User:LizArchive/Oliver Nichelini

Oliver James Nichelini (born December 15th, 1955) is an American physician and politician currently serving the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. A member of the Social Democratic Party, he also serves as the Minority Leader of United States House of Representatives, representing Superior's 5th district. He also serves as a member of the Superior Legislative Commission, and formerly was the Superior Secretary of Health.

Early life
Born in Powell, Ohio, Nichelini grew up in a packed household with 6 other siblings. The son of two teachers, Nichelini says most days he was helping his younger siblings with homework or at the local park. Oliver attended Columbus Academy, playing Swimming, Track and Cross Country. He also served as Student Body president his senior year, which he says was his beginning in politics. After graduating, he went to Ohio State University for a Biology degree and minored in Political Science. To earn his MD, he attended Yale University in Connecticut, the only time he has lived out of the Superior region. Returning to Superior, he went through a 5 year medical residency specializing in General Surgery before earning certification and moving back to Columbus, to be hired as Department Chief of General Surgery.

Superior and Federal Secretary of Health
Oliver entered politics when he interviewed for Superior Secretary of Health in early 1988. Upon Storm Kennedys win in the 1988 Presidential Election, it was released that Kennedy would be nominating Nichelini as HHS Secretary. His confirmation was pending in the Senate until April 28th, 1989 when hearings were held. He was later confirmed in a 18-0-0 vote, with no members voting nay or abstaining.

He has pledged to improve the health system within federal prisons and normalize mental health illnesses. So far, he has written executive orders focused on the prison establishment and under those EOs federal prisons have gained more access to healthcare.

United States House of Representatives
After being sworn in as Superior Secretary of Health, entered the race for Superior's 5th District, a position held by a progressive incumbent. While multiple polls predicted the incumbent to prevail- on election night Nichelini had a 37.62% victory margin, over 1,000,000 votes. Despite being a member of the Social Democratic Party- Oliver ran as an independent. He was sworn into Congress on January 3rd, 1989.

Tenure
Nichelini took a leave in the initial beginning of his term to go to Canada for family issues. While in Canada, there was internal caucus elections, and Nichelini was on the ballot for House Majority Whip. While Nichelini initially won the election, there was alleged fraud in the ballots and the election was reconducted. Despite the revote, Nichelini served as House Majority Whip until the new results were released, which that election showed a loss for Nichelini. After the election the position was renamed to Minority Whip due to the caucus losing members.

When Catherine Villanueva resigned her seat in the House, and Relevation Animations died, the SDP caucus had no leadership. Nichelini ran for leader, and was elected unopposed. He currently serves as leader and was unopposed for a full term in the 102nd Congress.

He took critism from Senators and Representatives, specifically leadership, for voting NAY on S. 06, the law proposed by Senator DecStarG because of the tax increase, but later changed his vote to YEA to end the debate.

On February 28th, he introduced a House Resolution to remove the Vice Chair role on the Committees.