The Honorable Ted Stevens

A member of the Senate for 33 years, Ted Stevens is Alaska's senior Senator. Stevens' tenure in the Senate makes him the sixth most senior member among his colleagues, and second among Republicans. In 1997, Stevens assumed the role of Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, responsible for allocating more than one-half trillion dollars in federal funds among various government programs, agencies and departments. As its chairman, Stevens has quickly earned a reputation for moving appropriations bills in a no-nonsense manner. Stevens is also one of Congress' leading overseers of the national defense in his role as Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. He has often emphasized the problem of shrinking federal dollars for government operations, including defense, due to the increased and nearly uncontrolled growth in entitlement spending.

Ted Stevens was born in Indianapolis, Ind., on Nov. 18, 1923. During World War II, he was a pilot in the China-Burma-India theater, supporting the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force. He received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Air Medals, and the Yuan Hai medal awarded by the Republic of China. Following the war, he graduated from UCLA and Harvard Law School, and practiced law in Washington, D.C.

In the early 1950's he moved to Alaska, at the time a territory of the U.S. He practiced law in Fairbanks and was appointed U.S. Attorney in Fairbanks in 1953, a position he held for three years. He transferred to Washington, D.C., in 1956 to work as legislative counsel and then as an assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. While in Washington, Stevens worked successfully for Alaska's admission to the Union as the 49th state. Upon returning to Alaska, Stevens practiced law in Anchorage, and in 1964 was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives. Following the death of Senator E.L. Bob Bartlett in December of 1968, then-Governor Walter Hickel appointed Stevens to fill the vacancy. Stevens was subsequently elected for a full term in 1972, and re-elected in 1978, 1984, 1990 and 1996.

In addition to his duties as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Stevens serves on the Appropriations Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary; Interior; Labor, Health, Human Services and Education; and Legislative Branch. He is married to Catherine Chandler of Anchorage. They have one child. Stevens has five children by his first wife Ann, now deceased.

Print Preview