Mr. Knisely spent 28 years as a professional staff member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. In that capacity, he advised several subcommittee chairmen over those years, including three Democratic subcommittee chairmen and one Republican chairman. He also served six chairmen of the full Appropriations Committee, including four Democrats and two Republicans. In addition to providing advice and counsel, his primary responsibilities included preparing legislative and committee report language; developing questions for hearings; drafting floor statements for the subcommittee chairman; assisting the subcommittee chairman and other Members in guiding bills through House floor procedures; and negotiating issues in conference committees.

Following his time in the House, he served for two years on the staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee where he was an adviser to the chairman on procedural and parliamentary issues and coordinated the drafting of appropriations bills. He has also worked as a senior advisor for one of the largest government affairs firms in Washington.

During his tenure on Capitol Hill, Bob developed considerable expertise in and knowledge of a broad range of Federal programs and agencies. In particular, he is very familiar with those programs and agencies in the areas of health, education and labor. He was on the Hill when many current Federal programs were created and has watched them grow and evolve over the years. In his 30 years on the Hill, Bob also developed an extensive knowledge and understanding of the parliamentary and legislative procedures of the Congress.

Bob is a graduate of the University of Nebraska, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in political science. He and his wife, Gail, have four grown children – three sons and a daughter.