Biography of Senator Mary Landrieu

As a Senator, Mary Landrieu fights hard for Louisiana every day, every way she can.

She’s championed our veterans, military families, working families and small business people. She's worked to stimulate Louisiana's economy, protect local jobs and support our natural resources, ports, waterways, farming and fishing industries. She’s worked with members of Congress from both parties to reform education, strengthen national defense, better equip our troops in battle, achieve American energy independence and rebuild our infrastructure. She's taken on bureaucratic incompetence and federal government red tape. She's a national spokesperson for smarter disaster planning, agency management and smarter, more effective homeland security policies.

Senator Landrieu is a tireless advocate for protecting Louisiana's coastline, building strong levees and restoring our wetlands as a defense against hurricanes and storm surges. That's why she led the battle to get for Louisiana a fair share of federal offshore oil and gas revenues.

Successful and historic passage of the bipartisan Domenici-Landrieu Gulf Coast Security legislation means over $40 billion over the next half century in new revenue that is dedicated to Louisiana levees, flood control and wetlands restoration. This landmark legislation will provide the United States with environmentally sustainable domestic oil supplies and ease dependence on the volatile Middle Eastern oil sources. It was signed into law by President Bush on December 20, 2006 – a historic day for Louisiana and America's Energy Coast.

When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ripped across our coastline and ravaged many Louisiana parishes, cities and towns, Senator Landrieu stood up for our state and provided the strong, no-nonsense leadership we needed in this challenging, historic time. She responded to these extraordinary natural disasters with a round-the-clock effort aid to the people of Louisiana hit by these two terrible storms.

Day in, day out, she fought for our state’s hurricane recovery and rebuilding and won many crucial battles for our state. From her seat on the Appropriations committee, she led a bipartisan coalition to secure over $110 billion in aid to the Gulf Coast, and has pressed the federal government relentlessly to deliver relief more timely and effectively. It is a battle she will keep fighting until our damaged communities, our schools, our businesses, our hospitals, our farms and our fisheries fully recover.

A leading Senate moderate with a track record of working across party lines to get things done for Louisiana, Senator Landrieu is co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Common Ground Coalition. This is an independent group of Senators from both parties who work together to support policies and programs that are, as she says, "not Democratic or Republican, but good for the people of our country without regard to politics or partisanship."

A Lifetime Commitment to Louisiana

Mary Landrieu was born in an Army hospital. As the eldest of nine children, she learned to be a leader early in life. With a father and mother committed to public and community service she saw first hand the value of faith, family and hard work.

After graduating from Ursuline Academy in New Orleans, Mary Landrieu went to Louisiana State University. After graduation, she went home and started what she expected to be a career in business. Her desire to serve her state and local community propelled her into seeking public office. At 23, she started out as an underdog, with professional politicians discounting her ability to win. But after waging a grassroots, door-to-door campaign, she defeated a long-time incumbent to become the youngest woman ever elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. As a legislator, she fought for education, children, working families and many good government reforms.

After 8 years in the legislature, Mary Landrieu ran for State Treasurer, pledging to break up backroom, sweetheart deals in the handling of Louisiana's tax dollars. When the politicians told her it couldn't be done, she just worked harder - and won. During 8 years as State Treasurer, Mary Landrieu streamlined a bloated and outdated Treasurer's office. She saved taxpayers money, reformed state bonding practices and put the public interest ahead of special interests.

In 1996, Mary Landrieu was elected to the United States Senate for the seat held by retiring Democratic Senator J. Bennett Johnston, becoming the first woman from Louisiana ever elected. She was re-elected in 2002.

She is married to Frank Snellings, an attorney from Monroe, Louisiana. They have two children: Connor, 14, and Mary Shannon, 9.

Visit www.MaryLandrieu.com today!