Richard Shelby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Shelby
Official portrait, 2011
United States Senator from Alabama
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Jeremiah Denton
Succeeded by	Katie Britt
Committee chairmanships Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee In office April 10, 2018 – February 3, 2021 Preceded by Thad Cochran Succeeded by Patrick Leahy Chair of the Senate Rules Committee In office January 3, 2017 – April 10, 2018 Preceded by Roy Blunt Succeeded by Roy Blunt Chair of the Senate Banking Committee In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 Preceded by Tim Johnson Succeeded by Mike Crapo In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 Preceded by Paul Sarbanes Succeeded by Chris Dodd Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee In office January 20, 2001 – June 6, 2001 Preceded by Bob Graham Succeeded by Bob Graham In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2001 Preceded by Arlen Specter Succeeded by Bob Graham
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 7th district
In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by	Walter Flowers
Succeeded by	Claude Harris Jr.
Member of the Alabama Senate
In office November 4, 1970 – November 8, 1978
Preceded by	James A. Branyon II
Succeeded by	Ryan deGraffenried
Constituency	11th district (1970–1974) 16th district (1974–1978)
Personal details
Born	Richard Craig Shelby (1934-05-06) May 6, 1934 (age 91) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Political party	Republican (after 1994)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (until 1994)
Spouse	Annette Nevin ​ (m. 1960)​
Children	2
Education	University of Alabama (BA, LLB)
Signature

Richard Craig Shelby (born May 6, 1934) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Senator for Alabama from 1987 to 2023. He was first elected as a Democrat in 1986. Later, in 1994, he joined the Republican Party.

During his time in the Senate, he led important groups. He chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee from 2018 to 2021. He also led the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Banking Committee, and the Senate Rules Committee. He holds the record for the longest-serving U.S. Senator from Alabama.

Shelby was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He earned a law degree in 1961. Before becoming a senator, he worked as a city prosecutor and a U.S. magistrate. He also served in the Alabama Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. In the House, he was part of a group of conservative Democrats.

He won his Senate seat in a close race in 1986. After switching parties in 1994, he was reelected many times. He usually won his Senate elections with more than 60% of the votes. In 2021, he announced he would not run again. Katie Britt, his former chief of staff, took his place.

Early Life and Education

Richard Shelby was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 6, 1934. His parents were Alice L. and Ozie Houston Shelby. He finished high school in Hueytown, Alabama, in 1953.

He then went to the University of Alabama. He earned his first degree in 1957. He became a lawyer in Alabama on August 29, 1961. He received another law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1963.

Early Career in Politics

Shelby was a city prosecutor in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, from 1963 to 1971. He also worked as a U.S. Magistrate for the Northern District of Alabama from 1966 to 1970. From 1969 to 1971, he was a special assistant to the state attorney general.

Shelby during his time in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1981.

In 1970, Shelby was elected to the Alabama Senate. He served there until 1978. That year, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented Alabama's 7th district. He was reelected three times to the House. Shelby was known as a conservative Democrat. He often worked with President Ronald Reagan on defense issues.

U.S. Senate Career

Senate Elections

Winning His First Senate Seat in 1986

In 1986, Richard Shelby won the Democratic nomination for a Senate seat. The seat was held by Republican Jeremiah Denton. Denton was the first Republican from Alabama elected to the Senate since the Reconstruction period. Shelby won a very close election. This win helped Democrats regain control of the Senate.

Reelection in 1992

Shelby was easily reelected in 1992. This happened even though Bill Clinton did not win Alabama's votes for president that year.

Switching Parties in 1994

On November 9, 1994, Shelby changed his political party. He became a Republican. This was one day after the "Republican Revolution." In that election, Republicans won control of both parts of Congress. This gave them a majority in the Senate. Shelby won his first full term as a Republican in 1998 by a large number of votes.

Later Elections

He faced little opposition in his reelections in 2004, 2010, and 2016. He was reelected to his sixth term in 2016.

Time in Office

1980s and 1990s

In 1987, Shelby did not support President Reagan's choice of Robert Bork for the Supreme Court. This was partly because African-American leaders in Alabama, who had supported Shelby, asked him not to. In 1991, Shelby supported President George H. W. Bush's choice of Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court.

Shelby was on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 1995 to 2003. He had to leave because of a Senate rule that limits how long someone can serve on a committee. He was very strict about keeping classified information secret. In 2000, he proposed a bill to make it a crime to share national defense information. President Clinton did not sign this bill.

In 1991, Shelby supported a bill that would create a waiting period for handgun purchases. It also banned certain semi-automatic firearms. In 1999, Shelby was one of only a few senators to vote against a law that changed banking rules.

2000s and 2010s

Shelby was a member of the Appropriations Committee. He also chaired its subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science. He was also a member of the Special Committee on Aging. He lost his leadership roles in 2007 when Democrats gained control of the Senate.

In 2010, Shelby temporarily stopped the approval of over 70 people President Obama had chosen for government jobs. He did this to get attention for issues important to national security. He lifted most of these holds a few days later.

Shelby in 2011

In 2011, Shelby was one of five Republicans who voted against a bill. This bill would have allowed more oil and gas drilling in U.S. coastal waters.

In 2017, Shelby supported Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. He said that if Democrats tried to block Gorsuch, Republicans should change Senate rules to allow the appointment.

Shelby and Brett Kavanaugh in July 2018

In 2018, Shelby met with President Trump. He told Trump that Republicans should try to avoid a government shutdown over building a border wall.

2020s

Shelby in 2022

In September 2020, Shelby supported a quick Senate vote on President Trump's choice for the Supreme Court. This was to fill the spot left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death. However, in 2016, Shelby had said that President Obama's Supreme Court nominee should be considered after the presidential election.

During the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Shelby called for law and order. When Congress met again to confirm the election results, Shelby voted to accept them. On February 13, 2021, Shelby voted to clear President Trump of charges related to the Capitol attack.

In August 2021, Shelby stopped an effort to limit how much information about cryptocurrency transactions had to be reported for taxes. This happened during discussions about a Senate infrastructure bill.

Committee Assignments

Senator Shelby chairing the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

Richard Shelby served on several important committees in the Senate:

• Senate Committee on Appropriations (he was the top Republican member)
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science
  • Subcommittee on Defense (vice chair)
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education & Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• Senate Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs (he used to be the chair)
• Senate Committee on Rules and Administration (he used to be the chair)
• Joint Committee of Congress on the Library (vice chair)

Political Views

Shelby is known for his conservative political views. Groups that rate politicians based on their votes show he has a strong conservative record.

Money and Economy

Shelby was against the government helping banks and other companies (like AIG) with money. This was during both the George W. Bush and Obama presidencies.

In 2010, he voted against changes that would have regulated banks more strictly. He also voted against capping ATM fees.

In 2015, Shelby introduced a bill to make it easier for smaller banks to operate. It also aimed to increase how much Congress could look into the Federal Reserve's decisions.

Civil Rights

Shelby voted to make English the only official language of the federal government. He also voted for a change to the Constitution about marriage. The ACLU, a group that supports civil rights, has given him a very low rating.

Foreign Policy

Iran

In 2002, Shelby said that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. He was worried because Iran had supported terrorism in the past. In 2015, he was one of many Republican senators who signed a letter to Iran. The letter warned that any nuclear deal with the U.S. would need Congress's approval.

Russia

In 2010, Shelby voted against a treaty with Russia to reduce nuclear weapons. This treaty was called New Start. In 2021, he voted for a measure to put financial penalties on those operating a gas pipeline from Russia called Nord Stream.

Saudi Arabia

In 2018, Shelby voted to stop a resolution that would have required President Trump to remove U.S. troops from Yemen. These troops were not fighting Al-Qaeda.

Gun Laws

Shelby has a high rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund. This group supports gun rights. In 2016, he voted against a change that would have stopped gun sales to people suspected of being terrorists. He said that guns should be kept out of the hands of terrorists.

In 2019, Shelby supported a bill that would allow people with concealed carry permits in their home state to carry their guns in other states. They would still need to follow the laws of those states.

Healthcare

Shelby was against President Obama's healthcare reform law. He voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2009 and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 in 2010.

In 2009, Shelby said that the U.S. had "the best health care system in the world." He believed the system should be expanded without being destroyed.

Immigration

Shelby voted for a temporary stop on certain types of immigration in 1994.

Space

Shelby has supported the development of the Space Launch System (SLS). This is a powerful rocket for space exploration.

Taxes

Shelby supports a flat tax. This means everyone pays the same percentage of their income in taxes. He also supported the tax cuts made during the George W. Bush administration. He has said that disagreements over tax policy were a main reason he became a Republican. He felt Democrats were too willing to raise taxes.

Shelby has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. This is a promise not to raise taxes.

Donald Trump

During the first time President Trump faced a removal process, Shelby was against having new witnesses. He voted to clear Trump.

During the second time President Trump faced a removal process, Shelby voted to clear him. He believed that the process did not apply to former officials.

On May 28, 2021, Shelby chose not to vote on creating a group to investigate the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Buildings Named After Him

Several buildings are named after Richard Shelby and his wife, Annette Nevin Shelby, who was a professor. These buildings are often at universities in Alabama and focus on science and engineering.

• The Shelby Hall Research Center at the University of Alabama opened in 2007. It is a large building for math, chemistry, and biology research.
• The Richard C. and Annette N. Shelby Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building at the University of Alabama at Birmingham opened in 2006. It is a 12-story building.
• The Senator Richard C. and Dr. Annette N. Shelby Center for Engineering Technology at Auburn University was dedicated in 2008. Shelby helped get $30 million for this project.
• In Mobile, Shelby Hall houses the University of South Alabama College of Engineering. It was named after Richard and Annette Shelby because of their support for education. Senator Shelby helped get $40 million in federal grants for this building.
• The Shelby Center for Science and Technology at the University of Alabama in Huntsville opened in 2007. It has many teaching and research labs.
• The Richard C. Shelby Atrium and Auditorium at Dauphin Island Sea Lab is a modern video conferencing center. It is designed to be environmentally friendly.
• The Richard C. Shelby Center for Missile Intelligence is the main building for the Missile and Space Intelligence Center (MSIC) in Huntsville, Alabama. Shelby has supported MSIC.
• Shelby Field, an airport in Abbeville, Alabama.

Electoral History

Personal Life

Richard Shelby has been married to Annette Nevin Shelby for over 60 years. They have two sons, Richard Jr. and Claude. In 2018, his net worth was reported to be more than $19 million.

See also

In Spanish: Richard Shelby para niños

• List of American politicians who switched parties in office
• List of United States senators who switched parties