Meet Dave
Influenced By His Roots
Dave's progressive views and priorities in Congress are strongly influenced by his roots.
Dave supports regulations to protect workers and making college affordable. As a young man, Dave worked with asbestos products in his father's floor covering business. Many years later it was discovered that one manufacturer had known asbestos caused cancer since 1939. He also remembers the uncertainty he had during college about how much support he could count on from home when his father lost his job.
Dave supports an economy that works for everyone, including affordable health care. When Dave's father's arms ended up being paralyzed for several months after a surgery, Dave was taught how many families are a paycheck away from financial disaster and the importance of having access to quality health care. While working at a local paper mill during summers, Dave gained a lot of respect for how hard people work to provide for their families.
Dave also remembers wiping off the chairs and swing on the porch at his grandmother's home on 3rd Avenue in Wausau, which were covered with grime from the pollution coming from a nearby company's smokestacks. He often saw the Wisconsin River being used as a dump by the factory where he worked and vowed if he ever had the opportunity, he'd fight to stop companies from using our lakes and rivers that way.
The Road To Congress
Dave and his wife Joan attended St. James Catholic School in Wausau and graduated from Wausau East High School. Together, they have two grown sons. Dave also attended UW-Marathon County and graduated from UW-Madison. Afterward, he did graduate work under a National Defense Education Act scholarship.
Elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1962, his legislative accomplishments include helping create Wisconsin's technical college system and a system of public broadcasting channels, the Homestead Tax Relief Act for senior citizens, and serving on a state commission which developed Wisconsin's first Medicaid law. He was later elected to Congress to succeed Melvin Laird when he was appointed Secretary of Defense.
In Congress, Dave has focused on many issues and serves as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He enjoys listening to bluegrass music and putting his harmonica to good use.
