’s not just a slogan. It’s a mission statement. From the top down, they are people-driven.

Dignity, Respect and Building Relationships

For example, it’s the way he personally approaches interacting with constituents. "Every person I meet, in the office, at an event or on the street, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect," Brubaker insists.

The same goes for political opponents. "I ask them, ‘Why don’t we concentrate on the 80% of the things we agree on, instead of the 20% of things on which we disagree?’ and you’d be surprised how often we find middle ground," the Senator says. "It’s about building relationships where antagonism existed before," he maintains.

During his first two years in office, Brubaker established a reputation for candor, honesty and courage. Bi-partisan bills as diverse as those seeking a constitutional definition of marriage, to improving the health and lives of breeding dogs, to reducing phosphates in the wastewater stream, bear his name as prime sponsor.

He averages nearly 400 public meetings a year, and would do more if his schedule allowed it. As it is, Brubaker is forced to turn down more than half of the invitations he gets to speak in public and private forums.

Each year his staffs in Harrisburg and the Lititz District Office field more than 15,000 telephone calls and 125,000 email messages from the 250,000 residents of the 36th District. And they do so promptly, professionally, and personably.

Pro-Business, Pro-Family, Pro-Pennsylvania

Brubaker’s legislative agenda is as packed as his schedule.

As Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee chair, he’s determined to promote policies leading to safe and abundant foods produced in Pennsylvania.

Is he pro-business? You bet. In 2008, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce presented him its NFIB Award signifying a 100% business-friendly voting record. Brubaker’s work to minimize Pennsylvania’s economic reliance on petroleum is also earning high marks in the business community and among environmental groups.

Is he pro-family? At a time when healthcare and health insurance often dominate dinnertime conversations, Brubaker looks to state government to reduce healthcare costs by encouraging healthy lifestyles and early diagnostic intervention.

His record of providing educational, vocational and employment opportunities for young people strengthens individuals, families and communities. He considers volunteerism — particularly among young people — to be a building block leading toward healthier neighborhoods. An updated, 21st Century state version of the federal government’s Civilian Conservation Corps is among Brubaker’s initiatives.

Perhaps most meaningful — and most challenging — is Brubaker’s determination to restore trust and confidence among Pennsylvanians in its General Assembly. Given that a recent statewide survey ranked citizen opinion of the state legislature right around that of convicted felons, that may be his most formidable task.

Brubaker is one of an uncommon handful in Harrisburg -- on both sides of the legislative aisle — that is truly effective in improving the lives of Pennsylvanians. "If I can’t help to make Pennsylvania better, then there’s no reason for me to be in the General Assembly. That’s why I ran, that’s why I’m here, and that’s why I enjoy serving," he says.

Lancaster County Born, Bred

A Lancaster County native, Brubaker was born in 1957 and has been married to wife Cindy since 1981. He is an agronomist by education and profession, and an entrepreneur by nature. In the private sector, Senator Brubaker owned and operated successful businesses in agricultural production, environmental enhancements and international trade.

Senator Brubaker is the Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, giving him the opportunity to work on behalf of the Commonwealth’s number one industry and a vital component of the local economy in Lancaster and Chester Counties. In addition, he serves as Vice Chairman of the Aging and Youth Committee and as a member of the Appropriations, Labor and Industry, Local Government, Policy and State Government Committees.

Outside of the Senate, the Senator serves on the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders Board of Directors, and is Chair of the Pennsylvania Delegation to the Chesapeake Bay Commission.

He is an advisor to the FBI-Philadelphia Division, as well as a member of the recently formed Agriculture Response and Preparedness Committee of the South Central Pennsylvania Counter-Terrorism Task Force.

During 2008, Senator Brubaker was appointed by President Bush as a charter member of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Advisory Committee.

Recent Honors Include:

2007 George C. Delp - Agricultural Leadership Award
2008 Lancaster-York Heritage Region Board of Director
2008 Guardian of Small Business Award - National Federation of Independent Businesses
2008 Pennsylvania Family Institute Power of One Award
2008 Honorary State FFA Degree, National Future Farmers of America
2008 Lancaster County Task Force on Chesapeake Solutions
2008 Lancaster and Chester County ACTION "Outstanding Citizen Award"

Pennsylvania Senate Caucuses

Pennsylvania Hunger Caucus — Chair
Pennsylvania Sportsman Caucus
Biotechnology and Life Science Caucus
Community College Caucus
Senate Firefighters and EMS Caucus
Autism Caucus
Children’s Health Caucus
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Caucus

Boards and Commissions

Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission
State Agriculture Land Preservation Board
Agricultural Advisory Board to DEP
State Agriculture and Rural Youth Development Board
Board of Sustainable Agriculture
Noxious Weed Control Committee
Pennsylvania Agriculture Fair Advisory Committee
Advisory Committee on Disposition of Commonwealth Farmland
Food Employee Certification Advisory Board
Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center Board of Directors
University of Pennsylvania Board of Overseers
Agriculture Research Committee
Aquaculture Advisory Committee
Dairy Stakeholders Group
Beef Quality Assurance Group
Beef Task Force
Agriculture Air Quality Task Force
Agriculture Committee of the Eastern Regional Conference of the Council of State Governments
Ag Safety Subcommittee of the South Central Pennsylvania Counter-Terrorism Task Force
Ephrata Area Education Foundation Board
Chesapeake Bay Commission
     Vice Chair — Pennsylvania 2008
     Chair — Pennsylvania 2009
Lancaster-York Heritage Region Board
FRRCC — E. Pennsylvania Advisory Board
SARL — State Association of Rural Leaders
Octorara Regional Economic Development Council
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Cooper Hill Sportsmen Club
Farm Foundation
Bennett Round Table
Millcreek Sportsmen Club
Millport Conservancy
Ephrata Area Chamber of Commerce
National Rifle Association
Penn-Ag Industries
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
Pennsylvania Grange
Legislative Advisor to the Alternative Fuel Renewable Energies Council
Motor Vehicles Sales Finance Act Task Force
Assisted Living Financing Task Force
Co-chair, Penn State Legislative Forum on Higher Education
Officer of the Keystone Legislative Squadron of P Pennsylvania Wing Civil Air Patrol