About Senator Ted Stevens

A member of the Senate for 37 years, Ted Stevens is Alaska's senior Senator. Stevens' tenure in the Senate makes him the fourth-most senior member among his colleagues, and first among Republicans. Stevens holds the position of Senate President Pro Tempore. He also is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which has oversight of the Departments of Commerce and Transportation. In addition, the Committee's broad jurisdiction covers issues including telecommunications, fisheries, oceans and maritime policy, the Coast Guard, aviation (including the Transportation Security Administration), rail, highway safety, global climate change, interstate commerce, space, science, technology, economic development, trade, tourism, consumer issues, product safety, and sports.

As President Pro Tempore, Stevens presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President and is third in the line of succession for the Presidency, following the Vice President and the Speaker of the House. In addition, the President Pro Tempore is a member of the party leadership team.

Senator Stevens has previously chaired the Senate's Ethics, Rules, and Governmental Affairs Committees. From 1997 through 2004, Stevens held the position of Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee (except for an 18 month period when he was the Ranking Member). Senator Stevens is a long-time leader in national defense oversight. As Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, working with the Senior Senator from Hawaii, Senator Dan Inouye, he has kept track of defense requirements to ensure our security. Stevens has continually worked for smarter, more efficient programs that can better meet the twenty-first century's realities and future threats to our nation.

Ted Stevens was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 18, 1923. During World War II he was a pilot in the China-Burma-India theater, supporting the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force. He received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Air Medals, and the Yuan Hai medal awarded by the Republic of China. Following the war he graduated from UCLA and Harvard Law School, and practiced law in Washington, D.C. In the early 1950s he moved to Alaska, at the time a territory of the U.S. He practiced law in Fairbanks, and subsequently was appointed U.S. Attorney in Fairbanks in 1953, a position he held for three years.

He transferred to Washington, D.C. in 1956 to work as legislative counsel and then as an assistant to Secretary of the Interior Fred Seaton. In 1960, he was appointed Solicitor (chief counsel) of the Department of the Interior by President Eisenhower. While in Washington, Stevens worked successfully for Alaska's and Hawaii's admissions to the Union.

Stevens returned to Alaska to practice law in Anchorage and in 1964 he was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives. In his second term in Alaska's legislature he became the House Majority Leader.

Following the death of Senator E.L. Bob Bartlett in December of 1968, Governor Walter Hickel appointed Stevens to fill the vacancy. Under Alaska law, Stevens sought election in 1970. Stevens was subsequently elected for a full term in 1972, and re-elected in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996 and 2002.

From 1977 to 1985 Stevens served as the Assistant Republican Leader (the Whip). In 1994, Stevens became Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. He next served as Chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee in 1996. Stevens also has served as Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, and the Arms Control Observer Group.

In addition to his duties on the Senate Commerce Committee and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Stevens serves on the Appropriations Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary; Interior; Labor, Health, Human Services and Education; and Legislative Branch. He also is a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and is Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress.

Known as a "Work Horse" of the Senate, Stevens tries to find time for his hobbies: tennis, reading, and his favorite pastime - reeling in his catch while fishing. The 71-pound Kenai Peninsula King Salmon he caught is displayed in his Washington, D.C. office.

When tough issues arise in the Senate, Ted's motto has always been, "Do what's best for Alaska." And he has. Virtually every Senator is aware that Alaska is one-fifth the size of the entire United States and has half of the country's coastline, thanks to Stevens' reminders on the Senate floor and elsewhere.

Senator Stevens is married to Catherine Ann Chandler of Anchorage, a fourth generation Alaskan. They have one child and eleven grandchildren. He also has five other children by his first wife Ann Cherrington of Denver, now deceased. Three of Stevens' six children currently reside in Alaska.