Richard Shelby

A Senator and a Representative from Alabama; born in Birmingham, Ala., May 6, 1934; attended the public schools; graduated, University of Alabama 1957; graduated, University of Alabama School of Law 1963; admitted to the Alabama bar in 1961 and commenced practice in Tuscaloosa; city prosecutor, Tuscaloosa 1963-1971; United States Commissioner, Northern District of Alabama 1966-1970; member, Alabama State senate 1970-1978; elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-sixth Congress in 1978; reelected to the three succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1987; was not a candidate for reelection to the House of Representatives in 1986, but was elected to the United States Senate; reelected in 1992, 1998, 2004, and again in 2010 for the term ending January 3, 2017; changed from the Democratic to the Republican Party in 1994; chair, Select Committee on Intelligence (One Hundred Fifth and One Hundred Sixth Congresses, One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 20, 2001-June 6, 2001]); chair, Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs (One Hundred Eighth and One Hundred Ninth Congresses).