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 with an unwavering commitment to Alabama.

He is ranking member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee.   He also serves on the Committee on Rules and Administration and the Special Committee on Aging.

Senator Shelby firmly believes that a smaller government is more effective and was the leading Republican voice in opposing TARP and the auto bailouts. He has introduced a Balanced Budget amendment to the constitution in every Congress since his election to the U.S. Senate, and has been an advocate for eliminating corporate loopholes.

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.

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has fought to secure critical funding to help enhance and protect Alabama’s communities as well as construct state-of-the-art, world class facilities across the state that educate students in math, science and engineering.

Prior to Senator Shelby’s election to the United States Senate, he served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and eight years in the Alabama legislature.  He also served as a City Prosecutor in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Alabama, and Special Assistant to the Attorney General in Alabama.

A fifth generation Alabamian, Senator Shelby is a graduate of the University of Alabama's undergraduate and law programs. He and his wife, Annette Nevin Shelby, have two sons: Richard Jr. and Claude Nevin. Claude and his wife Lisa have one daughter, Anna Elizabeth Shelby, and one son, William Nevin Shelby.