Robert B. Dove (October 18, 1938 – July 28, 2021) was a parliamentarian of the United States Senate and a professor of political science at George Washington University.[1]

Robert Dove
Parliamentarian of the United States Senate
In office
January 1995 – May 2001
Preceded byAlan Frumin
Succeeded byAlan Frumin
In office
1981 – January 1987
Preceded byMurray Zweben
Succeeded byAlan Frumin
Personal details
Born(1938-10-18)October 18, 1938
Hamilton, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJuly 28, 2021(2021-07-28) (aged 82)
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Children2; including Laura Dove
EducationOhio State University (BA)
Duke University (MA, PhD)
Georgetown University (JD)

Early life and education

edit

Dove was born in Hamilton, Ohio and attended Ohio State University (BA, 1960), Duke University (MA, 1963; PhD, 1967) and Georgetown University (JD). He was a professor and lecturer at The Citadel and Iowa State University in the early 1960s.[2]

Career

edit

Dove joined the Parliamentarian's office in 1966.[2] He was named Parliamentarian of the United States Senate in 1981 and remained in this position until he was dismissed by Democratic Majority Leader Robert Byrd in 1987 after the Democratic Party obtained a majority and control of the Senate.[3][4] He was replaced by Alan Frumin.

He served on the staff of Senator Robert Dole from 1987 until 1995, when he was again appointed Parliamentarian of the United States Senate. In 2001, he determined that Senate rules allow only one budget bill per year related to revenue to be immune from filibuster, a process known as reconciliation.[5] Provisions in a reconciliation bill, one provided for in section 310 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, may be deleted because the Parliamentarian may find it only has policy implications and no budgetary implications, and hence be subject to a point of order.[6] Later that year, Dove ruled to remove a Republican provision to allocate over $5 billion in the 2002 budget for natural disasters.[5] Following Republican anger about these rulings, he was dismissed by Republican Majority Leader Trent Lott.[7] He was again replaced by Alan Frumin.

Upon leaving the United States Senate, he became a professor at The George Washington University, specializing in Congressional issues.[8]

He served as a parliamentary consultant to a number of foreign legislatures, including the State Duma of Russia, the National Assembly of Bulgaria, the Assembly of Representatives of Yemen, the National Assembly of Kuwait, and the Parliament of Poland.[9][10]

On July 28, 2021, Dove died of congestive heart failure in Charleston, South Carolina.[11]

References

edit
  1. ^ Senator McConnell Pays Tribute to Former Senate Parliamentarian Bob Dove
  2. ^ a b "Biographical Directory". 1973.
  3. ^ Newton-Small, Jay (March 3, 2010). "Health Reform's Reconciliation Ref". Time. Archived from the original on March 4, 2010.
  4. ^ http://legacy.c-span.org/questions/weekly44.asp [dead link]
  5. ^ a b Rosenbaum, David E. (May 8, 2001). "Rules Keeper Is Dismissed By Senate, Official Says". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Faler, Brian (August 12, 2009). "Alan Frumin May Rise From Obscurity to Craft Senate Health Bill". Bloomberg LP.
  7. ^ Marshall, Joshua Micah (May 9, 2001). "Wanted: A Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy". Slate.
  8. ^ "Faculty Biography: Robert Dove". The Graduate School of Political Management. The George Washington University.
  9. ^ "AEI Politics Watch, Session III: The Past, Present, and Future of the Filibuster". American Enterprise Institute. March 12, 2010. He has acted as parliamentary consultant to numerous foreign government entities such as the Russian Duma, the Yemen Parliament, the Kuwait Parliament, the Bulgarian Legislature, and the Polish Legislature. He has served as the parliamentarian for the Republican Platform Committee at several Republican National Conventions.
  10. ^ "Author Robert Dove". Audible.
  11. ^ "Community deaths". The Washington Post. August 31, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
edit
Government offices
Preceded by
Murray Zweben
Parliamentarian of the United States Senate
1981–1987
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Alan Frumin
Parliamentarian of the United States Senate
1995–2001