BORN:
May 6, 1934 in Birmingham, Alabama

HOME:
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

FAMILY:
Married: Annette Nevin
Two children: Richard Jr. and Claude Nevin

EDUCATION:
- B.A., University of Alabama, 1957
- LL.B., University of Alabama, School of Law, 1963

CAREER:
- Lawyer, 1963-1978
- Tuscaloosa City Prosecutor, 1963-1971
- U.S. Magistrate, Northern District of Alabama, 1966-1970
- Special Assistant Attorney General, State of Alabama, 1969-1971
- Alabama State Senator, 1970-1978
- U.S. Representative, 1979-1987
- U.S. Senator, 1987-Present

Senator Richard Shelby was first elected to the Senate in 1986.

He is the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the senior Republican on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.   He also serves on the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Senator Shelby believes that a smaller government is more effective.  He is a stalwart supporter of Second Amendment rights and was the leading Republican voice in opposing TARP and the auto bailouts. He has introduced a flat tax in every Congress since his election to the U.S. Senate; as well as a Balanced Budget amendment to the Constitution.

Most recently, Senator Shelby was one of only eight senators who voted against the fiscal cliff agreement, stating that the deal fell short of the measures necessary to promote job creation, economic growth, and fiscal stability.

A proponent of responsible spending on meritorious projects, Senator Shelby believes that members of Congress are the most in tune with the needs of their constituents and has been prolific in fulfilling those needs in the state of Alabama. He has fought to secure critical funding for law enforcement to help protect Alabama’s communities, as well as funding to construct state-of-the-art, world class facilities across the state that educate students in math, science and engineering.  Senator Shelby also champions military and space programs in Alabama, and has secured million of dollars for related initiatives.

Prior to his election in the United States Senate, Senator Shelby served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and eight years in the Alabama legislature.  He is a fifth generation Alabamian and a graduate of University of Alabama’s undergraduate and law programs.