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Senator John Ensign has served the people of Nevada from his days as a veterinarian, small business owner, and U.S. Congressman to his present role as the 24th U.S. Senator for Nevada.

Senator Ensign was raised in northern Nevada and moved to southern Nevada where he graduated from Clark High School. He attended UNLV and earned a Bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University in 1985. Senator Ensign immediately began practicing veterinary medicine and opened the first 24-hour animal hospital in Las Vegas.

Throughout his career Ensign has fought for smaller, more effective government, lower taxes, a strong national defense and aggressive approach to combating terrorists, increased parental control in education choices, and quality health care for Nevada's seniors and veterans.

Senator Ensign was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000 and serves on the following committees: Budget; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Finance; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Rules & Administration. Ensign is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness of the Commerce Committee. As a past High Tech Task Force Chairman, Ensign plays a leading role in shaping telecommunications and technology policy on Capitol Hill.
 
Since 2007, Ensign has been a member of Republican Leadership beginning when he was selected by his colleagues to be Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.  In 2008, his colleagues promoted him to Chairman of the GOP Policy Committee, moving Ensign to the number four position in leadership and making him the highest ranking Republican Senator in Nevada’s history.  The Policy Committee unifies and coordinates Republican legislative efforts in the Senate.  In this position, Ensign has an influential voice at the negotiating table and is able to ensure that the interests of Nevadans are heard at the earliest stages of the legislative process.

Since taking office, Senator Ensign has worked hard and fulfilled his promises to the people of Nevada. His Education High Growth Grant amendment, which brings tens of millions of extra dollars to Nevada schools, was included in the education bill signed into law by President Bush.

On the environmental front, the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, authored by then-Congressman Ensign, has provided nearly $3 billion for Nevada’s general education fund; Clark County parks; facilities at Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead, and the Spring Mountains; and the purchase of environmentally sensitive land. The legislation was amended by Senator Ensign to include vital protection for Lake Tahoe by providing $300 million over the next eight years for water clarity, erosion control, and fire suppression to reverse the decline of Lake Tahoe's famous clarity.

Senator Ensign’s commitment to the environment also resulted in the enactment of the Ensign-Reid Clark County Lands Bill which protects environmentally sensitive areas in southern Nevada, allows recreational opportunities to continue, and improves the quality of life for all citizens. Thanks to Ensign’s leadership, similar land bills for White Pine and Lincoln Counties were signed into law and have provided an economic boost while preserving the pristine beauty of our state. The legislation included funding to reduce the threat of catastrophic fire in the Great Basin Area and eastern Nevada as well as protections for our valuable outdoor areas such as Lake Tahoe, the Ballardini Ranch, and the eastern Sierra.

During his past service on the Veterans Affairs Committee, Senator Ensign led the fight to build a Veterans Hospital in southern Nevada to provide quality health care for the brave men and women who proudly served this nation. Construction is expected to be completed in 2011.

Senator Ensign spends his work week in Washington, D.C. and travels home to visit his family- Darlene, Trevor, Siena, and Michael- on the weekends.

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Name:
 John Ensign (R-NV)
Born:
 March 25, 1958, in Roseville, CA
Hometown:
 Las Vegas, NV
Education:
 graduated E.W. Clark High School, (1976); attended University of Nevada, Las Vegas (1979); B.S., Oregon State University, Corvallis (1981); D.V.M. Colorado State University, Fort Collins (1985)
Family:
 married to Darlene Sciaretta; three children: Trevor, Siena, and Michael
Profession:
 veterinarian, U.S. Congressman, U.S. Senator
   
1987-1994
 owner, West Flamingo Animal Hospital, Las Vegas
1994-2001
owner, South Shores Animal Hospital, Las Vegas
1995-1999
served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1st District
Nov. 7, 2000
 elected to U. S. Senate for 107th Congress
Nov. 7, 2006
re-elected to U. S. Senate for 110th Congress

 

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