History of Thom Tillis in Timeline
"Thomas Roland Tillis is a prominent American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He has served as the senior United States senator from North Carolina since 2015. Before his election to the Senate, Tillis held the position of Speaker in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015, demonstrating his significant experience in state-level politics."
August 30, 1960: Birth of Thom Tillis
Thom Tillis was born on August 30, 1960.
1976: Copyright Act of 1976
The Copyright Act of 1976 provided a legal framework for copyright protection in the United States. This act, passed in 1976, established guidelines for the protection of original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, and certain other intellectual creations. The Internet Archive argued that it was a licensed library in the state of California and that the Copyright Act of 1976 "provides flexibility to libraries and others to adjust to changing circumstances."
1978: Tillis Graduates High School
Thom Tillis graduates from high school in 1978 and leaves home to start working.
1990: Tillis Joins Price Waterhouse
In 1990, Tillis was recruited to work for accounting and consulting firm Price Waterhouse.
1996: Tillis Becomes Partner at Price Waterhouse
Thom Tillis is promoted to partner at Price Waterhouse in 1996.
1996: Tillis Earns His Bachelor's Degree
Tillis received a Bachelor of Science in technology management from the University of Maryland University College in 1996.
1998: Tillis Moves to Cornelius, North Carolina
In 1998, Tillis and his family moved to Cornelius, North Carolina.
1998: Republicans Win Majority in North Carolina House
Republicans won a majority in the North Carolina House for the first time since 1998.
2002: Tillis Begins Political Career
Tillis's political career began in 2002 when he advocated for a local bike trail in Cornelius and was elected to the town's park board.
2003: Tillis Runs for Town Commissioner
In 2003, Tillis ran for town commissioner and tied for second place.
2006: Tillis Elected to the General Assembly
In 2006, Tillis ran for the General Assembly and defeated incumbent John W. Rhodes in the Republican primary before winning the general election unopposed.
2007: Renewable Portfolio Standard
Tillis voted in favor of a measure to implement a renewable portfolio standard in North Carolina in 2007.
2008: Tillis Re-elected to the General Assembly
Tillis was reelected to the General Assembly unopposed in 2008.
2009: Tillis Leaves IBM
Tillis formally left his job at IBM in 2009.
2010: Opposition to Minimum Wage
In 2010, Tillis opposed increasing North Carolina's minimum wage.
2010: Tillis Re-elected to the General Assembly Again
In 2010, Tillis served as campaign chairman for the House Republican Caucus and won re-election to the General Assembly.
2011: Abortion Ultrasound Law
In 2011, as speaker of the North Carolina House, Tillis supported and helped pass a law requiring abortion providers to perform an ultrasound four hours before the procedure. The law was later struck down by courts.
2011: Controversial Remarks on Public Assistance
In 2011, Tillis made controversial remarks suggesting a "divide and conquer" approach towards those receiving public assistance, differentiating between those who need it and those who "choose" to be dependent on the government. The remarks resurfaced in 2014 during his Senate campaign.
2011: Tillis and Berger Named "GOP Legislators to Watch"
Governing magazine named Tillis and North Carolina Senate President pro tempore Phil Berger "GOP Legislators to Watch" in 2011.
2012: Tillis Re-elected to the General Assembly a Final Time
Tillis wins re-election to the General Assembly for a final time in 2012.
2012: Tillis Presides Over Restrictive Voting Legislation
After Republican Pat McCrory was elected governor in 2012, Tillis presided over legislation that reduced early voting days, invalidated ballots cast outside one's precinct, and required specific kinds of photo ID in order to vote.
2012: Tillis Leads Push for North Carolina Amendment 1 Banning Same-Sex Marriage
In 2012, while serving as the speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Thom Tillis played a key role in advocating for the passage of North Carolina Amendment 1. This state constitutional amendment aimed to prohibit same-sex marriage and civil unions within the state.
2012: Planned Parenthood Defunding
In 2012, Tillis voted to defund Planned Parenthood in North Carolina.
2013: Motorcycle Safety Bill Amendment
Tillis supported a motorcycle safety bill in 2013 that included surreptitiously added restrictions on abortion.
2013: Tillis Re-elected as Speaker
Tillis was unanimously reelected as Speaker in 2013.
2014: Gun Laws and NRA Support
During his 2014 Senate campaign, Tillis received significant support from the NRA, who spent $2.2 million in support of his campaign. Tillis has an "A+" rating from the NRA-PVF.
2014: Protestors Arrested at Tillis's Office
In 2014, 14 people were arrested after staging a sit-in protest in Tillis's office over cuts to the earned income tax credits program and his refusal to expand Medicaid.
2014: Tillis Elected to the Senate
In 2014, Thom Tillis was elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan.
2014: Support for Personhood Bill
In 2014, a spokesperson for Tillis stated he would support a personhood bill if brought to the Senate floor, with the condition that abortion remain legal in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother's life is in danger.
2014: Tillis Receives Large Sums of Dark Money
In the 2014 election, Tillis received $22,888,975 in "dark money", which constituted 81% of non-party outside spending in support.
2014: Tillis Campaign Employs Cambridge Analytica
The Tillis campaign and the North Carolina Republican Party paid $345,000 to Cambridge Analytica to microtarget voters during the 2014 election.
2014: Tillis Announces Run for U.S. Senate
Tillis announced that he would run for the U.S. Senate against first-term Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan in 2014.
2014: Climate Change Denial
Tillis denied the existence of climate change in 2014.
2014: Opposition to Minimum Wage Increase
Tillis opposed increasing the federal minimum wage in 2014 and declined to comment on a potential increase in North Carolina.
2014: Tillis Appeals Ruling Against North Carolina's Same-Sex Marriage Ban
In 2014, Thom Tillis appealed a legal ruling that declared North Carolina Amendment 1, which banned same-sex marriage, as unconstitutional. This appeal highlighted his continued support for the ban.
2015: Tillis Supports Amendment to Grant Government Resources to Same-Sex Couples in Non-Recognizing States
In 2015, while serving in the U.S. Senate, Thom Tillis voted in favor of an amendment to a non-binding resolution. This amendment sought to ensure that same-sex married couples residing in states that did not legally recognize same-sex marriage could still access government resources and benefits.
2015: Views on Regulation
Tillis expressed his stance on regulation in 2015, using the example of coffee shops being able to opt out of hand-washing regulations if they displayed a sign informing customers.
2015: Tillis Joins Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus
Since 2015, Thom Tillis has been a member of the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus, a bipartisan group formed in 2015 to advocate for stronger protections for whistleblowers in both the private and public sectors. The caucus works to raise awareness about the importance of protecting individuals who expose wrongdoing from retaliation and promotes bipartisan dialogue on whistleblower-related legislation.
2015: Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Bans Unconstitutional
In 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a landmark ruling that declared bans on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. This decision effectively legalized same-sex marriage across the United States.
2015: Tillis Opposes Supreme Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage
Following the landmark 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which affirmed a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, Thom Tillis publicly expressed his opposition to the ruling. This stance, taken while he was speaker of the North Carolina House, distinguished him from some other prominent Republican officials in the state who accepted the ruling.
2015: Support for Offshore Drilling
During his first speech on the Senate floor in 2015, Tillis advocated for opening the United States' Atlantic coast for offshore drilling.
2015: Vote Against Climate Change Amendment
He voted against an amendment in 2015 that acknowledged the existence of climate change and the role of human activities.
2016: Gun Control Votes
Following the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, Tillis voted in favor of Republican-backed bills that aimed to increase funding for the federal background check system and impose a 72-hour delay on gun sales for individuals listed on the terrorist watchlist. However, he voted against Democratic proposals to prohibit individuals on the terrorist watchlist from purchasing firearms and to mandate background checks at gun shows and for online gun sales.
2016: Tillis Calls Trump's Comments "Indefensible"
Following the release of the Access Hollywood tape during the 2016 United States presidential election, Tillis called Trump's comments "indefensible".
2016: Supreme Court Vacancy
In 2016, Tillis opposed filling the Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, arguing that the decision should be left to the next president.
March 2017: Tillis Supports Bill to Nullify Net Neutrality Rules and Votes for Broadband Consumer Privacy Proposal
In March 2017, Thom Tillis demonstrated his opposition to net neutrality by co-sponsoring the Restoring Internet Freedom Act, a bill designed to overturn the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Open Internet Order. Additionally, he voted in favor of the Broadband Consumer Privacy Proposal, which aimed to dismantle the FCC's internet privacy regulations and grant internet service providers the authority to sell their customers' browsing history without requiring their consent.
November 2017: Opposition to EPA Nominee
In November 2017, Tillis opposed President Trump's nomination of Michael Dourson for a position at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
2017: Condemnation of Rohingya Genocide
In 2017, Tillis joined 21 senators in signing a letter condemning the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.
2017: Tillis Says He Supports All of Trump's Nominees and Votes
In 2017, Tillis said that he had "not deviated once from any nomination or any vote that the president happens to be supportive of".
2017: Withdrawal from Paris Agreement
In 2017, Tillis urged President Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement on climate change.
2017: Tillis Proposes Legislation as Alternative to DACA
In 2017, amidst discussions around the potential cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Thom Tillis put forth a legislative proposal. This bill aimed to provide a pathway for undocumented youth brought to the United States as children to apply for renewable five-year residency and eventually gain citizenship. This proposal was positioned as a more conservative alternative to the bipartisan DREAM Act.
January 2018: Support for NAFTA
In January 2018, Tillis was among 36 Republican senators who signed a letter urging President Trump to preserve the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
2018: Shifting Stance on Climate Change
By 2018, Tillis acknowledged the reality of climate change and the possibility of human contributions, although his position on the scientific consensus remained unclear.
2018: Tillis Introduces Legislation to Compensate for the ACA's Preexisting Condition Requirement
In 2018, Thom Tillis introduced legislation aimed at providing coverage for individuals with preexisting conditions. This legislation was intended to address concerns arising from potential repeals of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, the bill faced criticism for loopholes that could exempt insurers from covering certain preexisting condition-related issues and for not adequately matching the ACA's protections against discrimination.
2018: NRA Funding
By 2018, Tillis had become the third-largest recipient of NRA funding in Congress.
February 2019: Tillis Faces Pressure and Reverses Stance on Emergency Declaration
In 2020, after facing pressure from President Trump and conservative factions, Thom Tillis reversed his initial opposition and voted in favor of Trump's national emergency declaration regarding the southern border. This decision came after Tillis had publicly opposed the declaration, arguing against expanding executive power to bypass Congress.
December 2019: Garland Tucker Ends Primary Challenge Against Tillis
Conservative businessman Garland Tucker ended his primary challenge against Tillis in December 2019 after spending $1.3 million to finance his campaign, and after Trump endorsed all incumbent Republican senators up for election in 2020, including Tillis.
2019: Regulation of Drinking Water Contaminants
Tillis was among 20 senators who signed a letter in 2019 urging the EPA to regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, following reports that the agency would not do so.
April 2020: Tillis Raises Copyright Concerns Over Internet Archive's Emergency Library Initiative
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thom Tillis expressed concerns about the Internet Archive's "National Emergency Library" initiative. This initiative temporarily expanded access to the Archive's collection of 1.4 million books in response to the pandemic-related shutdowns. Tillis, as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee's intellectual property panel, argued that the initiative potentially infringed upon copyright law.
May 2020: Tillis Votes Against Amendment to Restrict Warrantless Surveillance of Web Browser History
In May 2020, Thom Tillis voted against a proposed amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This amendment sought to prohibit warrantless surveillance of individuals' web browser history, a practice that raises privacy concerns.
September 2020: Opposition to Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Expansion
As of September 2020, North Carolina remained one of 12 states that had not expanded Medicaid, due in part to legislation Tillis supported while in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Tillis has consistently opposed the Affordable Care Act and efforts to expand Medicaid.
September 2020: Supreme Court Nomination
In September 2020, less than two months before the presidential election, Tillis supported an immediate vote on President Trump's Supreme Court nominee following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
October 2, 2020: COVID-19 Diagnosis
Tillis tested positive for COVID-19 on October 2, 2020, after attending a White House event.
October 2020: Cunningham Admits to Extramarital Affair
In October 2020, Cal Cunningham acknowledged having an extramarital affair, which reduced his lead in the polls against Tillis to less than two points before election day.
2020: Climate Change Stance in 2020 Campaign
During his 2020 Senate campaign, Tillis presented himself as a moderate advocate for market-based solutions to climate change, despite his history as a supporter of fossil fuels.
2020: Tillis Re-elected to the Senate
Tillis won re-election to the Senate in 2020 against Democratic nominee Cal Cunningham.
2020: Support for Soleimani Assassination
Tillis expressed support in 2020 for the US military's assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad International Airport.
2020: Solar Energy Production
By 2020, North Carolina became the second-highest producer of solar energy in the US.
January 2021: Tillis Votes with Trump's Stated Position 90% of the Time
As of January 2021, Tillis had voted with Trump's stated positions 90% of the time.
March 29, 2021: Tillis Announces Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
On March 29, 2021, Thom Tillis publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Tillis shared that the cancer was detected during his routine annual physical, even though he had not experienced any symptoms. He used the opportunity to emphasize the importance of regular prostate health screenings for men.
May 28, 2021: Tillis Votes Against Independent Commission to Investigate January 6th Attack
On May 28, 2021, Thom Tillis voted against the establishment of an independent commission tasked with investigating the January 6th, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol.
August 2021: Tillis Calls for Accountability for Those Involved in January 6th Attack
In August 2021, Thom Tillis stated that those involved in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol should be held accountable for their actions, including potential imprisonment. This statement came after his previous vote against forming an independent commission to investigate the attack.
2021: Tillis Introduces Amendment to Increase Penalties for Copyright Infringement
In 2021, Thom Tillis spearheaded an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act. This amendment aimed to elevate the severity of unauthorized commercial streaming of copyrighted material, making it a felony offense. Under this amendment, individuals and service providers found guilty of unlawfully transmitting copyrighted material could face up to three years in prison.
July 2022: Tillis Signals Potential Support for Codifying Same-Sex Marriage
In July 2022, Thom Tillis indicated that he would "probably" support a bipartisan bill that aimed to codify the legality of same-sex marriage within U.S. federal law. This signaled a potential shift in his stance on the issue.
November 2022: Tillis Voices Support for Same-Sex Marriage Bill
In November 2022, Thom Tillis expressed his support for a Senate bill that aimed to codify the legality of same-sex marriage. He characterized the bill as a positive step based on mutual respect and compromise.
November 29, 2022: Tillis Votes for the Respect for Marriage Act
On November 29, 2022, Thom Tillis voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, a significant piece of legislation that aimed to provide federal protection for same-sex and interracial marriages. This act repealed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law that previously defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
2022: Tillis Votes Against the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022
In 2022, Thom Tillis voted against the Honoring our PACT Act. This legislation aimed to provide funding for veterans who had been exposed to toxic substances while serving in the military.
2022: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
In 2022, Tillis was one of 15 Republican senators who voted in favor of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This legislation aimed to address gun violence by providing funding for state red flag laws and crisis intervention programs, enhancing school safety measures, strengthening background checks for gun buyers under 21, and establishing penalties for straw purchases.
2022: Tillis Votes for the Respect for Marriage Act
In 2022, Tillis's views on same-sex marriage had evolved, and he voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified same-sex and interracial marriage into federal law.
2023: Tillis Becomes Senior Senator from North Carolina
Following the retirement of Richard Burr in 2023, Tillis became the senior U.S. senator from North Carolina.