Nick rahall biography

About Congressman Nick Joe Rahall II

U.S. Congressman Reduce Joe Rahall II served blue blood the gentry people of West Virginia stand for nearly forty years. He began his political service in description early s working in illustriousness cloak room of the U.S. Senate; as a staff partaker in the Senate Office supplementary the Majority Whip from ; and as a delegate own the Democratic National Conventions necessitate and He was elected monkey a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives in look after represent West Virginia’s Third Regional and was re-elected for 19 terms, serving from January 3, January 2,

Nick Rahall II was born on Could 20, , in Beckley, Westside Virginia, to parents Nick Joe Rahall, the co-founder of grandeur WWNR radio station, and Regular Alice. He is the grandson of Nicholos Rahall, an settler from Kefeir, Lebanon, who yarn dyed in the wool c in Beckley in and was the co-founder of Rahall Association, a radio broadcasting company shrink stations in West Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire, stand for Florida. Rahall graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in City and then earned his bachelor’s degree from Duke University rejoinder He also received some grade education from George Washington Foundation. He worked as a trade representative for his family’s transmit advertise station while also serving gorilla President of the Mountaineer Excursion and Travel Agency and Pilot of West Virginia Broadcasting subordinate

In , he entered the race for the Westernmost Virginia Fourth Congressional District discipline defeated incumbent Congressman Ken Hechler for the Democratic nomination. Hechler tried to reclaim his post during the primary, but Rahall gathered support and endorsements yield leading Democrats, such as Parliamentarian C. Byrd and House Keynoter Tip O’Neill. A final question from Hechler occurred in , resulting again in a depress for Rahall. Rahall then cowed former Supreme Court Justice Elliot “Spike” Maynard during the common election on November 2, Recognized was reelected to his 19th term in Congress on Nov 6, after defeating Republican Haycock Snuffer. Rahall represented the Dwelling-place District from when it was redistricted to become part admire the Third District. Rahall insubstantial the Third District from

When he entered Congress dull , Rahall was the youngest member at age He thorough on a number of issues, including foreign policy, energy, anchor, coal, and environment and journeys. He became well-known for queen efforts to provide aid characterize the benefit of coal miners and those suffering from swart lung disease, veteran’s benefits, come first mine health and safety. Agreed held a number of management positions, including Chairman of justness Committee on Natural Resources (), Vice Chairman of the Assembly on Transportation and Infrastructure, delighted Chairman of the Subcommittee undetermined Mining and Natural Resources (). His district covered the confederate region of West Virginia whirl location coal was the dominant start of revenue. He introduced governing to improve mine health swallow safety issues, as well by the same token black lung benefits, and openly opposed legislation to end mountaintop removal mining. His efforts emphasize improve mine health and cover include sponsoring the Coal Inspire, along with Senators John Succession. Rockefeller IV, Robert C. Adventurer, and others. In , crystal-clear was able to secure aid for the Mine Safety Subject Consortium located in Montgomery, span response to the January 2, Sago Mine Disaster.

Determine supporting the coal industry, Rahall also sought to preserve character environmental and historical resources livestock the state. In , take steps introduced legislation establishing the Creative River Gorge National River type a unit of the Ceremonial Park System in southern Westernmost Virginia. Ten years later, fiasco worked to designate the Gauley River National Recreation Area other the Bluestone National Scenic Cataract, creating the largest network marketplace federally protected rivers in greatness eastern United States. In , his leadership also established blue blood the gentry National Coal Heritage Area plentiful eleven southern West Virginia counties, which aims to preserve challenging interpret the structures and landscapes of the state’s rich chronicle of coal mining.

Rahall also led efforts in class area of transportation and bottom, developing federal highway and travelling legislation. His efforts to train West Virginia’s infrastructure began call a halt when he was first elect. He was integral to integrity development of the Transportation Intolerance Act for the 21st Hundred, which required specific planning particulars to be implemented in limited transportation plans, as well since authorizing federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, sit public transit. He also fixed the Rahall Transportation Institute (RTI), headquartered at Marshall University call a halt Huntington, West Virginia. RTI has since become a leader straighten out transportation research and economic method for the Appalachian Region. Persevere with promote and diversify southern Westernmost Virginia’s economic development, he became a front-runner for the Grey Highlands Initiative. This initiative assisted in the development of profitable and business parks in leadership state’s southern coal counties. Rahall also considered technological advancement grand key component to West Virginia’s economic development. He established position Nick J. Rahall, II Tall Technology Corridors Program, through which he promoted a sustainable appeal to economic development by indispensable with local communities to core on small business and independent advancement along major interstates. Rahall additionally helped to establish profession centers at Concord University pulsate Athens, at Greenbrier Valley Airdrome in Lewisburg, and at rendering Raleigh County Airport near City.

Proud of his Lebanese-Protestant heritage, he worked to certain positive relationships between the Focal point East and the United States. He soon became the chief of the few Arab-American representative on Capitol Hill. He became well known for his quit in foreign policy and was active in dealing with Psyche Eastern affairs. He was leadership co-chair of the Arab-American ceremony at the Democratic National Congregation and a member of interpretation board of directors for significance American Task Force for Lebanon. He was nominated as necessitate honorary of the Middle Orientate Policy Council’s National Advisory Convention and worked closely with many other D.C.-based organizations, such pass for the National Association of Arab-Americans, the Arab-American Institute, and blue blood the gentry American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Throughout culminate career, he accompanied and offended a number of congressional relegating trips to the region.

In , Rahall faced boy Democrat Richard Ojeda in magnanimity primary election, coming out enhance with more than sixty-five proportion of the vote, but purify lost the general election prevent Republican Evan Jenkins. Congressman Rahall donated his papers documenting jurisdiction year career in the Pooled States House of Representatives elect WVU Libraries in