Bobby Jindal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bobby Jindal
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Jindal in 2013
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| 55th Governor of Louisiana | |
| In office January 14, 2008 – January 11, 2016 |
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| Lieutenant | Mitch Landrieu Scott Angelle Jay Dardenne |
| Preceded by | Kathleen Blanco |
| Succeeded by | John Bel Edwards |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 2005 – January 14, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | David Vitter |
| Succeeded by | Steve Scalise |
| Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation | |
| In office July 9, 2001 – February 21, 2003 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Margaret Hamburg |
| Succeeded by | Michael O'Grady |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Piyush Jindal
June 10, 1971 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Supriya Jolly
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Brown University (BS) New College, Oxford (MLitt) |
| Signature |  |
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal (born June 10, 1971) is an American politician. He served as the 55th governor of Louisiana from 2008 to 2016. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Before becoming governor, Jindal was a U.S. representative for Louisiana from 2005 to 2008. He also led the Republican Governors Association from 2012 to 2013. In 1995, he became the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. At 28, he was the youngest president of the University of Louisiana System. In 2001, President George W. Bush chose him as a top advisor for health and human services.
Jindal first ran for governor in 2003 but lost. In 2004, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the second Indian American to serve in Congress. He won the governor's race in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. He was the first Indian American governor in the U.S.
In 2015, Jindal ran for president but ended his campaign later that year. He finished his term as governor in January 2016.
Contents
Who is Bobby Jindal?
Early Life and Education
Piyush Jindal was born on June 10, 1971, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His parents, Raj and Amar Jindal, were immigrants from Punjab, India. His father was a civil engineer, and his mother worked in nuclear physics. They moved to the U.S. in 1971, before Bobby was born.
The family settled near Louisiana State University. Jindal went to Baton Rouge Magnet High School, graduating in 1988. In high school, he played tennis and started small businesses. He also worked at LSU football games.
Jindal graduated from Brown University in 1992 at age 20. He earned degrees in biology and public policy. He was accepted into medical and law schools but chose to study at New College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. There, he earned a master's degree in political science in 1994. His studies focused on health policy.
Starting His Career
After Oxford, Jindal worked for a consulting firm called McKinsey & Company. He also interned for U.S. Representative Jim McCrery of Louisiana. McCrery asked him to work on healthcare policy. Jindal studied Medicare and wrote a report on how to fix its financial problems.
What Was His Early Political Career Like?
Working for Governor Mike Foster (1996–2003)
In 1996, Governor Mike Foster appointed Jindal as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. This agency managed a large part of the state's budget and had many employees. Jindal was only 24 years old at the time.
During his time, Louisiana's Medicaid program went from having a large debt to having extra money. Child healthcare screenings and immunizations also improved. New services for the elderly and disabled were introduced.
In 1998, Jindal helped lead a national group working to improve Medicare. In 1999, he became the youngest-ever president of the University of Louisiana System. This system had over 80,000 students.
Working for President George W. Bush
In 2001, President George W. Bush chose Jindal to be a top advisor for the Secretary of Health and Human Services. He started this job on July 9, 2001. He resigned in February 2003 to run for governor in Louisiana.
Running for Governor in 2003
Jindal became well-known during the 2003 election for governor. He finished first in the first round of voting. He was supported by the largest newspaper in Louisiana and the outgoing governor.
In the final election, Jindal lost to Democratic candidate Kathleen Blanco. Even though he lost, this election made him a rising star in the Republican Party.
What Did Bobby Jindal Do in Congress?
Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (2005–2008)
After the 2003 governor's race, Jindal decided to run for the Louisiana's 1st congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He won the 2004 election with 78 percent of the vote.
Jindal was only the second Indian-American person to be elected to the U.S. Congress. He was re-elected in 2006 with 88% of the vote.
Key Actions in Congress
In 2005, Jindal spoke about the need for spending cuts in the federal budget. He also talked about the growth of Medicaid costs. After Hurricane Katrina, he said that investing in coastal restoration could have helped reduce the storm's impact.
Jindal served on several important committees:
- House Committee on Homeland Security
- House Committee on Resources
- House Committee on Education and the Workforce
He also became the vice-chairman of a subcommittee focused on preventing nuclear and biological attacks.
How Did He Become Governor of Louisiana?
2007 Gubernatorial Election
On January 22, 2007, Jindal announced he was running for governor again. He was the favorite throughout the campaign. He won the election on October 20, defeating eleven other candidates.
Jindal received 54 percent of the votes. This was the first time a non-incumbent candidate for governor won without needing a second round of voting in Louisiana.
First Term as Governor (2008–2011)
Jindal became governor on January 14, 2008. At 36, he was the youngest governor in the U.S. He was also Louisiana's first elected non-white governor and the first Indian American governor in any U.S. state.
In 2008, Jindal was very popular, with a 77% approval rating. He faced a challenge when a bill was passed that would have greatly increased state lawmakers' pay. Jindal had promised to prevent such pay raises. He first let the bill pass, but then changed his mind and vetoed it. This decision stopped a recall effort against him.
Louisiana's financial health improved during his term. In 2009, the state's bond rating was raised, showing strong financial management. Jindal also worked with President Barack Obama to get more federal money for Medicaid and hurricane protection.
Responding to Hurricane Gustav
Jindal led one of the largest evacuations in U.S. history before Hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana in August 2008. Nearly two million people were moved to safety. He ordered mandatory evacuations and activated 3,000 National Guardsmen. Hospitals and nursing homes were emptied, and people were helped to leave by buses and trains. This quick action helped keep the number of deaths low. Jindal received praise from both political parties for his leadership during the storm.
2011 Re-election Campaign
Jindal ran for re-election in 2011. He had high approval ratings and a lot of campaign money. He won the election in the first round, receiving 66% of the vote.
Second Term as Governor (2012–2016)
In 2011, Jindal received the Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award for his public service. For his second term, he chose Chuck Kleckley and John Alario to lead the state legislature.
In 2013, Jindal proposed a plan to remove Louisiana's state income tax and raise sales taxes instead. He believed this would help businesses. However, the plan did not get enough support and was dropped.
By the end of his second term, Jindal's popularity in Louisiana had dropped. The state faced budget problems and cuts to public spending. He could not run for a third term because of term limits for governors in Louisiana.
What Did Bobby Jindal Do in National Politics?
Presidential Campaigns
Jindal was often mentioned as a possible candidate for president. In 2008, there was talk that he might be chosen as John McCain's running mate for vice president. However, Jindal said he would not be the vice presidential nominee.
In 2012, Jindal supported the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan ticket. He traveled around the country to help their campaign.
On June 24, 2015, Jindal announced he was running for president in the 2016 election. He ended his campaign in November 2015, saying it was "not my time."
What Are His Political Ideas?
Government Ethics
Jindal vetoed a law that would have increased pay for state lawmakers. He also used his line item veto to remove many specific spending items from the state budget.
Tax Policy
As governor, Jindal cut taxes six times. This included a large income tax cut for Louisiana. He also wanted to get rid of all corporate and personal income taxes in the state.
Education
Jindal supported the Common Core State Standards Initiative, which Louisiana adopted in 2010. He also proposed changes to higher education funding, which led to protests.
He supported giving vouchers to low-income students. These vouchers would help them attend private schools. He also proposed changes to teacher evaluations and pensions. Jindal believed parents should choose the best schools for their children.
Evolution Education
Jindal signed a law that allowed public school teachers to discuss different ideas about evolution, including intelligent design. The law said it should not promote any religious beliefs.
Immigration Laws
Jindal believed that illegal immigration hurt the economy. He voted to build a fence along the Mexican border. He also opposed giving amnesty to undocumented immigrants.
Health Care
Jindal chose not to accept federal money to expand Medicaid after the Affordable Care Act was passed. He supported making health insurance easier to get. He also wanted to cap lawsuits related to medical errors.
During his time as governor, over 11,000 uninsured children were added to the state's health insurance program. He also supported expanding services for autistic children.
Environmental Issues
Jindal issued an order to increase recycling and reduce waste in state offices. He also supported tax credits for hybrid cars. As a representative, he supported a bill to fund coastal restoration in Louisiana. He also worked to expand the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.
Opposition to the Recovery Act
Jindal was against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. He worried that increasing unemployment benefits might force the state to raise taxes on businesses. He called parts of the plan "irresponsible."
What About His Personal Life?
Jindal was raised in a Hindu family. He became a Christian while in high school. During his first year at Brown University, he was baptized into the Catholic Church.
His father worked for a railroad company, and his mother worked in Information Technology. Bobby has a younger brother, Nikesh, who is a lawyer.
Jindal's nickname "Bobby" comes from Bobby Brady, a character from the TV show The Brady Bunch. He has used this nickname since childhood.
In 1997, Jindal married Supriya Jolly. She was born in New Delhi, India, and moved to Baton Rouge when she was young. Supriya has degrees in chemical engineering and an M.B.A. She started a non-profit group to improve math and science education for children.
They have three children: Selia Elizabeth, Shaan Robert, and Slade Ryan. Their son Shaan was born with a congenital heart defect. The Jindals have spoken out to help children with such conditions, especially those without insurance. In 2006, Bobby helped his wife deliver their third child at home with medical help over the phone.
Jindal enjoys hunting in Louisiana. He has also supported Donald Trump's presidential campaign for 2024.
Images for kids
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Bobby Jindal's signature
See also
In Spanish: Bobby Jindal para niños
- List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
- List of minority governors and lieutenant governors in the United States
- Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016
