Dirk Kempthorne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dirk Kempthorne
Official portrait, 2006
49th United States Secretary of the Interior
In office May 26, 2006 – January 19, 2009
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Gale Norton
Succeeded by	Ken Salazar
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office August 19, 2003 – July 20, 2004
Preceded by	Paul Patton
Succeeded by	Mark Warner
30th Governor of Idaho
In office January 4, 1999 – May 26, 2006
Lieutenant	Butch Otter Jack Riggs Jim Risch
Preceded by	Phil Batt
Succeeded by	Jim Risch
United States Senator from Idaho
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Steve Symms
Succeeded by	Mike Crapo
51st Mayor of Boise
In office January 6, 1986 – January 5, 1993
Preceded by	Richard Eardley
Succeeded by	H. Brent Coles
Personal details
Born	Dirk Arthur Kempthorne (1951-10-29) October 29, 1951 (age 73) San Diego, California, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Patricia Kempthorne ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	2
Education	San Bernardino Valley College University of Idaho (BA)

Dirk Arthur Kempthorne, born on October 29, 1951, is an American politician. He served as the 49th United States Secretary of the Interior from 2006 to 2009. He worked under President George W. Bush. Kempthorne is a member of the Republican Party.

Before becoming Secretary of the Interior, he was a U.S. Senator for Idaho. He served in the Senate from 1993 to 1999. He was also the 30th governor of Idaho from 1999 to 2006. Kempthorne first won a public office as Mayor of Boise in 1985. He held that position for seven years. Today, he helps lead the Democracy Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center. In 2010, he became the president and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers.

Early Life and Education

Dirk Kempthorne was born in San Diego, California, on October 29, 1951. He grew up in San Bernardino, California. He went to San Gorgonio High School in San Bernardino. After high school, he attended San Bernardino Valley College.

Later, he moved to Moscow, Idaho, to study at the University of Idaho. He graduated in 1975 with a degree in political science. While at the university, he was elected as the student body president. After college, Kempthorne worked for the Idaho Department of Lands. He also served as an executive for the Idaho Home Builders Association.

In 1982, Kempthorne helped manage a campaign for Lieutenant Governor Phil Batt. In 1983, he became a public affairs manager for FMC Corporation.

Family Life

Dirk Kempthorne is married to Patricia Kempthorne. She also graduated from the University of Idaho. They have two adult children, Heather and Jeff. Kempthorne's family background includes Cornish ancestry.

Political Journey

Dirk Kempthorne has held several important political roles. He started his career in local government. Then he moved on to serve at the state and national levels.

Mayor of Boise

Kempthorne's first big political win was in 1985. At 34 years old, he was elected mayor of Boise. He was very popular as mayor. He ran for reelection in 1989 without anyone running against him.

Serving in the U.S. Senate

Senator Kempthorne

In 1992, U.S. Senator Steve Symms decided not to run again. Dirk Kempthorne sought the Republican nomination for the open seat. In the main election, Kempthorne won against the Democratic U.S. Representative Richard H. Stallings.

While in the Senate, Kempthorne worked on important laws. He helped pass the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995. This law aimed to stop the U.S. Congress from making states pay for federal programs without providing money. The goal was to make sure the federal government helped cover costs for states.

In 1995, Senator Kempthorne also introduced changes to the Safe Drinking Water Act. This bill became law in 1996. It was signed by President Clinton.

Governor of Idaho

Many people thought Kempthorne would run for reelection to the Senate in 1998. However, he decided to run for governor instead. The current governor, Phil Batt, announced he would retire.

Kempthorne won the election for governor by a large margin. He received 68 percent of the votes. His Democratic opponent, Robert C. Huntley, received 29 percent. He was reelected in 2002 with 56 percent of the vote. His opponent, Jerry Brady, received 42 percent.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior

Kempthorne is sworn in as Secretary of the Interior on June 7, 2006.

On March 16, 2006, President George W. Bush chose Kempthorne to be the 49th United States Secretary of the Interior. He replaced Gale Norton. The United States Senate approved his nomination on May 26, 2006. He then resigned as Idaho Governor to take on this new role. Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch became the new Idaho Governor.

As Secretary of the Interior, Kempthorne was in charge of managing federal lands and natural resources. This includes national parks, wildlife refuges, and public lands. He was the second person from Idaho to hold this important Cabinet position. Former Governor Cecil Andrus also served as Secretary of the Interior.

During his time as Secretary, there were discussions about how the department was managed. An investigation found that some employees had accepted gifts that were against the rules. These issues were addressed to ensure proper conduct within the department.

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne joins federal and island leaders for a group picture at the Insular Areas Health Summit

In 2008, new rules were proposed for the Endangered Species Act. These rules aimed to change how federal activities were reviewed. The Center for Biological Diversity and other groups filed a lawsuit. They argued that the new rules would weaken protections for wildlife. They also said the rules did not follow the proper public review process.

In 2009, there was a report about renovations to Kempthorne's office bathroom. The cost of the renovations was discussed publicly. A department official stated that the project was approved and came in under budget.

See also