tom daschle

United States Senator

from South Dakota In office

January 6, 1987 – January 3, 2005 Preceded by James Abdnor Succeeded by John Thune 22nd United States Senate Majority Leader In office

June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003 Preceded by Trent Lott Succeeded by Bill Frist 20th United States Senate Majority Leader In office

January 3, 2001 – January 20, 2001 Preceded by Trent Lott Succeeded by Trent Lott Member of the U.S. House of Representatives

from South Dakota's At-large district In office

January 3, 1979-1983 (1st)

January 3, 1983-January 3, 1987 Preceded by Larry Pressler Succeeded by Tim Johnson Born December 9, 1947 (1947-12-09) (age 61)

Aberdeen, South Dakota Nationality American Political party Democratic Spouse Linda Hall Religion Roman Catholic

Thomas Andrew Daschle (born December 9, 1947) is a former U.S. Senator Senate Majority Leader from South Dakota. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

A South Dakota native, Daschle obtained his university degree there, and served in the United States Air Force. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1978 and served four terms. In 1986 he was elected to the Senate, becoming minority leader in 1994. Defeated for re-election in 2004, he took a position as a policy advisor with a lobbying firm, and also became a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He co-authored a book advocating universal health care.

Daschle was an early supporter of Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy, and was offered the position of Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services after the 2008 election. He was President Barack Obama's nominee to serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) in Obama's Cabinet,[1] but withdrew his name on February 3, 2009 after controversy over prior underpayment of taxes.[2] Many news sources added that Daschle withdrew as a nominee for the HHS post because he was also facing questions about potential conflicts of interest. These conflicts related to speaking fees he accepted from various health care interests and advice he provided to health insurers and hospitals through his post-Senate work at a law firm.[3] Contents [hide] 1 Family background 2 Career in the House of Representatives 3 Career in the Senate 3.1 Anthrax case in 2001 3.2 Views on abortion 3.3 2004 Senate election 4 Post-Senate career 4.1 Career and public service 4.2 Obama campaign 4.3 Obama administration nomination 4.3.1 Withdrawal 4.4 Health policy 5 References 6 External links //

Family background

Daschle was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, to Elizabeth B. Meier and Sebastian C. Daschle. His paternal grandparents were ethnic Germans from Russia.[4] Daschle grew up in a working-class Roman Catholic family as the eldest of four brothers.[5] He became the first person in his family to graduate from college when he earned a political