Nick Rahall

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Nick Rahall
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1977
Preceded by	Ken Hechler
Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office  2007
Preceded by	Richard Pombo
Born	May 20, 1949 (1949-05-20) (age 60) Beckley, West Virginia
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Melinda Rahall
Residence	Beckley, West Virginia
Alma mater	Duke University George Washington University
Occupation	broadcast executive
Religion	Presbyterian

Nick Joe Rahall II (born May 20, 1949), an American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing West Virginia's 3rd congressional district since 1977 (map). He is the Dean of the West Virginia delegation in the House of Representatives. The district includes much of the southern portion of the state, including Huntington, Bluefield and Beckley. He is currently the chairman of the House Resources Committee.

[edit] Biography

Rahall was born in Beckley of Lebanese descent. His father was the wealthy owner of many businesses, including many radio stations throughout the state. Rahall graduated in 1971 from Duke University. Following his graduation, he attended graduate school at the George Washington University. He then went to work for Senator Robert Byrd (who is from nearby Sophia) as a staff member.

[edit] In Congress

After 4th District Congressman Ken Hechler stepped down to run for governor in 1976, Rahall narrowly won a 10-way Democratic primary, which was tantamount to election in the heavily Democratic district. At the age of 27, he was one of the youngest members of Congress. He has been reelected 14 times with virtually no Republican opposition aside from 1988 and 1990.He faced stiff primary competition in 1990, Hechler challenged Rahall for the nomination that year, urging voters to elect him so they would have "a congressman with high moral standards again." Hechler's slogan was a swipe at Rahall's 1988 arrest in California for drunk driving and the lawsuit filed against him by a Las Vegas casino for $60,000 of unpaid gambling debts in 1984. Only Harley Staggers, who represented the now-defunct 2nd District from 1949 to 1981, has represented West Virginia in the House as long as Rahall. The district was renumbered the 3rd after the 1990 census, when West Virginia's declining population cost it a congressional seat.

Rahall has been the Chairman of the Resources Committee since the Democrats won control of the House in 2007. He is also the second-most senior Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He is a moderate-to-liberal Democrat with a slight populist streak.

Rahall has faced several primary challenges from Hechler, and in the 1980s several challenges in general elections funded in part by some Jewish-American groups that expressed concern on Rahall's somewhat pro-Palestinian leanings on Middle Eastern issues. Speculation on his political future centers on a possible run for the Senate whenever Byrd's seat opens up and on the continued population loss of his district, which will likely result in some degree of redistricting in the state after the 2010 census.

His sister Tanya Rahall is the owner of PR and lobbying firm Rahall Consulting which has such clients as the country of Qatar, which paid her as much as $15,000 a month. Following the contract that Rahall Consulting signed with Qatar Nick Rahall presented congressional resolutions which praised Qatar's "democratic reform."^[1]

Rahall received attention when he, along with other Lebanese American lawmakers, expressed concern with a bipartisan resolution supporting Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict without adding language urging restraint against civilian targets, saying, "I'm just sick in the stomach, to put it mildly." Rahall assisted in drafting a bipartisan alternative resolution that urged "all parties to protect innocent life and civilian infrastructure." [1]

On October 3, 2008 Rep. Rahall voted in favor of the Troubled Asset Relief Program^[2] believing that the enumerated powers grant congress the authority to "purchase assets and equity from financial institutions in order to strengthen its financial sector."

[edit] Other

Rahall is a regular customer at Hillbilly Hot Dogs in Lesage, West Virginia, where they have a hot dog named after him called the "Rahall Red Hot Weenie", which consists of hot mustard, sauerkraut, fried onions, green peppers, poblano and jalapeños. He was featured on a Food Network episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives where he was seen eating at the restaurant and talking with the show's host.

[edit] References

[edit] Committee assignments

• Committee on Natural Resources (Chairman)
  • As Chairman of the full committee, Rep. Rahall may serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees.
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (Vice Chair)
  • Subcommittee on Aviation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

[edit] External links

• U.S. Congressman Nick Rahall official House site
• Congressman Nick Rahall official campaign site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
• Nick Rahall at the Open Directory Project