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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Former Member, Agriculture Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Agriculture, Energy and Trade Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Contracting and Workforce Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, National Security Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Nutrition Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Small Business Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research, United States House of Representatives

Former Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, United States House of Representatives

Former Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Environment, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Government Operations, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, The Interior, Energy and Environment Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Education

  • BS, Agriculture, Western Kentucky University, 1993

Professional Experience

  • BS, Agriculture, Western Kentucky University, 1993
  • Owner, Comer Land and Cattle Company, 1994-present
  • Owner, Comer Family Farms, present
  • Director, South Central Bank, 2000-2012
  • President, CFB Foods Incorporated, 2001-2003
  • President, Comer and Polston Insurance Incorporated, 1993-1995

Political Experience

  • BS, Agriculture, Western Kentucky University, 1993
  • Owner, Comer Land and Cattle Company, 1994-present
  • Owner, Comer Family Farms, present
  • Director, South Central Bank, 2000-2012
  • President, CFB Foods Incorporated, 2001-2003
  • President, Comer and Polston Insurance Incorporated, 1993-1995
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, Kentucky, District 1, 2016-present
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Kentucky, District 1, 2016, 2018, 2020
  • Commissioner, Department of Agriculture, Commonwealth of Kentucky, 2012-2016
  • Candidate, Governor of Kentucky, 2015
  • Representative, Commonwealth of Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53, 2000-2011

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Agriculture, Energy and Trade Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Contracting and Workforce Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, National Security Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Nutrition Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Small Business Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, The Interior, Energy and Environment Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Reform

Member, Education & Labor Committee

Member, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment

Member, Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • BS, Agriculture, Western Kentucky University, 1993
  • Owner, Comer Land and Cattle Company, 1994-present
  • Owner, Comer Family Farms, present
  • Director, South Central Bank, 2000-2012
  • President, CFB Foods Incorporated, 2001-2003
  • President, Comer and Polston Insurance Incorporated, 1993-1995
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, Kentucky, District 1, 2016-present
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Kentucky, District 1, 2016, 2018, 2020
  • Commissioner, Department of Agriculture, Commonwealth of Kentucky, 2012-2016
  • Candidate, Governor of Kentucky, 2015
  • Representative, Commonwealth of Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53, 2000-2011
  • Member, Tompkinsville Jaycees, 2003-present
  • Member, American Council of Young Political Leaders, 2002-present
  • Director, Monroe County Farm Bureau, 1995-present
  • Member, Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce
  • Member, First Baptist Church of Tompkinsville
  • Member, Kentucky Cattleman's Association
  • Former President, Kentucky Future Farmers of America
  • Member, Lions Club of Tompkinsville
  • Member, Metcalfe Chamber of Commerce
  • Member, Monroe County Inter-Agency Council
  • Member, Young Political Leaders of Kentucky
  • President, Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, 1999-2000
  • Delegate, Republican National Convention, 1996
  • Chair, Republican Party of Monroe County, 1993-1994
  • President, Kentucky Future Farmers of America (FFA), 1990-1991

Other Info

— Awards:

  • Guardian of Small Business; Jaycees Outstanding Young Kentuckian,
  • National Republican Freshman Legislator of the Year, 2001

Policy Positions

2021

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- Unknown Position

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position

Crime

Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- Unknown Position

Defense

Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Yes

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy and Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- No

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position

Trade

Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes

Kentucky State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test

Abortion and Reproductive

1. Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
- Pro-life

2. Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- No

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

7. Should an ultrasound be required prior to an abortion?
- Yes

8. Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
- No

9. Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
- Yes

10. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, and Tax

State SpendingIndicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category- you can use a number more than once.2) State TaxesIndicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category- you can use a number more than once.3) Budget StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Kentucky's budget.

1. Education (higher)
- Maintain Status

2. Education (K-12)
- Maintain Status

3. Environment
- Maintain Status

4. Health care
- Maintain Status

5. Law enforcement
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Greatly Increase

7. Welfare
- Greatly Decrease

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

9. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

10. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

11. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Decrease

12. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

13. Property taxes
- Maintain Status

14. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

15. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

16. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

17. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

18. Tapping into Kentucky's "rainy day" fund
- No

19. Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders
- Yes

20. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No

21. Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees
- Yes

22. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- Yes

23. Privatizing certain government services
- Yes

24. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

1. Do you support limits on the number of terms for Kentucky governors?
- Yes

2. Do you support limits on the number of terms for Kentucky state legislators?
- Yes

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?

1. Individual
- Yes

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- Yes

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime and Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
- No

4. Should minors accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as adults?
- Yes

5. Should minors who send sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- Yes

6. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- No

3. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No

4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- No Answer

6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- No

7. Do you support capping interest rates and fees on payday loans?
- No

8. Do you support permitting video lottery terminals at horse racing tracks?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support national education standards?
- No

2. Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams?
- Yes

3. Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers?
- No

4. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

5. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

6. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Kentucky high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- Yes

3. Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for improvements to Kentucky's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

5. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- No

6. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No

2. Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

3. Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a license for gun possession?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- No

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
- No

5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

6. Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Kentucky?
- No

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- No

8. Do you support Medicaid coverage for smoking cessation programs?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- Yes

2. Should Kentucky allow same-sex couples to form civil unions?
- No

3. Do you support state funding for stem cell research?
- No

4. Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research?
- No

5. Do you support the state's use of affirmative action?
- No

6. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Kentucky's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

7. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Kentucky's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- No Answer

2019

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- No

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy & Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes

Marijuana

Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Unknown Position

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- Yes

2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- Unknown Position

Congress Bills
Speeches

Washington, D.C. Admission Act

Apr. 22, 2021Floor Speech

The Parrish Family

Apr. 19, 2021Floor Speech
Articles

Wall Street Journal - Op-Ed by Congressman Comer: Unemployment Bonus Keeps Workers on the Sidelines

Jul. 9, 2020

By Rep. James Comer When Congress increased unemployment benefits at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was an emergency step to shore up the finances of people whose income had evaporated overnight. Record job loss demanded action to replace wages workers lost through no fault of their own. But now unintended consequences of supplemental unemployment payments are stifling economic recovery. Soon after supplemental unemployment insurance payments took effect in the spring, I began to hear from business owners in my home state of Kentucky that these payments were having negative effects. The extra $600 a week included in the Cares Act boosted wages higher than they were before the virus, meaning people were earning more on unemployment than they used to at work. The data bear this out. Researchers at the University of Chicago's Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics found that 68% of eligible people would receive benefits exceeding their lost earnings. One in five would receive more than double his prior wages. Employers in Kentucky are finding it difficult to persuade employees to return to work, as nearly 40% of the state's labor force has filed for unemployment benefits--the highest share in the nation. Kentucky's pace of reopening has been well behind neighbors such as Tennessee and Indiana. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's delayed, incremental reopening is crippling the recovery, bankrupting the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and making Kentucky's businesses less competitive. It is clear that a system of excessive unemployment benefits has run its course. More than 60 of my colleagues in Congress plan to join me in sending a letter to House and Senate leadership to express our concerns and demand that these payments expire July 31, as the Cares Act intended. Despite the data and reports from businesses, Speaker Nancy Pelosi forced a measure through the House to extend the $600-a-week federal subsidy through January 2021. It defies logic to extend disincentives to work when businesses are beginning to reopen. Given the express desire of Majority Whip James Clyburn to use the Covid-19 crisis to "restructure things to fit our vision," as he put it to Democratic colleagues in March, efforts to spend the nation into oblivion and discourage Americans from working aren't surprising. But they are fundamentally opposed to the American spirit of the dignity of work. One must wonder if Democratic leaders even want to see businesses reopen and America's economy return to full force. Slow reopenings and efforts to extend jobless aid suggest an interest in stalling a recovery so that voters head to the polls in November with high unemployment--and vote for Democrats. America's economy was roaring before Covid-19. Cases are now declining, testing capability is improving, and states are reopening. America has an opportunity to return to the historic prosperity it was experiencing before this crisis. But to get back on the right track, we cannot extend the $600-a-week incentive not to return to work.

Events

2019

Dec. 2
Coffee with your Congressman

Mon 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM CST

200 North Main Street, 2nd Floor Tompkinsville, KY 42167

Sep. 5
Allen County Town Hall

Thur 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CDT

201 West Main Street Allen County Fiscal Courtroom, 2nd Floor Scottsville, KY