Dave Obey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dave Obey
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| Chair of the House Appropriations Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Jerry Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Hal Rogers |
| In office March 29, 1994 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | William Natcher |
| Succeeded by | Bob Livingston |
| Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph M. McDade |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Lewis |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 7th district |
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| In office April 1, 1969 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Melvin Laird |
| Succeeded by | Sean Duffy |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 2nd Marathon County district |
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| In office January 7, 1963 – April 1, 1969 |
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| Preceded by | Paul A. Luedtke |
| Succeeded by | Tony Earl |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
David Ross Obey
October 3, 1938 Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Joan Obey
(m. 1962; |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Wisconsin, Madison (BS, MA) |
David Ross Obey (born October 3, 1938) is an American lobbyist and former politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Wisconsin's 7th district from 1969 to 2011. This district covers a large part of northwestern Wisconsin, including cities like Wausau and Superior.
Mr. Obey is a member of the Democratic Party. He was the Chairman of the important House Committee on Appropriations twice. First from 1994 to 1995, and again from 2007 to 2011. For a long time, he was the longest-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin. He is still the longest-serving Democratic Representative from Wisconsin.
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Early Life and Education
David Obey was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. In 1941, his family moved back to Wisconsin, where his parents were from. He grew up in Wausau, Wisconsin, and has lived there ever since.
He went to Wausau East High School. He started college at the University of Wisconsin branch campus at Wausau to save money. Later, he transferred to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. There, he earned his degree in political science. He also studied Soviet politics in graduate school.
When he was young, Mr. Obey supported the Republican Party. However, he changed his mind after seeing one of his teachers unfairly accused of being a communist. He then became interested in the ideas of progressive leaders like Robert M. La Follette. In the mid-1950s, as a teenager, he joined the Democratic Party. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a real estate broker.
Serving in Wisconsin
David Obey was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1963. This is a part of Wisconsin's state government. He served there until 1969. During his time in the state legislature, he became the Assistant Majority Leader for the Democratic group. He held this role from 1967 until he left to join the U.S. House of Representatives.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Mr. Obey was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1969. He took the place of Melvin R. Laird, who became the United States Secretary of Defense for President Richard Nixon. At 30 years old, Mr. Obey was the youngest member of Congress when he started. He was also the first Democrat to represent his district in the 20th century.
He was reelected 18 times. His closest election was in 1972. Even then, he won easily.
In Congress, Mr. Obey led a group that wrote the House's Code of Ethics. This set rules for how members of the House should act. One important rule he helped create was that members had to share their personal financial information. This helped the public know if there were any conflicts of interest.
Mr. Obey was the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee from 2007 to 2011. This committee is very important because it decides how the government spends money. He also chaired a smaller group within it, the Subcommittee on Labor.
He was known as a progressive, meaning he believed in social and political reform. He was one of the most liberal members of the House. He was also a leader of the Democratic Study Group in the 1970s. This was a group of liberal Democrats who worked together in the House.
Mr. Obey also spoke about the importance of good news reporting. He said that news reporters who focus on serious news are very important for the country.
On March 21, 2010, Mr. Obey used the same gavel (a small hammer used by a leader) that was used to pass Medicare in 1965. This time, he used it to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a major healthcare law.
Retirement from Congress
On May 5, 2010, David Obey announced that he would not run for reelection to Congress. He had been in Congress for a very long time. After he retired, his seat was won by Republican Sean Duffy.
After Congress
Mr. Obey left Congress in January 2011. In June 2011, he started working for Gephardt Government Affairs. This is a company that helps people and groups talk to the government. It was started by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt.
Personal Life
David Obey married Joan Lepinski when he was a graduate student. They were married until Joan passed away in 2023. They had two children together.
Books by David Obey
- Along Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail (2008) – Mr. Obey wrote the introduction for this book.
- Raising Hell for Justice: The Washington Battles of a Heartland Progressive (2008) – This book is about his experiences in Washington.
