Joe Kennedy III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Kennedy III
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2023
|
|
| United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland | |
| In office December 19, 2022 – December 13, 2024 |
|
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Mick Mulvaney |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 4th district |
|
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2021 |
|
| Preceded by | Barney Frank |
| Succeeded by | Jake Auchincloss |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joseph Patrick Kennedy III
October 4, 1980 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Lauren Birchfield
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | Kennedy family |
| Education | Stanford University (BS) Harvard University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Joseph Patrick Kennedy III (born October 4, 1980) is an American politician and diplomat. He served as the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland from 2022 to 2024. Before that, from 2013 to 2021, Kennedy was a U.S. Representative for Massachusetts. This means he was elected to speak for people in his area in the U.S. Congress.
He is a member of the Democratic Party. His district covered areas from Boston's western suburbs to the South Coast of Massachusetts. Before becoming a representative, he worked as a lawyer for the government, called an assistant district attorney. He also became a commentator for CNN in 2021.
Joseph P. Kennedy III comes from the famous Kennedy family. His father, Joseph P. Kennedy II, was also a U.S. Representative. His grandfather was U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He is also related to U.S. President John F. Kennedy and U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joseph Patrick Kennedy III was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 4, 1980. He has a twin brother named Matthew. They grew up in Brighton and Marshfield, Massachusetts. Their family was always involved in politics.
After high school, Kennedy went to Stanford University. He studied management science and engineering. After graduating in 2003, he joined the Peace Corps. This is a program where Americans volunteer to help people in other countries. Kennedy spoke Spanish well and worked in the Dominican Republic from 2004 to 2006. He helped local tour guides improve their work and earn more money.
After his time in the Peace Corps, Kennedy returned to Massachusetts. He went to Harvard Law School and became a lawyer in 2009. He worked as an assistant district attorney, which means he was a lawyer who worked for the government to bring cases against people accused of crimes.
Serving in Congress
Becoming a U.S. Representative
In 2012, Joseph P. Kennedy III decided to run for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. This is part of the U.S. Congress where laws are made. He wanted to represent the 4th congressional district of Massachusetts. He won the election in November 2012.
He was sworn into office in January 2013. As a representative, he worked on different committees. These committees focus on specific topics like foreign affairs or science. He worked to get federal funding for science companies in his district.
Important Moments in Congress
Kennedy was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. This group of lawmakers focuses on social and economic issues. In 2018, he was chosen to give the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. This is a big speech where the opposing party shares its views. He gave his speech at a vocational high school in Fall River, Massachusetts. He talked about the importance of immigrants and criticized some of the government's actions.
2020 Senate Campaign
In 2019, Kennedy decided to run for a seat in the United States Senate. He challenged the sitting Senator, Ed Markey, in the Democratic primary election. A primary election is when members of the same party vote to choose who will represent them in the main election.
On September 1, 2020, Senator Markey won the primary election. This meant Kennedy did not get to run for the Senate. He was the first member of his family to lose an election in Massachusetts. Many people thought he lost because he didn't clearly explain why he was running against an experienced senator.
After Congress
After leaving Congress, Kennedy started a group called Groundwork Project. This group helps local communities organize and make changes. He also joined several advisory boards and continued to appear as a political commentator on CNN.
Special Envoy for Northern Ireland
_(cropped).jpg)
In December 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Kennedy to a new role. He became the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. In this role, he worked to help with economic issues in Northern Ireland. He left this position in December 2024.
Several other members of the Kennedy family have also served as diplomats or foreign envoys. This shows a long family history of public service.
Political Beliefs
Civil Rights
Kennedy supports laws that protect civil rights for all people. He has supported studying reparations for slavery and expanding rights for Native Americans. He also opposes discrimination in jobs, housing, and healthcare. He works to remove barriers for people with disabilities. Kennedy supports LGBTQIA+ rights and efforts to achieve gender equity, like ending workplace discrimination.
Climate Change
Kennedy believes in taking strong action against climate change. He supported the Green New Deal, which is a plan to reduce pollution and use more clean energy. He wants to protect public lands and invest in renewable energy sources. He also opposed the United States leaving the Paris Agreement, an international agreement to fight climate change.
Health Care
Kennedy supports strengthening programs like Social Security and Medicare. These programs help older and disabled people with income and health care. He also supports the idea of universal health care, which means everyone should have access to health care.
Personal Life
Joseph P. Kennedy III is married to Lauren Anne Birchfield. They met in law school. They have two children, a daughter named Eleanor and a son named James. The family lives in Newton, Massachusetts.
Images for kids
-
Joe Kennedy III speaks during a ceremony celebrating the life of his grandfather, Robert F. Kennedy, in 2018.
-
Kennedy's official portrait during the 116th United States Congress.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Joseph P. Kennedy III para niños
