Bill Nelson

A Senator and a Representative from Florida. Born in Miami, Dade County, Fla. , September 29, 1942. Attended the Brevard County public schools. Graduated from Melbourne High School 1960. B. A. , Yale University 1965. J. D. , University of Virginia School of Law 1968. Admitted to the Florida bar in 1968 and commenced practice in Melbourne in 1970. Served in United States Army Reserve 1965-1971. United States Army, active duty, 1968-1970, achieving rank of captain. Legislative assistant to Governor Reubin Askew 1971. Elected to Florida State house of representatives in 1972 and reelected in 1974 and 1976. Elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-sixth and to the five succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1979-January 3, 1991). Was not a candidate for reelection in 1990 to the House of Representatives, but was a candidate for nomination for governor of Florida. Crewmember on the twenty-fourth flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia, January 12-18, 1986. Florida treasurer and insurance commissioner 1995-2000. Elected to the United States Senate in 2000. Reelected in 2006 and again in 2012, and served from January 3, 2001, to January 3, 2019. Was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Senate in 2018. Chair, Special Committee on Aging (One Hundred Thirteenth Congress). NASA Administrator, 2021-.