Richard Shelby is an American politician and Republican U.S. Senator from Alabama, serving since 1987. Born May 6, 1934, in Birmingham, Alabama, he previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987. He switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in 1994 and has served as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. As the longest-serving Republican senator, Shelby has been a influential figure in Congress, focusing on defense, national security, and federal appropriations for Alabama.
