Byron L. Dorgan is a BPC senior fellow and he co-chairs its Energy Project. He served in the Senate leadership for 16 years, first as Assistant Democratic Floor Leader and then as Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee.
He was Chairman of Senate Committees and Subcommittees on the issues of Energy, Aviation, Appropriations, Water Policy, and Indian Affairs.
He served as a congressman and senator for North Dakota for 30 years before retiring from the Senate in 2011.
Dorgan is now active in his post-Senate life teaching, speaking, consulting, investing, and much more.
He is a recognized leader in the fields of energy policy, economic issues, aviation policy, Indian issues, trade policy, health care and more. He is considered a compelling public speaker and one of the best debaters in the Senate.
Dorgan is a visiting professor at two universities, lecturing on energy, economic policy, and political affairs. He works part time as a senior policy advisor with the Washington, D.C. law firm Arent Fox. Dorgan also chairs a new program at the Aspen Institute – The Native American Youth Center – focusing on Native American children with an emphasis on teen suicide prevention.
Dorgan is the author of two books. The first, a New York Times Best Seller book, Take this Job and Ship It, and a second book released in 2009, Reckless... How Debt, Deregulation and Dark Money Nearly Bankrupted America (And How We Can Fix It).
Dorgan has a bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota, and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Denver. He is married to Kim Dorgan and has four children: Scott, Shelly (deceased), Brendon, and Haley.
