David Skaggs

David Skaggs
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Tim Wirth
Succeeded by	Mark Udall
Personal details
Born	February 22, 1943 (1943-02-22) (age 68) Cincinnati, Ohio
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	former Laura Locher
Children	Matthew, Clare and Will

David Evans Skaggs (born February 22, 1943) was a Democratic Congressman from the state of Colorado from 1987 to 1999.

Skaggs was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but grew up in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City. He attended Wesleyan University, and after earning his degree in Philosophy in 1964, went on to Yale University, from which he received his Bachelor of Laws. Following graduation, Skaggs spent three years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, including service in Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division. Upon discharge from active duty in 1971, he remained in the Marine Reserves until 1978, attaining the rank of Major.^[1] Skaggs practiced law briefly in New York City and, after military service, in Boulder, CO. He now is affiliated with the Denver office of the law firm McKenna, Long & Aldridge.^[2]

Skaggs first became involved in politics as a Democratic Party volunteer and officer in 1971-72. He was hired as administrative assistant to Tim Wirth, a member of Congress from Colorado, in 1974. He ran successfully for a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives in 1980, and he served three terms—two as Minority Leader—before running for Congress. Skaggs was a six term member of the United States House of Representatives. While in the House, he served initially on the Science, Space & Technology Committee and the Public Works & Transportation Committee, before winning a seat on the Appropriations Committee in 1991. He also served six years (1993–99) on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Skaggs and Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL) were founding co-chairs of the House Bi-Partisan Retreat, first held in 1997 and designed to encourage civility and comity in the House; the retreats continued through 2003.

After retiring in 1999, Skaggs served as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado and as executive director of the Center for Democracy & Citizenship at the Council for Excellence in Government for several years before moving back to Colorado to serve as executive director of the state Department of Higher Education from 2007 until resigning in 2009. He was appointed the first chair of the board of the new Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) in 2008 and as of 2009 has served as Chair of the OCE. Skaggs has been a member of the U. S. Public Interest Declassification Board since 2005.

Skaggs also served as co-chair of the Constitution Project's bipartisan War Powers Committee.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's David Skaggs Research Center in Boulder, Colorado, for which he secured funding, is named in his honor.^[3]

See also

	Biography portal
	United States Marine Corps portal

References

1. ^ http://www.archives.gov/pidb/members.html
2. ^ http://www.mckennalong.com/professionals-1273.html
3. ^ Boulder Government Website

External links

• David Skaggs at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2009-02-11

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Tim Wirth	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 2nd congressional district 1987-1999	Succeeded by Mark Udall

Persondata
Name	Skaggs, David
Alternative names
Short description	United States Marine
Date of birth	February 22, 1943
Place of birth	Cincinnati, Ohio
Date of death
Place of death