Experience taught me that working families are often just one pay check away from economic disaster. And it showed me first-hand the importance of every family having access to good health care.

However Obey retained 60 percent of his former territory and was handily reelected in subsequent contests. Obey had risen to the position of fifth ranking House Democrat since his party retook control of Congress. Obey served as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee from 2007 to 2011; he briefly chaired this committee from 1994 to 1995 and served as its ranking Democrat from 1995 to 2007.

He began working for Gephardt Government Affairs a lobbying firm founded by former U. S. David Ross "Dave" Obey (/ˈoʊbiː/ OH-bee; born October 3 1938) is the former U.