Mary Landrieu is a Democratic Senator from the State of Louisiana. She won her re-election campaign in 2008 against challenger John Kennedy. Landrieu replaced John Kerry, who now heads the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, on the Senate's Small Business Committee.CBS News: Reid Reshuffles Committee Heads (December 15, 2008)

1. Born: November 23, 1955 in Arlington, Virginia
2. Assumed Office: January 7, 1997
3. Alma Mater: Louisiana State University
4. Spouse: Frank Snellings
5. Previous Profession: Real Estate Agent
6. Religion: Roman Catholic

Preceded by J. Bennett Johnston, Landrieu has been a Senator since 1997. Before becoming a politician, Landrieu was a real estate agent in Louisiana.

• In favor of prohibiting minors to cross state line for abortions
• Voted to ban partial birth abortions in 1999
• Voted to distribute an additional $10.2 billion to education in 2007
• Voted to authorize military force in Iraq in 2002
• Voted in favor of edeploying non-essential U.S. troops out of Iraq
• Voted to reauthorize the Patriot Act in 2006

In August of 2008, Landrieu joined nine other senators from both the Republican and Democratic parties in proposing a bill that would reform the United States' energy policy. Aimed at reducing gas prices and dependence on foreign oil, the legislation would provide funds, gleaned in part from taxes on the profits of oil corporations, to automotive manufacturers for the development of automobiles that run on non-petroleum fuels.

• Committee Site: Democrats: Mary L. Landrieu