Bush nominates Idaho governor Interior Secretary

March 17, 2006
US President George W. Bush nominated Idaho Gov. Dirk A. Kempthorne Interior Secretary less than a week after Gale A. Norton announced she was leaving at the end of the month.

Nick Snow
Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON, DC, Mar. 17 -- US President George W. Bush nominated Idaho Gov. Dirk A. Kempthorne Interior Secretary less than a week after Gale A. Norton announced she was leaving at the end of the month.

The nomination, which appears likely to be approved, would bring Kempthorne back to Washington, where he served as an Idaho senator during 1993-98. During his single term, he chaired the Environment and Public Works Committee's drinking water, fisheries, and wildlife subcommittee.

Kempthorne was mayor of Boise for two terms before being elected to the US Senate in 1992 when Steven D. Symms retired.

Several current senators reacted quickly to the nomination. "Everything I know about him tells me he will be confirmed and make an excellent secretary," said Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Pete V. Domenici (R-NM), who recommended the nomination to the White House.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), the committee's chief minority member, said the nominee "is well-known and respected by those of us in the Senate who served with him" and added, "I would expect him to be confirmed."

Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho), who chairs the committee's public lands and forests subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over a number of Interior Department agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, said Kempthorne is "talented, energetic and understands the issues that surround public lands and endangered species."

As the 49th Interior secretary, Kempthorne would be the second Idahoan to hold the job. Cecil D. Andrus, also an Idaho governor, held the position during 1977-81.

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].