About Jim

First sworn in to the House of Representatives in 1991, Iowa Congressman Jim Nussle represents Eastern Iowa's First District. Nussle consistently works toward bipartisan solutions to the challenges facing his congressional district, the state of Iowa and the nation.

Nussle has long been regarded as a leading Congressional expert on budget issues and the federal budget process. His tireless efforts to limit federal spending, reduce the tax burden, and pay down the national debt led his colleagues to elect him chairman of the House Budget Committee in 2001. As chairman he has produced positive, realistic budgets designed to responsibly meet our country's needs.

In addition to his role as Budget Committee chairman, Nussle serves as a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax, trade, Medicare and Social Security matters. He serves on the committee's Trade Subcommittee.

These committee assignments provide Nussle a unique position from which to pursue his agenda, which closely follows the priorities and concerns he hears about from his First District constituents.

Nussle's agenda includes expanding Iowa's economy to create jobs, improving Iowa education to expect better results, ensuring access to quality health care for all Iowans, securing our nation and supporting our troops, strengthening Iowa's agriculture and encouraging fair trade, working for responsible budgets and common-sense taxation, promoting Iowa as an energy state, ensuring retirement security for all Iowans, and honoring promises made to Iowa's veterans.

His leadership has been recognized time and time again by taxpayer watchdog groups such as Americans for Tax Reform, which has repeatedly named Nussle a "Hero of the Taxpayer." Nussle has also received numerous accolades for fiscal responsibility from groups such as the National Taxpayers Union, Citizens Against Government Waste, the Council for Government Reform, the National Tax-Limitation Committee and the Concord Coalition.

His diligent efforts on important issues such as the agriculture, economy, rural health care and education have not gone unnoticed. Recent awards include: click here for Jim Nussle's recent awards

Over the years, Nussle has given much of his time to volunteer and community activities. Nussle served on the Delaware County Economic Development Committee and as the president of the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Delaware County Farm Bureau and was a volunteer firefighter with the Manchester Fire Department.

Prior to his election to Congress, Nussle served as Delaware County Attorney, the county's chief law enforcement position. Nussle practiced law in Manchester prior to his 1986 election as county attorney.

Nussle was born in Iowa, earned his bachelor of arts degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and his law degree from Drake University in Des Moines. Jim and his wife Karen live in Manchester. Jim has two children, Sarah (born Nov. 2, 1988) and Mark (born Feb. 25, 1991).