Ted Stevens’ career in public service spans more than six decades. During World War II, he joined the Army Air Corps and flew support missions for the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force. Stevens was awarded numerous medals for his service, including the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After returning home from the war, Stevens completed degrees at UCLA and Harvard Law School. In the early 1950s, he practiced law in Alaska before moving to Washington, DC to work in President Eisenhower’s administration.

Stevens subsequently returned to Alaska and was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1964. In his second term, Stevens became the House Majority Leader.

Stevens was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1968. Two years later, Alaskans chose Senator Stevens to finish his term in a special election mandated by state law. He has since been re-elected six times.

Today, Senator Stevens is the senior member of Alaska’s congressional delegation, the senior Republican in the U.S. Senate, and the longest-serving Senator in the history of the Republican Party. He serves as the Senate’s President Pro Tempore Emeritus; Vice Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Co-Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee; and Ranking Member of the Disaster Recovery Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee.