Tom Osborne



Thomas William Osborne was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from  Nebraska's 3rd Congressional district  (map) from 2001 to 2007. He declined to run for reelection in 2006, choosing instead to pursue the governorship of Nebraska.

Background
Osborne was born February 23, 1937 in Hastings, Nebraska. He is the former football coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

In 1959, Osborne graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history from Hastings College (Hastings, Nebraska), after which he played three seasons in the National Football League. He earned his Master of Arts in educational psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1963, and a doctorate in educational psychology from the UNL in 1965.

Osborne is best known as the former head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, UNL's football team. Osborne was the head coach from the 1973 season until 1997, and led the Huskers to 13 conference championships and three national championships (1994, 1995, and 1997).

His 255-49-3 record gave him the best winning percentage (83.6%) among active NCAA Division 1-A coaches at the time of his retirement and the fifth-best of all time. As of 2006, only Joe Paterno has reached 200 victories in fewer games. But Osborne, who went on an NCAA record 60-3 run over his final five seasons, won 250 games faster than any coach in Division 1-A history. Osborne was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He won his first national title in 1994, and again in 1995, under the leadership of quarterback Tommie Frazier, and running backs Lawrence Fisher and Ahmad Green rounding out the option offense. The 1995 team is often considered the greatest college football team of tall time. In 2000, he recieved the Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congressional career
Osborne sat on the Committees on Agriculture, Education and the Workforce, and Resources. Osborne was generally considered a political conservative, although he was considered somewhat in the middle with regards to immigration issues.

Iraq War
Osborne voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

2006 elections
On April 30, 2005 Osborne announced that he would run for Governor of Nebraska. He ran against current Governor Dave Heineman and Omaha businessman Dave Nabity in the Republican primary and lost to Heineman. Democrats nominated Scott Kleeb and Republicans nominated Adrian Smith to contest the November 2006 election for his vacant seat. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)

Committees in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on Conservation Credit Rural Development and Research
 * Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture
 * House Committee on Education and the Workforce
 * Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness
 * Subcommittee on Education Reform
 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Highways Transit and Pipelines
 * Subcommittee on Railroads
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Co-Chair, Congressional Alcohol Fuels Caucus

Boards and other Affiliations

 * Trustee, Teammates Mentoring Program, 1995-present
 * Trustee, American Football Coaches Association, 1980-1985, 1992-1995
 * Member, Saint Marks United Methodist.

More Background Data

 * 2006 Nebraska CD 3 Candidate List from VIS

Articles and Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Brief Hall of Fame bio
 * A more detailed look at his football record and awards
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * New Nebraska Network

Contact
DC Office: 507 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-6435 Fax: 202-226-1385 Web Email Website

District Office- Grand Island: 819 Diers Avenue, Suite 3 Grand Island, NE 68803 Phone: 308-381-5555 Fax: 308-381-5557

District Office- Kearney: 212 Communications Building 1910 University Drive Kearney, NE 68849 Phone: 308-236-1330 Fax: 308-236-1331

District Office- McCook: 203 West First Street McCook, NE 69001 Phone: 308-345-3328 Fax: 308-345-3329

District Office- Scottsbluff: 21 East 20th Street Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Phone: 308-632-3333 Fax: 308-635-3049