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Rep. Devin Nunes (2010)
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Devin Nunes (born October 1, 1973) has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2003. He currently represents California's 22nd congressional district, which is located in the San Joaquin Valley and includes portions of Tulare and Fresno Counties. He and his wife have three daughters.
Nunes is the author of the book Restoring the Republic, which was published in September 2010. Time magazine named him one of the rising stars of American politics, in their list of "40 under 40"; that is, the top forty civic leaders under 40 years of age. Nunes is a member of two of the most powerful committees in the House of Representatives, Ways and Means and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. At the beginning of the 113th Congress, he was selected to serve as Chairman of the Trade Subcommittee of Ways and Means.
Early life, Education, and Career
Nunes was born in Tulare, California. His family is of Portuguese descent, having emigrated from the Azores to California. From childhood, he worked on a farm that his family has operated in Tulare County for three generations. He raised cattle as a teenager, used his savings to begin a harvesting business, and then bought his own farmland with his brother. He remains active in agriculture today.
Nunes graduated from Tulare Union High School. He is the second Member of Congress to attend Tulare Union, following Olympic gold medalist Bob Mathias, who served in the House of Representatives from 1967 to 1975. After associate's work at College of the Sequoias, Nunes graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and a master’s degree in agriculture.
Nunes was first elected to public office as one of California’s youngest community college trustees in state history at the age of 23. As a member of the College of the Sequoias Board from 1996 to 2002, he was an advocate for distance learning and the expansion of programs available to high school students. In 2001, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as California State Director for the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development section. He left this post to run for California’s 21st congressional district and now serves in the 22nd district as a result of redistricting in 2010.
Committee Assignment History
During the 108th Congress, Nunes' first term in the House of Representatives, he served on the House Resources Committee, where he was chairman of the National Parks Subcommittee and a member of the Agriculture and Veterans Affairs committees. In the 109th Congress, Nunes was named to the House Ways and Means Committee, where he is 4th in seniority, and where he serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Trade and as a member for the subcommittee on health. He was also a member of the House Budget Committee during the 111th Congress. At the beginning of the 112th Congress, Nunes was named to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
SELECTED ISSUES
Water
In 2012, Nunes authored the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act (H.R. 1837). The bill, which passed the House of Representatives, put forward a comprehensive solution to the water shortages plaguing California’s Central Valley. It called for billions of dollars in cost-cutting measures on wasteful government programs; streamlining environmental regulations to increase water flows; and expanding the use of the Central Valley Project to allow water deliveries by non-federal sources. Two years later, the Act formed the basis of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act (H.R. 3964), which was coauthored by Nunes and passed the House of Representatives.
Energy
In 2006, Nunes authored the American-Made Energy Freedom Act (H.R. 5890). In July 2008, the Republican Conference introduced the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), which was modeled in part on the Nunes proposal. The central feature of the Nunes plan is the establishment of a renewable energy trust fund from revenues generated by deep-ocean and Arctic coastal plain exploration. The funds from this account would be invested in alternative fuels and technology.
On July 28, 2010, Nunes introduced A Roadmap for America's Energy Future (H.R. 5899). It accelerates the exploration and production of fossil fuel; supports the rapid development of market-based alternative energy supplies; and expands the number of nuclear reactors from the current 104 to 300 over the next 30 years.
Federal Spending, Healthcare, and State Pensions
On July 22, 2008, Nunes became an original cosponsor of A Roadmap for America's Future (H.R. 6110), sponsored by Paul Ryan (R-WI). The bill proposes major reforms of the U.S. health care system, entitlement programs, the federal tax code, job training, and the budget process. The Roadmap offers permanent solutions to our nation’s budget challenges by revamping Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and providing for their long-term financial solvency.
Also in 2009, Nunes co-authored the Patients' Choice Act (H.R. 2520) with Paul Ryan in the House, and Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Richard Burr (R-NC) in the Senate. The Act would establish a system of state health insurance exchanges and create a Medi-Choice tax rebate for buying health insurance. The bill also proposes extending choice to Medicaid recipients who would be afforded both the Medi-Choice rebate as well as additional support to buy private health insurance. The Patients' Choice Act was incorporated into A Roadmap for America's Future in 2010.
On December 2, 2010, Nunes introduced the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act (H.R. 6484). The bill enhances transparency for state and local pensions, and would establish a clear federal prohibition on any future public pension bailouts by the federal government.
Transportation
In 2005, Nunes introduced H.R. 99, which designated State Route 99 as a congressional High Priority Corridor. The bill also provided federal authorization for Highway 99 to become part of the Interstate Highway System. The bill became law as part of H.R. 3 in August 2005. On February 17, 2011, Nunes introduced the San Joaquin Valley Transportation Enhancement Act (H.R. 761), which would allow California to redirect federal high-speed rail funds to finance improvements to Highway 99.
National Security/Veterans
Congressman Nunes has traveled extensively to war zones to meet with soldiers and examine first-hand their status. As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, he participates in oversight of the U.S. national security apparatus, including all the classified activities of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Department of Defense, and many others.
Nunes is also the author of the Hubbard Act of 2008 (H.R.5825), which was named in honor of the Hubbard brothers of California, Jared, Nathan, and Jason. Jared and Nathan lost their lives serving in Iraq. Jason was discharged as a sole survivor, but was denied separation benefits upon leaving the Army. The Hubbard Act, which was enacted into law, provides sole survivors with numerous benefits that were already offered to other soldiers honorably discharged. It relieves sole survivors from repaying any portion of their enlistment bonus; entitles them to the educational benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill; and allows them to receive separation pay and transitional healthcare coverage.
