Event Description
David Morrison worked at the Congressional Budget Office and on congressional defense budget committees for decades after receiving his M.A. degree from the newly created UMD School of Public Policy in 1985. What makes effective government and legislation possible are the personal relationships, unwritten rules and norms that frame and smooth decision-making processes. By design and default, these relationships and norms have corroded over the years. This forum will examine major institutional changes and events over the past 40 years that have changed Washington’s political culture, asking why, how, and what should be done.
Speaker Bio
David H. Morrison was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in Theology (Ethics) in May, 2024. His dissertation is entitled, “The Theologies of American Christian Nationalism.”
Prior to attending Princeton seminary, Mr. Morrison retired as Corporate Vice President for The Boeing Company in 2012. He was responsible for implementing and overseeing all Boeing strategic and tactical interactions with the United States Congress and related Federal agencies. He held this position for four years after having a 23-year career in the Federal government and serving for a brief period as the Chair of the National Security and International Policy practice at the Podesta Group.
During his government career, Mr. Morrison served as the Staff Director/Clerk of the House Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations led by Congressman John P. Murtha (2003-2008). In this position, he directed and was principally responsible for developing legislation to fund all U.S. national defense programs and operations, as well as national foreign intelligence activities. He also served as a key advisor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi on national security issues.
Mr. Morrison began his Federal government career in 1985 as a budget analyst with the Office of Management and Budget’s National Security Division. From 1990-1995, he served as a professional staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee/Defense Subcommittee. During this decade Mr. Morrison became recognized as one of the leading experts on U.S. military combat readiness and war operations.
Mr. Morrison returned to OMB in 1995, serving as the Deputy Chief of the National Security Division. In 1997, he became the Deputy Associate Director of OMB for National Security – the head of the Division and, as the President’s senior advisor on the Defense budget, a regular participant in National Security Council meetings and White House activities.
David Morrison entered Federal service as a Presidential Management Intern (class of 1985). He received numerous awards for his work from OMB, the military services and, notably, the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal in 2000 – the highest award given by the Secretary of Defense to non-military personnel. In 2007, he was named one of the 50 most influential staff members on Capitol Hill by the National Journal. Mr. Morrison is a Senior Adviser to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a former trustee on Davis and Elkins College's Board of Trustees, and is president of the National Council for the Traditional Arts Board of Directors. For a number of years, he also served on Carnegie-Mellon University’s School of Engineering Board of Advisors. Mr. Morrison holds an undergraduate degree from Davis and Elkins College (1979), a Master of Public Policy from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Affairs (1985), and a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary (2016). His wife – Phebe Novakovic – and he have five children. Phebe is the Chairman of the Board and CEO of the General Dynamics corporation. His wife and he are the co-founders of the Morrison-Novakovic Faith and Public Policy Center at Davis and Elkins College.