Rep. Mike Rogers, the powerful Republican chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, will not seek re-election to Congress after his term expires this year.
Rogers made the announcement Friday on the Detroit, Michigan radio station, WJR. In an interview he said he would pursue a new career after his term expires in 2015 as a radio talk show host with Cumulus Media, the second largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States.
Last night, The Hill reported and then withdrew its report that Rogers would be stepping down as early as Friday.
Rogers became chairman of the intelligence committee in 2011. Despite the mood of fierce partisanship in Washington, Rogers has been able to work with Democrats on his committee to pass authorizations for the $80 billion annual intelligence budget. This week, Rogers introduced new legislation to end the bulk collection of call records by the NSA with his committee’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger.