Mary Landrieu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Landrieu
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Official portrait, 2009
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| United States Senator from Louisiana |
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| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | J. Bennett Johnston |
| Succeeded by | Bill Cassidy |
| Chair of the Senate Energy Committee | |
| In office February 12, 2014 – January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Ron Wyden |
| Succeeded by | Lisa Murkowski |
| Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – February 12, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | John Kerry |
| Succeeded by | Maria Cantwell |
| Treasurer of Louisiana | |
| In office January 1, 1988 – January 8, 1996 |
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| Governor | Edwin Edwards (1988; 1992–1996) Buddy Roemer (1988–1992) |
| Preceded by | Mary Evelyn Parker |
| Succeeded by | Ken Duncan |
| Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from the 90th district |
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| In office 1980–1988 |
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| Preceded by | Clyde F. Bel Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Mitch Landrieu |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mary Loretta Landrieu
November 23, 1955 Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Frank Snellings
(m. 1988) |
| Relations | Mitch Landrieu (brother) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent | Moon Landrieu (father) |
| Education | Louisiana State University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Mary Loretta Landrieu (born November 23, 1955) is an American businesswoman and politician. She served as a U.S. Senator for Louisiana from 1997 to 2015. Mary Landrieu is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming a senator, she was the Louisiana State Treasurer from 1988 to 1996. She also served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1980 to 1988.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mary Landrieu was born in Arlington County, Virginia, on November 23, 1955. She grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father, Moon Landrieu, was a former mayor of New Orleans. He also served as a U.S. Secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Her brother, Mitch Landrieu, was also a mayor of New Orleans and a Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana. Mary Landrieu was raised as a Catholic.
She went to Ursuline Academy in New Orleans. While at Ursuline, she took part in the Close Up Washington program. This program teaches students about government and civic duties.
In 1977, she graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She earned a degree in sociology. She was also a member of the Delta Gamma sorority.
Political Career Highlights
After college, Mary Landrieu worked as a real estate agent. She then began her career in public service.
Serving in the State Legislature
Landrieu was first elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1979. She served from 1980 to 1988. She represented a district in New Orleans. She was re-elected in 1983 with a large majority of the votes. In 1987, her brother Mitch took over her seat in the 90th district.
Becoming State Treasurer
In 1987, the State Treasurer, Mary Evelyn Parker, resigned. Landrieu decided to run for the position. She won the election and became the Louisiana State Treasurer on January 1, 1988. She was re-elected without opposition in 1991.
Running for Governor
Landrieu chose not to run for a third term as Treasurer. Instead, she ran for governor in the 1995 election. She finished third in the primary election. She was succeeded as state treasurer by Ken Duncan.
Key Moments in the Senate
Mary Landrieu gained national attention after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She spoke out about the slow federal response to the disaster. She also played a role in shaping the 2010 Affordable Care Act. She supported it after Louisiana's Medicaid system received more funding.
In 2011, she became the chair of the Senate's Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee. She also chaired the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship from 2009 to 2014. From 2014 to 2015, she chaired the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
U.S. Senate Elections
Mary Landrieu was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996. She won a very close election against Woody Jenkins. She was re-elected in 2002 by a small margin. She defeated Suzanne Haik Terrell.
In 2008, she won re-election for her third term. She received 52% of the votes against John Neely Kennedy.
Landrieu ran for re-election in 2014. She received 42% of the vote in the first round. She needed more than 50% to win outright. In the runoff election on December 6, 2014, she was defeated by Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy. He won with 56% of the vote.
Senate Work and Important Votes
Key Legislation and Policies
In 2002, Landrieu voted for the Iraq Resolution. This resolution authorized military force in Iraq. In 2005, she sponsored a resolution for the Senate to apologize for not passing anti-lynching laws in the early 1900s. The Senate passed this resolution.
After hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, she held important hearings. These hearings looked into the mistakes made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
In 2008, Landrieu voted to raise the estate tax exemption. This meant fewer people would have to pay a tax on inherited money.
In September 2010, Landrieu delayed the confirmation of Jacob Lew as OMB director. She did this to push for changes to a federal freeze on deepwater oil drilling. She wanted to support Louisiana's oil industry.
On December 18, 2010, Landrieu voted to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". This policy had prevented openly gay people from serving in the military. In 2013, she voted to expand background checks for gun purchases.
In April 2014, the Senate discussed raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. Landrieu supported the idea of a higher minimum wage. However, she wanted more discussion on how quickly to raise it and how it would affect tipped workers.
Health Care Reform
Landrieu supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare". She initially had concerns about the public health insurance option. She agreed to support the bill after it included $300 million for Louisiana's Medicaid system. This part of the bill was sometimes called the "Louisiana Purchase."
In September 2013, Landrieu voted to restore funding for the Affordable Care Act. This funding had been removed by House Republicans. In October 2013, she introduced a bill. This bill aimed to force health insurance companies to re-issue plans they had canceled.
Hurricane Katrina Response
After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Landrieu worked with Senator David Vitter. They proposed a large aid package worth about $250 billion. This bill aimed to help with disaster relief and economic recovery.
Separate laws were passed to provide loans to communities affected by Katrina. Landrieu objected to a rule that prevented these loans from being forgiven. In 2007, when Democrats gained control of Congress, they passed a law written by Landrieu. This law allowed FEMA to forgive the loans. She later added more provisions in 2013 to forgive the remaining loans.
Landrieu became a well-known voice for hurricane victims. She often appeared on TV to discuss the recovery efforts. She criticized the federal government's response.
Judicial Nominations
Landrieu voted to confirm Chief Justice John Roberts in 2005. However, she opposed the nomination of Samuel Alito in 2006. She voted in favor of both Sonia Sotomayor in 2009 and Elena Kagan in 2010. These were both Supreme Court justice nominations.
USA Patriot Act
On August 3, 2007, Landrieu voted with Republicans and the Bush administration. She supported the Protect America Act. This act expanded government wiretap powers.
In 2011, she supported a four-year extension to the USA Patriot Act. This act gives the government more power to investigate terrorism.
Committee Roles and Groups
Committee Assignments
Mary Landrieu served on several important Senate committees:
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Homeland Security (Chair)
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Chair)
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery (Chair)
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Caucus Memberships
She was also part of several groups of senators:
- Senate Oceans Caucus
- Senate Natural Gas Caucus (co-chair)
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption (co-chair)
- Senate Caucus on Foster Youth (co-chair)
Political Views
Mary Landrieu was known as one of the more moderate Democrats in the U.S. Senate. This means she often found common ground with both Democrats and Republicans.
Energy Policy
Landrieu voted to confirm Gina McCarthy as the head of the EPA. She also supported the Keystone Pipeline. She asked President Obama to approve its construction.
Internet Sales Tax
Landrieu voted in favor of an Internet sales tax. This tax would apply to online purchases.
Same-Sex Marriage
Mary Landrieu personally supported same-sex marriage. However, she also defended Louisiana's ban on it. She said that the majority of Louisianans had voted for the ban.
Personal Life
Mary Landrieu is married to Frank Snellings, an attorney. They have two children, Connor and Mary Shannon. They also have one grandson, Maddox. In 2014, Frank Snellings learned more about his Irish family. He had been adopted from Ireland 44 years earlier.
Honors and Recognition
The Order Sons of Italy in America recognized Mary Landrieu. She was the first woman of Italian-American heritage to become a U.S. Senator.
Post-Senate Career
After leaving the Senate, Landrieu became a Senior Policy Advisor for Van Ness Feldman. This is a law firm in Washington D.C. In April 2015, she also became a strategic adviser to the Walton Family Foundation. Landrieu is also a member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a group that supports Israel.
In December 2018, Landrieu joined other former U.S. senators. They wrote an opinion piece in The Washington Post. They urged the Senate to protect the Special Counsel Investigation.
Landrieu has also worked to promote the natural gas industry. She has appeared in commercials that highlight the benefits of fossil gas.
Images for kids
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Parishes won by gubernatorial candidates in the October 21, 1995, jungle primary.
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Parishes won by Senate candidates in the November 5, 1996, runoff.
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Parishes won by Senate candidates in the December 7, 2002, runoff.
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Parishes won by Senate candidates in the November 4, 2008, general election.
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Jungle primary results by parish
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Runoff results by parish
See also
In Spanish: Mary Landrieu para niños
