Get to Know John Neely Kennedy
John Kennedy was elected to the United States Senate in 2016 and won reelection by a historic margin in 2022. He has built a distinguished career as a fierce advocate for Louisiana families, a conservative voice in Washington, and a dedicated watchdog of taxpayer money.
Sen. Kennedy serves on the Senate Appropriations, Banking, Budget, and Judiciary Committees. He chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and the Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy.
In the U.S. Senate, Kennedy fights to cut government waste, protect American investors, strengthen disaster recovery, expand access to broadband and 5G, and combat the opioid epidemic. As chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Kennedy delivers critical investments for Louisiana’s ports, waterways, flood protection, energy infrastructure, and communities while pushing Washington to spend taxpayer dollars responsibly.
Before joining the Senate, Kennedy served five terms as Louisiana state treasurer, where he oversaw the state’s multi-billion-dollar investment portfolios. As treasurer, he oversaw local and state bond issues and returned millions of dollars in unclaimed property each year to Louisiana taxpayers.
Sen. Kennedy previously served as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue, special counsel to Gov. Buddy Roemer, and secretary of Gov. Roemer’s cabinet. He was also an attorney and partner in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans law firm of Chaffe McCall.
Sen. Kennedy graduated magna cum laude in political science, philosophy, and economics from Vanderbilt University, was president of his senior class, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was an executive editor of the “Virginia Law Review” and elected to the Order of the Coif. He earned a Bachelor of Civil Law degree with first-class honors from Oxford University (Magdalen College) in England, where he studied under Sir Rupert Cross and Sir John H.C. Morris. He has written and published several books and articles on constitutional law, the Louisiana Products Act, and the Federal Power Commission.
Sen. Kennedy served as an adjunct professor at Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center from 2002 to 2016. He has regularly volunteered as a substitute teacher in Louisiana public schools. He grew up in Zachary, Louisiana, and graduated from Zachary High School.
He resides in Madisonville, Louisiana, with his wife Becky and their dogs. The Kennedys are founding members of their local Methodist church.
