Barbara B. Kennelly

Barbara Bailey Kennelly (born July 10, 1936) is an American politician. She is the former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut.

Barbara Kennelly
Vice Chair of the House Democratic Conference
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1999
Leader	Dick Gephardt
Preceded by	Vic Fazio
Succeeded by	Bob Menendez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 1st district
In office January 12, 1982 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Bill Cotter
Succeeded by	John Larson
67th Secretary of State of Connecticut
In office January 5, 1979 – January 12, 1982
Governor	Ella Grasso William O'Neill
Preceded by	Henry Cohn
Succeeded by	Maura Melley
Personal details
Born	(1936-07-10) July 10, 1936 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	James Kennelly
Children	4
Education	Trinity Washington University (BA) Harvard University Trinity College (MA)

Family and Education

Kennelly was born Barbara Ann Bailey in Hartford, Connecticut on July 10, 1936.[1] Her father was long-time Democratic Party leader John M. Bailey.

Kennelly studied at St. Joseph Cathedral School and graduated from Mount St. Joseph Academy in West Hartford in 1954. She earned a B.A. from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. (now Trinity Washington University) in 1958 and a certificate from the Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration in 1959.[2] In 1971, she earned a master's degree from Trinity College in Connecticut.[1]

Kennelly was married to the late James J. Kennelly, an attorney who served as Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1975 to 1979.[3] She has three daughters, one son, and twelve grandchildren.

Career

In 1975, Kennelly was elected to the Hartford Court of Common Council, a position she held until 1979. She served as the Secretary of the State of Connecticut from 1979 until 1982.[1]

Kennelly was elected to Congress in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William R. Cotter. She represented Connecticut's First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives for eight terms, from January 12, 1982 until January 3, 1999. During the 98th Congress, Kennelly was appointed to the Ways and Means Committee. She served on the Subcommittees on Human Resources and Select Revenue Measures. Beginning in 1987, she served on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. During the 103rd Congress, Kennelly became Vice-Chair of the Democratic Caucus.[1][4]

She did not seek re-election in 1998, running instead for Governor of Connecticut against Republican incumbent John G. Rowland, to whom she lost.[1]

In 1999, President Bill Clinton appointed her Associate Commissioner and Counselor to the Commissioner at the Social Security Administration. She later worked at the law firm Baker & Hostetler.[4] From 2002 to 2011, she served as President of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.[5] In 2006, Nancy Pelosi appointed her to the Social Security Advisory Board.[4] In 2011, Kennelly accepted a position at her alma mater, Trinity Washington University, as a distinguished professor of political science.[6]

As of 2015, Kennelly is a member of the board of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a non-profit that provides assistance with elections in many countries.[7] She is the president of the United States Association of Former Members of Congress.[4]

The Barbara B. Kennelly Post Office Building in Hartford is named in her honor.

See also

• Women in the United States House of Representatives

References

1. "Kennelley, Barbara Bailey, (1936– )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
2. Lender, Jon; Keating, Christopher; Daly, Matthew (September 23, 1997). "Joining Governor's Race, Kennelly Changes The Political Map". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
3. "James Kennelly, 64, Hartford Legislator". The New York Times. October 12, 1995. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
4. "Barbara Kennelly, FMC President". United States Association of Former Members of Congress. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
5. "OVERNIGHT MONEY: Sharing the stage". The Hill. April 4, 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
6. "The Honorable Barbara Bailey Kennelly '58, Former Member of Congress, Joins Trinity Faculty". Trinity. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
7. "Board". International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Retrieved 12 November 2015.

External links

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Barbara Kennelly in Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame
• Barbara Kennelly Papers Archives & Special Collections, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut
• Appearances on C-SPAN

Political offices
Preceded by Henry Cohn	Secretary of State of Connecticut 1979–1982	Succeeded by Maura Melley
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Bill Cotter	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 1st congressional district 1982–1999	Succeeded by John Larson
Preceded by Vic Fazio	Vice Chair of the House Democratic Conference 1995–1999	Succeeded by Bob Menendez
Party political offices
Preceded by Bill Curry	Democratic nominee for Governor of Connecticut 1998	Succeeded by Bill Curry