David Daniel Boren (born August 2, 1973) is an American businessman and politician who is the Secretary of Commerce for the Chickasaw Nation, based in Oklahoma. He is a retired American politician, who served as the U.S. representative for from 2005 to 2013. The district included most of the eastern part of the state outside of Tulsa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He also served as a State Representative in the 28th district of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Boren announced on June 7, 2011, that he would not seek re-election to the House in 2012. On June 19, 2012, he announced via a news release that he has been hired as President of Corporate Development for the Chickasaw Nation, working to promote economic diversification upon completion of his term in Congress. In January 2020, Boren began his role as president and Chief Banking Officer of First United Bank, but returned to the Chickasaw Nation as Secretary of Commerce in May 2022. In June 2022, he was appointed to First United Bank's board of directors.
Early life, family, education and career
Boren was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, the son of Janna Lou (née Little) and state representative David Lyle Boren.
His father would go on to serve as Governor of Oklahoma, as a U.S. Senator, and as president of the University of Oklahoma. His paternal grandfather, Lyle Boren, served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing southeastern Oklahoma (Oklahoma's 4th congressional district) from 1937 to 1947. His maternal grandfather, Reuel Little helped found the American Party to support the 1968 presidential campaign of George Wallace. His first cousin, Janna Little Ryan, is married to former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Paul Ryan (R-WI), who was nominated for vice president at the 2012 Republican National Convention to be the running mate of Mitt Romney.
Boren was a page in the US Senate in 1989. In 1997, he received a B.S. from Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth. He obtained an MBA from the University of Oklahoma in 2001. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.
At the start of his career, Boren served on the staff of Congressman Wes Watkins, worked as an education administrator and bank teller, and was a member of the staff of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission for Denise Bode.
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Boren served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2002 to 2004, representing the 28th House District. He served as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary. He also served on the Transportation Committee, Wildlife Committee, Appropriations and Budget Committee and the Energy Committee. He was a member of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee assignments
Boren, as of the 111th Congress, was a member of the following committees: Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs (Ranking Member) Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism/HUMINT, Analysis and Counterintelligence Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions
Boren served as co-chair and Whip for the Blue Dog Coalition and co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus.
On May 15, 2008, Boren was elected to the board of directors of the National Rifle Association of America. Boren said that he was a lifetime member of the NRA.
In November 2009, Boren voted along with 39 other Democrats against the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Boren also voted against the final bill, in March. He said "only 17 percent of my constituents supported the bill." In January 2011, Boren was one of 3 Democrats to vote with the unified Republican caucus for its repeal.
Boren, along with Walter Jones, R-N.C., led the U.S. House military depot caucus in 2011. The group of House members focuses on policy issues affecting military facilities including aviation depots, shipyards, arsenals, ammunition plants and energetic material production facilities.
Military issues
On July 10, 2007, Boren was one of ten Democrats to vote against a bill to withdraw troops by April 1, 2008. Later that month, he announced his opposition to the 2007 Iraq troop surge.