Senator Mary Landrieu

Democrat – Louisiana

Senator Landrieu ran for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1979, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to the state Legislature. Her work in the House earned her a reputation as a tenacious fighter for children and families, while being thoughtful and fair-minded. Eight years later, she successfully ran for Louisiana State Treasurer, and spent two terms finding innovative solutions for the state’s fiscal problems, including establishing responsible debt limitations and improving investments for educational initiatives. In 1996, she was approached about running for an open Senate seat and realized the time was right to bring her Louisiana values and local experience to the United States Senate. With her swearing in on January 7, 1997, Mary Landrieu became the first woman from Louisiana elected to a full term in the Senate. She was re-elected in 2002.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Landrieu is a strong and effective voice for Louisiana, while bringing her record of fiscal discipline to the committee that approves more than $300 billion in federal discretionary spending annually. In addition, she serves on several appropriations subcommittees of great importance to Louisiana, including Agriculture, Labor, Health and Education, and Military Construction. Senator Landrieu is ranking member of the District of Columbia Subcommittee and works to be a voice for so many who have no vote in Congress.

In 1999, Senator Landrieu became the first Democratic woman to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Louisiana is the home to three major military installations and one of the world’s largest shipbuilders, Senator Landrieu recognizes that military issues are Louisiana issues. Even after leaving the panel in 2002, she continues to be an advocate on these issues for both the state and the nation.

A leader in issues dealing with both energy and the environment, Senator Landrieu aggressively fights for Louisiana jobs and continues to guide her colleagues toward development of a national energy policy that will increase domestic production and lessen the country’s dependence on foreign oil. As a member of the Senate Energy Committee, Landrieu has been an effective and tireless advocate for saving Louisiana’s vanishing coastline and wetlands, demanding Louisiana’s fair share of offshore oil and gas proceeds to stop the erosion and investing in Louisiana’s future.

More than 65 percent of new job growth in Louisiana in the past decade was created by small businesses, making it the backbone of the state’s economy. As a member of the Small Business Committee, she helped pass legislation that has reduced federal regulations and created tax relief for small businesses. In fact, her pro-growth, pro-business voting record has earned her the U.S. Chambers of Commerce’s Spirit of Enterprise Award, and in 2002, the National Federation of Independent Businesses awarded her the “Guardian of the Small Business Award.”

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