Hearing Of The Senate Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs Committee

Statement

SEN. GRASSLEY: The public would be shocked if they saw that.

This is a very important nomination, and I'm sure I'm going to say some things that'll embarrass Congressman Nussle, but I think they're important so you know our relationship.

When I was running for the Senate the first time, he was a student at Luther College and he drove me around in his old Ford to help me get elected, so I feel some obligation for early support of my candidacy. (Laughter.)

Secondly, you know, I have five children and they all hated politics because I spent so much time at it. So I always thought, well, it'd be nice to have somebody like me in the United States Senate. So when he ran for the Congress, I backed him and I considered him kind of a little Grassley. And I made that point very clear when I was at breakfasts for him in what was then the 3rd District of Iowa. But I think he has grown to be a very qualified public servant. And I'm proud that I worked for him, as I hope he's proud that he worked for me that first time.

He has come to Washington, then, I think, following some of those principles he campaigned on, to be a wise steward of taxpayers' money. Very early in his congressional career he took that responsibility very seriously. I think he worked hard to ferret out wasteful and unnecessary federal spending. And if confirmed, and for the president, not for himself, I think he would continue that same thing as OMB director.

You know, being chairman of the House Budget Committee puts you in the middle of budgeting, so you understand it. I think that he followed on his early Senate career; as one example, working real hard for the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 in which he worked to save the taxpayers $40 billion in that.

He also understands that the federal budget process can be improved, and I think he demonstrated that by chairing the bipartisan task force in the late 1990s, developing a bipartisan initiative that's obviously not law, but he worked with one of our colleagues now, then-Congressman Ben Cardin, to do that.

With this project, he demonstrated his ability to work across the aisle and develop bipartisan projects. And that's going to be very, very important. As the president has one opinion, Congress might have another opinion. He's the go-between that's going to have to bring common sense to both extremes, and I think he can do that. And I think maybe the bipartisanship is shown also by the fact that now Chairman Spratt, but then Ranking Member Spratt, intends to testify before the Senate Budget Committee in support.

Given Congressman Nussle's experience, knowledge and commitment to public service, I think it's very fitting that the president nominate him. I think you're going to find a very highly qualified candidate as he responds to your questions here and you become better acquainted with him. And if there's anything you want to know that I haven't told you about his other-than-public life, I can discuss that with you too.

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