Dave Obey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair of theHouse Appropriations Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Jerry Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Hal Rogers |
| In office March 29, 1994 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Preceded by | William Natcher |
| Succeeded by | Bob Livingston |
| Ranking Member of theHouse Appropriations Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph M. McDade |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Lewis |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's7th district | |
| In office April 1, 1969 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Melvin Laird |
| Succeeded by | Sean Duffy |
| Member of theWisconsin State Assembly from the 2ndMarathon County district | |
| In office January 7, 1963 – April 1, 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Paul A. Luedtke |
| Succeeded by | Tony Earl |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Ross Obey (1938-10-03)October 3, 1938 (age 87) Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Wisconsin, Wausau University of Wisconsin, Madison (BS,MA) |
David Ross Obey (/ˈoʊbiː/OH-bee; born October 3, 1938) is an American lobbyist and former politician who served as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives forWisconsin's 7th congressional district from 1969 to 2011. The district includes much of the northwestern portion of the state, includingWausau andSuperior. He is a member of theDemocratic Party, and served as Chairman of the powerfulHouse Committee on Appropriations from 1994 to 1995 and again from 2007 to 2011. Until he was surpassed byJim Sensenbrenner in 2020, Obey was the longest-serving member ever of the United States House of Representatives from the state ofWisconsin. Obey remains the longest serving Democratic Representative from Wisconsin.
Obey was born inOkmulgee, Oklahoma, the son of Mary Jane (née Chellis) and Orville John Obey.[1] In 1941, his family moved back to his parents' native Wisconsin, and Obey was raised inWausau, Wisconsin, where he has lived since.[1] He graduated fromWausau East High School and initially attended theUniversity of Wisconsin branch campus at Wausau to save money before transferring to theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison, where he received hisBachelor of Arts degree inpolitical science from and did graduate work in Soviet politics at the University of Wisconsin under a National Defense Education Act three-year scholarship.[2][3]
During his youth, Obey identified as a Republican, and helped deliver campaign material for Joseph McCarthy during his electoral campaigns.[3] However, he left the party after seeing one of his teachers falsely branded as a communist by supporters of SenatorJoseph McCarthy.[4] Obey also had come to identify with the progressive philosophy ofRobert M. La Follette and began working for the electoral campaigns of Democrats such asGaylord Nelson,Robert Kastenmeier, andWilliam Proxmire, becoming affiliated with the Democratic Party sometime in the mid-1950s during his teenage years.[4][3]
Before serving in Congress, Obey worked as a real estate broker.[5]
He was elected to theWisconsin State Assembly in 1963 and served there until 1969. During his time in the state legislature he rose to the position of Assistant Majority leader for the Democratic caucus.[3] Obey served in that role from 1967 until 1969, when he left the legislature to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.[5][2]
Obey was elected to the House to replace eight-term incumbentRepublicanMelvin R. Laird, who was appointedSecretary of Defense under PresidentRichard Nixon. Obey, only 30 when he was elected, became the youngest member of Congress upon taking his seat, as well as the first Democrat to represent the district in the 20th century. He was elected to a full term in 1970 and was reelected 18 times. Obey faced his closest race in 1972, during his bid for a second full term, when his district was merged with the neighboring 10th District of RepublicanAlvin O'Konski, a 15-term incumbent. However, Obey retained 60 percent of his former territory, and was handily reelected in subsequent contests.
In Congress, Obey chaired the commission to write the House's Code of Ethics. Among the reforms he instituted was one requiring members of the House to disclose their personal financial dealings so the public would be made aware of any potential conflicts of interest. Obey served as chairman of theHouse Appropriations Committee from 2007 to 2011; he briefly chaired this committee from 1994 to 1995 and served as its ranking Democrat from 1995 to 2007. He also chaired itsSubcommittee on Labor.
Obey was one of the most liberal members of the House; he considers himself a progressive in the tradition ofRobert La Follette.[6] Obey had risen to the position of fifth ranking House Democrat since his party retook control of Congress.
During the 1970s, Obey was the leader of the Democratic Study Group, which was a caucus of liberal Democrats in the House which was intended to "counter" the influence of conservative and southern Democrats.[3]
His "Obey Amendment" has prohibited the export of theLockheed Martin F-22 Raptor to American allies such as Japan.[7] The amendment was criticized at the time by the U.S. Department of Labor for
Obey also is remembered for being the congressman who intervened when fellow DemocratHarold Ford, Jr. approached RepublicanJean Schmidt on the House floor in 2005. Ford was upset because Schmidt had called CongressmanJohn Murtha a coward for advocating a withdrawal of American forces inIraq.
Obey holds a critical view of the mainstream American news media, as evidenced by his words on June 13, 2008, upon the sudden death of NBC News Washington Bureau ChiefTim Russert. Obey said of Russert: "Tim Russert's death is not just a body blow for NBC News; it is a body blow for the nation and for anyone who cherishes newsmen and women who have remained devoted to reporting hard news in an era increasingly consumed by trivia."[8] Dave Obey announced an end to his congressional career on May 5, 2010, with press releases being released on May 6.[9]
On June 30, 2010, Obey proposed an amendment to a supplemental war spending bill that would allocate $10 billion to prevent expected teacher layoffs from school districts nationwide. The amendment, which passed the House on July 1, 2010, proposed siphoning off $500 million from theRace to the Top fund as well as $300 million designated for charter schools and teacher incentive pay.[10] In response, the White House released a statement threatening a veto if the bill is passed by the Senate.[11]
On March 21, 2010, Obey swung the same gavel used to passMedicare in 1965, but this time to pass thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[12][13]
Obey was expected to run in 2010, having raised a warchest of $1.4 million. However, Obey was facing tough poll numbers in his district, plus his age and the death of close colleagueJohn Murtha and his frustration with the White House convinced him to bow out of the race.[14][15]
On May 5, 2010, Obey announced that he would not seek reelection to Congress.
In 1994, Obey only won reelection by eight points as the Democrats lost control of the House during theRepublican Revolution.[16]
Obey was expected to run in 2010, having raised a warchest of $1.4 million. However, Obey was facing tough poll numbers in his district, plus his age and the death of close colleagueJohn Murtha and his frustration with the White House convinced him to bow out of the race.[14][15]
Upon his retirement, the seat was won by RepublicanSean Duffy, who defeated Democratic State SenatorJulie Lassa.
Obey left Congress in January 2011, and was succeeded by RepublicanSean Duffy. He began working for Gephardt Government Affairs, a lobbying firm founded by former U.S. House Majority LeaderDick Gephardt, in June 2011.[17]
While Obey was still a graduate student, he married Joan Lepinski. The two remained married until Joan's death in 2023.[3] Obey and his wife had two children together.[18]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's 7th congressional district 1969–2011 | Succeeded by |
| New office | Chair of the House Administrative Review Commission 1976–1977 | Position abolished |
| Preceded by | Chair of theJoint Economic Committee 1985–1987 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theHouse Appropriations Committee 1994–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ranking Member of theHouse Appropriations Committee 1995–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theHouse Appropriations Committee 2007–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| New office | Chair of the Democratic House Accounts Task Force 1975–1976 | Position abolished |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
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