George Nethercutt was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 1994 when he unseated then Speaker of the House Thomas Foley. It was the first time a sitting Speaker had been defeated since 1860. Nethercutt served for ten years on the prestigious House Committee on Appropriations. He also served as a member of the House Science Committee and the Energy and Space & Aeronautics subcommittees.
Born in Spokane, Washington, Nethercutt was educated at Washington State University, receiving a BA in English in 1967, and his Juris Doctorate degree from Gonzaga University in 1971. In 1971, he served as Law Clerk to a federal judge in the U.S. District Court, Anchorage, Alaska, and from 1972-77 worked as chief of staff for a U.S. Senator in Washington, DC where he focused on issues of oil and gas, natural resources, mining and commerce. From 1977-1994, Nethercutt practiced law with offices in Spokane, Seattle and Almira, Washington.
George is the founder and Chairman of The George Nethercutt Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the civics and leadership education of college students.