Ford's career spans over a quarter of a century in elective office. He began as a Kentucky state senator in 1965 and was elected lieutenant governor in 1967. Four years later, he became the Commonwealth's 49th Governor.

Currently in his 21st year in the Senate, Ford has risen to 18th out of 100 members in overall seniority and ranks 10th among Democrats in the 104th Congress. In 1992, he made Kentucky history when he received the largest number of votes ever recorded by a candidate for elected office in the Commonwealth. Prior to his last election, he was reelected by overwhelming margins in 1980 and 1986.

Over the years, Ford has become known as a staunch supporter of the economic interests of Kentucky and as a national leader on energy, aviation, federal-election reform and other issues. He has shaped such legislation as the National Voter Registration Act, the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the National Energy Security Act of 1992, the Aviation Safety and Capacity Act of 1990, the Airport and Airways Capacity Expansion Act of 1987, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act Amendments of 1986, the Tobacco Reform Act of 1985, the Energy Security Act of 1977 and the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of the same year.

He has taken the lead in many other legislative initiatives, including a long and persistent drive to adopt a two-year budget as a tool to improve the federal government's trouble-plagued budget-making process.

Ford is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, where he has pressed for campaign-finance reform, improved voter registration procedures and other measures to increase voter participation in federal elections. He has also worked for a number of procedural changes to make the Senate a more efficient body.

As past Chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, Ford was successful in cutting millions of dollars from the cost of government printing operations overseen by the Committee. He also introduced the first-ever program for the use of recycled printing paper by the federal government, which purchases over 486,000 tons of paper annually.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Ford is the ranking member of its Aviation Subcommittee and serves on the subcommittees dealing with consumer and communication issues. He has also been instrumental in expanding airport-improvement programs and has taken a leading role in addressing airport noise policy, aging aircraft, pilot education and other critical aviation issues.

Ford also serves on the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources which deals with complex issues touching on all aspects of energy policy. He is ranking member of the Energy Research and Development subcommittee, and serves on the Water and Power and Mineral Resources Development and Production subcommittees. He has worked successfully to increase federal support for clean-coal technologies to strengthen the coal industry, lessen the nation's dangerous dependence on foreign oil and protect the environment. He spearheaded legislation to create a government owned corporation for our federal uranium-enrichment enterprise which holds many important economic and national-security implications for Kentucky and the nation.

Ford's recent accomplishments on behalf of Kentucky include helping negotiate a buyout of tobacco surpluses and putting in place a mechanism to decrease imported tobacco. He gained federal support for the Advance Science and Technology Commercialization Center and also the International Trade Development Center at the University of Kentucky. He also was successful in securing authorization for Kentucky communities to band together to float $370 million in community-improvement bond issues. As a believer in strong defense, he has played a leading role in protecting the National Guard and military installations in the Commonwealth. He has also worked to improve the transportation infrastructure in the Commonwealth and open new export markets for Kentucky products.

Long active in Democratic politics, Ford served as chairman of the National Democratic Governors Caucus in 1973-74 and chaired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 1976 to 1982.

Ford is a believer in community service and was named on of the three Outstanding Young Men in Kentucky. He served as state president of the Kentucky Jaycees and later as national Jaycees president and international vice president. He has received the highest service awards from both the March of Dimes and the Boy Scouts. He has been honored by the U.S. National Guard Association, and has also received special commendations from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion for his continuing service to veterans and their dependents. In addition, he has received special recognition for his continuing support of Kentucky educational television, the Kentucky House Corporation, the Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts, the National Association of Regional Councils and numerous other awards.

Ford was born in Thruston, Kentucky on September 8, 1924. He graduated from Daviess County High School in Owensboro and later attended the University of Kentucky. He served in the U.S. Army in 1946-46 and in the Kentucky Army National Guard for 13 years.

He is married to the former Jean Neel of Owensboro, and they have two children and five grandchildren.>

To contact Senator Ford by electronic mail -

Senator Ford's Home Page

ADDRESS:

The Honorable Wendell H. Ford

173A Russell Senate Office Building

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510-1701

PHONE:

(202)224-4343

FAX:

(202)224-0046