Former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach is one step closer to being confirmed as the next chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Leach represented portions of eastern Iowa in congress for 30 years. Leach, a Republican, endorsed Barack Obama in August of 2008. Leach won’t say much about what other jobs he may have been offered in the Obama Administration, notably positions in the Treasury Department since Leach had been chairman of the House Banking Committee. But Leach has said Obama’s call for him to serve as chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities was too "alluring" to refuse .
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has voted to confirm Leach for the post, a prelude to a confirmation vote in the full senate. Senator Tom Harkin, a Democrat, calls Leach a "public servant of this first order" and he issued a statement urging the senate to confirm Leach for the post "without delay."