The Bush administration has plucked another senior aide out of the House, taking Rep. Mike Rogers’ (R-Mich.) chief of staff, Chris Cox, to serve in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.

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Cox will do liaison work to his former chamber, serving under chief House lobbyist Dan Keniry. Before joining Rogers’ team in 2001, Cox had served stints in the offices of Reps. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Mac Collins (R-Ga.).

Rogers has promoted Legislative Director Matt Strawn to replace Cox as chief of staff, while Heather Keiser has moved up to take the LD post.

Study Break.There’s a new caucus in town. Reps. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Vic Snyder (D-Ark.) are formalizing their monthly Member breakfasts that revolve around defense issues.

“This year, because of the critical importance of national security issues for every Member, we are creating a more formal caucus known as the Defense Study Group,” the duo wrote in a “Dear Colleague” letter this week.

Continuing the breakfast-hour tradition, the bipartisan, Members-only group will meet monthly at 8:30 a.m.

Raising the Barr. Former Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.) has joined The Law Offices of Edwin Marger in Jasper, Ga., as counsel.

Barr, a former U.S. attorney who was an associate with the firm from 1978 to 1981, will focus on international law and civil and criminal litigation.

In his post-Congressional career Barr also serves as a commentator for CNN and works on privacy matters with the American Civil Liberties Union.

Barr formed an exploratory campaign committee last month and is expected to run for the 6th district seat being vacated by Rep. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), who is running for Senate. The law firm is in Georgia’s 10th district, which is represented by Rep. Nathan Deal (R).

United We Stand. Latino and Jewish Members will come together at 5 p.m. today in Room 2200 of the Rayburn Building for the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding’s first Latino/Jewish Congressional Awards Ceremony.

Awards recognizing the work of Reps. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) and Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) in strengthening Latino-Jewish relations will be presented.

— Ben Pershing, Amy Keller, Lauren W. Whittington and Bree Hocking