- Byname of:
- Thomas Andrew Daschle
- Title / Office:
- United States Senate (1987-2005), United States
- Political Affiliation:
- Democratic Party
Tom Daschle
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Who is Tom Daschle?
Tom Daschle (born December 9, 1947) is an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from 1987 to 2005. From 2001 to 2003, he was the Senate's majority leader.
Daschle was the first in his family to attend college, earning a B.A. in political science from South Dakota State University in 1969. He served in the Air Force Strategic Air Command from 1969 to 1972. Before his election to the House of Representatives in 1978, he worked as a congressional aide to U.S. Sen. James Abourezk from 1972 to 1977.
In 1986, Daschle, a Democrat, was elected to the Senate, and was reelected in 1992 and 1998. He became a member of the Finance Committee and cochair of the Democratic Policy Committee in 1988. Daschle became the minority leader in the Senate in 1995 and the majority leader in 2001.
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Which state did Tom Daschle represent in the U.S. Senate?
Tom Daschle represented South Dakota in the U.S. Senate from 1987 to 2005. Daschle, a Democrat, was first elected to the Senate in 1986, defeating incumbent James Abdnor. He was reelected in 1992 and 1998. Daschle served as Senate Majority Leader from 2001 to 2003. In 2004, he was defeated in his reelection bid by Republican challenger John Thune.
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What years did Tom Daschle serve as a United States senator?
Tom Daschle served as a U.S. Senator representing South Dakota from 1987 to 2005.
Daschle's career included roles on the Finance Committee and as cochair of the Democratic Policy Committee. In 1994, he became the Democratic leader, transitioning to minority leader in 1995. Daschle then became the Senate majority leader on June 6, 2001, when Senator James Jeffords left the Republican Party, giving the Democrats a 50–49 majority. He remained majority leader until 2003, when Republicans regained control of the Senate. In 2004, he was defeated in his reelection bid by Republican challenger John Thune. Tom Daschle later returned to the private sector.
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What leadership roles did Tom Daschle hold in the Senate?
Tom Daschle served as a U.S. Senator from 1987 to 2005. While a freshman senator, he became a member of the Finance Committee and, in 1988, cochair of the Democratic Policy Committee. Daschle became the Democratic leader in 1994 and minority leader at the start of the 1995 session. On June 6, 2001, he became the Senate's majority leader when the Senate shifted from Republican to Democratic control. Daschle remained majority leader until 2003, when Republicans regained control of the Senate.
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What were some of Tom Daschle's main political views or goals?
As a U.S. Senator, Tom Daschle's legislative interests included veterans’ and Indian affairs and agriculture. His voting record was generally liberal on economic matters and moderate on social issues. Daschle was known for looking out for the interests of his constituents, visiting each of South Dakota's 66 counties annually to speak with voters. As Senate majority leader, Daschle opposed President George W. Bush’s tax-cut bill, arguing that it was fiscally irresponsible and benefited the wealthy. He also opposed drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the quick deployment of a missile defense system.
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How did Tom Daschle influence American politics during his time in the Senate?
Tom Daschle, a Democratic U.S. Senator for South Dakota from 1987 to 2005, significantly influenced American politics, particularly as Senate Majority Leader (2001-2003). A moderate, he balanced economic liberalism with social moderation, advocating for veterans, Native American affairs, and agriculture.
Daschle became a member of the Finance Committee early in his Senate career and later co-chaired the Democratic Policy Committee. As majority leader, he challenged President George W. Bush's policies, opposing tax cuts and energy and defense initiatives. In 2001, under Daschle's leadership, the Senate passed a patients’ bill of rights, though it later stalled in Congress. Despite his policy influence, Daschle lost his reelection bid in 2004.
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Tom Daschle (born Dec. 9, 1947, Aberdeen, S.D., U.S.) is an American politician who was a member of the U.S. Senate (1987–2005) and from 2001 to 2003 served as the Senate’s majority leader.
Daschle was the first member of his family to attend college, and in 1969 he graduated from South Dakota State University with a B.A. in political science. From 1969 to 1972 he served in intelligence in the Air Force Strategic Air Command. For five years, from 1972 to 1977, he was a congressional aid to U.S. Sen. James Abourezk, and in 1978 he was elected to the first of four terms in the House of Representatives.
In 1986 Daschle, a Democrat, defeated incumbent James Abdnor to win election to the Senate, and he was reelected overwhelmingly in 1992 and 1998. He became a member of the powerful Finance Committee while still a freshman senator and in 1988 was appointed cochair of the Democratic Policy Committee. Other legislative interests of Daschle included veterans’ and Indian affairs and agriculture. He compiled a record that was generally liberal on economic matters and moderate on social issues. Daschle gained a reputation for looking out for the interests of his constituents, and every year he drove himself throughout South Dakota to visit each of its 66 counties and talk to voters. In 1994 Daschle won the position of Democratic leader by one vote, and he became minority leader in the Senate at the beginning of the 1995 session. A soft-spoken man, he had a reputation for being fair and inclusive, but he was a skillful tactician and could be tough when needed.
On June 6, 2001, Daschle became the new majority leader when the Senate passed from Republican to Democratic control. The shift occurred when Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont left the Republican Party to become an independent, which gave the Democrats a 50–49 majority. The Democrats under Daschle found themselves with greater power to determine the legislative agenda and to pass judgment on the appointments and judicial nominees of Pres. George W. Bush. Daschle opposed Bush’s tax-cut bill on the grounds that it was fiscally irresponsible and that it unduly benefited the wealthy. He also declared that parts of the Bush legislative program, including drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and quick deployment of a missile defense system, would not pass the Senate. In the first three weeks under Daschle’s leadership, a patients’ bill of rights, guaranteeing certain protections to those who were covered under managed-care health insurance, cleared the Senate despite the president’s threat to veto it; the House of Representatives later passed a weaker version of the bill, and both proposals ultimately stalled in Congress. Later in the year Daschle took the lead in blaming the Bush tax cut for the disappearance of the budget surplus.
Daschle remained the majority leader until 2003, when Republicans regained control of the Senate. In 2004 he was defeated in his reelection bid by Republican challenger John Thune. Daschle subsequently returned to the private sector. In November 2008 President-elect Barack Obama selected Daschle to serve as secretary of health and human services, a post requiring Senate confirmation. The following February, however, Daschle asked to be withdrawn from consideration for the cabinet position after problems surfaced concerning back taxes.