Jim Nussle

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Jim Nussle
36th Director of the Office of Management and Budget
In office September 10, 2007 – January 20, 2009
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Rob Portman
Succeeded by	Peter R. Orszag
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 1st district
In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007
Preceded by	Jim Leach
Succeeded by	Bruce Braley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Tom Tauke
Succeeded by	Jim Leach
Born	June 27, 1960 (1960-06-27) (age 49) Des Moines, Iowa
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Karen Nussle
Residence	Manchester, Iowa
Alma mater	Luther College, Drake University
Occupation	attorney
Religion	Lutheran

James Allen "Jim" Nussle (born June 27, 1960, Des Moines, Iowa) is an American politician and was the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Nussle was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2007. He was the Republican nominee for the November 2006 election for Governor of Iowa, and was defeated by Chet Culver.

Contents 1 Background 2 Congressional career 3 2006 Gubernatorial bid 4 OMB Director 5 World Almanac "Notable Quote in 2005" 6 Family and personal life 7 2008 Presidential election 8 Election history 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Background

After high school, Nussle studied in Denmark (his political action committee (PAC) was at one time called "Great Dane PAC" and he is of Danish descent). He then received a B.A. in international studies, political science, and economics from Luther College in 1983, and a J.D. degree from Drake University in Des Moines in 1985. While at Luther he was a member of the Zeta Rho Tau fraternity and was the lead singer in a band called ZPT blues band. Nussle also founded the Luther College Republicans chapter during his time at Luther. Upon graduation from Drake University law school, Nussle took his first step in becoming a public servant when he was elected as the Delaware County, Iowa attorney in Manchester. While in Manchester, Nussle became a volunteer firefighter.

[edit] Congressional career

When the incumbent six-term Republican in what was then the 2nd District, Tom Tauke made an unsuccessful run against Senator Tom Harkin during the 1990 election, Nussle ran as the Republican candidate for Tauke's House seat.

Nussle's first election to the House was the closest election for him during his entire tenure in the House. He and challenger Eric Tabor had been in a virtual dead heat in the time leading up to the election. Just before the election, Tabor became embroiled in a controversy regarding absentee ballots that family members had cast. This controversy caused some votes to not be counted at the end, and also cost Tabor other votes as well. Tabor did not concede the election to Nussle until the day after the election.

In 1992, as a result of redistricting, Nussle ran against fellow House member Dave Nagle. This was because Iowa's House delegation was being reduced from six down to five Representatives. The areas that Nussle and Nagle had represented in Congress were combined for the 1992 election. Nussle won, even though he had only one term under his belt to Nagle's three.

Nussle's first exposure to national attention came when he made a speech from the well of the House while wearing a paper bag over his head to protest the "shameful" ethical behavior involved in the House banking scandal. It remains a trademark reminder of Nussle.

He became Chairman of the House Budget Committee in 2001, the first Iowan to serve as chair of this committee. His position brought national and international interest to his district, including the ONE Campaign, the lobbying group formed by Bono of the rock band U2. The group has targeted Nussle's district with billboard and radio ads. On March 23, 2006 they placed a statement in Nussle's article on Wikipedia, regarding poverty in Africa and Nussle's budget influence, hoping to influence Nussle. (The statement was quickly removed by editors as it violated Wikipedia policies on maintaining a neutral point of view). On March 24, 2006 the Des Moines Register contained a story about this revision in which ONE confirmed that they had placed the statement.

Nussle's voting record was relatively conservative, despite representing a district with a slight Democratic lean. His district has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1988. Typical conservative positions Nussle embraced are supporting restrictions on abortion and supporting President Bush's tax cuts. His district was renumbered as the 1st District as a result of the 2000s round of redistricting, and became even more Democratic with the addition of much of Iowa's share of the Quad Cities. However, Nussle was reelected handily in 2002 and 2004.

[edit] 2006 Gubernatorial bid

When Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack announced that he would not seek a third term as Governor in 2006, a number of people from both parties began exploring running for Governor. That included Nussle, who began considering a run shortly after Vilsack made his announcement. On June 2, 2005; Nussle announced he would run for governor. His only serious primary challenger, Bob Vander Plaats, withdrew from the race to endorse Nussle and become his running mate.

On February 21, 2006, the Iowa Democratic Party filed an ethics complaint against Nussle for not reporting any in-kind donations from the federal “Nussle for Congress Committee”. On July 12, 2006, the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board unanimously voted to close the investigation with a finding of no probable cause to believe that a violation of a statute or rule under the Board's jurisdiction occurred.

On June 6, 2006, Nussle won the Republican primary, but lost the general election to Chet Culver on November 7 by a wide margin. Since the defeat, he first started his own consulting business and then was nominated to become the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Bush.

Three Republicans and four Democrats announced their intentions to seek the House seat Nussle was vacating in January, 2007. The primaries pared the candidates down to Democrat Bruce Braley and Republican Mike Whalen. Braley won Nussle's former seat.

[edit] OMB Director

Nussle was nominated by George W. Bush to replace Rob Portman and sworn in on September 10, 2007.^[1] OMB's predominant mission is to assist the President in overseeing the preparation of the federal budget and to supervise its administration in Executive Branch agencies. In helping to formulate the President's spending plans, OMB evaluates the effectiveness of agency programs, policies, and procedures, assesses competing funding demands among agencies, and sets funding priorities. OMB ensures that agency reports, rules, testimony, and proposed legislation are consistent with the President's Budget and with Administration policies.

In addition, OMB oversees and coordinates the Administration's procurement, financial management, information, and regulatory policies. In each of these areas, OMB's role is to help improve administrative management, to develop better performance measures and coordinating mechanisms, and to reduce any unnecessary burdens on the public.

Nussle's career as a public servant, which began after college, ended with the Bush Administration's last day in January, 2009. Since then Nussle has started The Nussle Group, a multi-disciplined, strategic consulting and government relations firm.

[edit] World Almanac "Notable Quote in 2005"

A March 9, 2005 quote of Nussle's was included in the 2006 World Almanac and Book of Facts's list of notable quotes in 2005 (p. 39): "Everyone wants to get to heaven, but no one wants to die." According to the almanac, the quote refers to opposition to his proposed budget, which included cuts to several earmarks and programs; the statement was made during Nussle's tenure as House Budget Committee chairman.

July, 2008 Jim Nussle, the White House budget director, announced that the nation had “avoided a recession,”

[edit] Family and personal life

Nussle was married to Leslie Jeanne (Harbison) Nussle and together they had two children: Sarah (b. November 2, 1988) and Mark (b. February 25, 1991). The Nussles divorced in 1996.

In 2001, Nussle married Karen Chiccehitto, who worked on the communications staff for Speaker Newt Gingrich and for the lobbying firm of BKSH, a subsidiary of the international WPP Group. She is currently president and founder of the strategic communications and marketing firm, Ripple Communications, LLC and periodically serves as a communications professor at the University of Dubuque.

[edit] 2008 Presidential election

Former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani named Nussle as an "senior advisor" for his 2008 Presidential election campaign.

[edit] Election history

• 1990: Defeated Eric Tabor 50%-49.8%
• 1992: Defeated David Nagle 51%-49%
• 1994: Defeated David Nagle 56%-43%
• 1996: Defeated Donna Smith 51%-48%
• 1998: Defeated Rob Tully 55%-44%
• 2000: Defeated Donna Smith 55%-44%
• 2002: Defeated Ann Hutchinson 57%-43%
• 2004: Defeated Bill Gluba 55%-44%
• 2006: Lost to Chet Culver 44-53%

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• White House OMB Site
• 2004 profile of Nussle in US News and World Reports
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Tom Tauke	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 2nd congressional district 1991–2003	Succeeded by Jim Leach
Preceded by Jim Leach	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 1st congressional district 2003–2007	Succeeded by Bruce Braley
Political offices
Preceded by John Kasich	Chairman of the House Budget Committee 2001–2007	Succeeded by John M. Spratt, Jr.
Preceded by Rob Portman	Director of the Office of Management and Budget 2007–2009	Succeeded by Peter R. Orszag

v • d • e Directors of the United States Office of Management and Budget Dawes · Lard · Roop · Douglas · D W Bell · Smith · Webb · Pace · Lawton · Dodge · Hughes · Brundage · Stans · D E Bell · Gordon · Schultze · Zwick · Mayo · Shultz · Weinberger · Ash · Lynn · Lance · McIntyre · Stockman · Wright · Miller · Wright · Darman · Panetta · Rivlin · Raines · Lew · Daniels · Bolten · Portman · Nussle · Orszag

v • d • e Cabinet of President George W. Bush (2001–2009)   Cabinet Secretary of State Colin Powell (2001–2005) • Condoleezza Rice (2005–2009) Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill (2001–2002) • John Snow (2003–2006) • Henry Paulson (2006–2009) Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (2001–2006) • Robert Gates (2006–2009) Attorney General John Ashcroft (2001–2005) • Alberto Gonzales (2005–2007) • Michael Mukasey (2007–2009) Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton (2001–2006) • Dirk Kempthorne (2006–2009) Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman (2001–2005) • Mike Johanns (2005–2007) • Ed Schafer (2008–2009) Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans (2001–2005) • Carlos Gutierrez (2005–2009) Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao (2001–2009) Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson (2001–2005) • Mike Leavitt (2005–2009) Secretary of Education Rod Paige (2001–2005) • Margaret Spellings (2005–2009) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez (2001–2003) • Alphonso Jackson (2003–2008) • Steve Preston (2008–2009) Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta (2001–2006) • Mary Peters (2006–2009) Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham (2001–2005) • Samuel Bodman (2005–2009) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi (2001–2005) • Jim Nicholson (2005–2007) • James Peake (2007–2009) Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge (2003–2005) • Michael Chertoff (2005–2009)   Cabinet-level Vice President Dick Cheney (2001–2009) White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card (2001–2006) • Joshua Bolten (2006–2009) Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Christine Whitman (2001–2003) • Mike Leavitt (2003–2005) • Stephen Johnson (2005–2009) Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mitch Daniels (2001–2003) • Joshua Bolten (2003–2006) • Rob Portman (2006–2007) • Jim Nussle (2007–2009) Director of National Drug Control Policy John Walters (2001–2009) Trade Representative Robert Zoellick (2001–2005) • Rob Portman (2005–2006) • Susan Schwab (2006–2009) Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Joe Allbaugh (2001–2003)