Leach nominated to chair NEH

Former eastern Iowa U.S. Rep. Jim Leach has been nominated by President Barack Obama to chair the National Endowment for the Humanities.

"I am confident that with Jim as its head, the National Endowment for the Humanities will continue on its vital mission of supporting the humanities and giving the American public access to the rich resources of our culture," Obama said. " Jim is a valued and dedicated public servant and I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead."

Leach,  66, a Davenport native, represented the 1

^st

and 2

^nd

congressional districts beginning from 1976 until 2006.

Since leaving Congress, he has taught at Princeton University and served as the interim director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.