John Breaux

Senator John Breaux, senior counsel at the law firm Patton Boggs, retired from the United States Senate in 2005. In this position, he provides strategic advice to the firm's attorneys and clients on a wide range of public policy matters, with special concentration in the areas of health care and energy law. Senator Breaux led a long and distinguished career in Congress. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1972 at the age of 28. He represented the 7th District of Louisiana for 14 years before being elected to fill Senator Russell Long's seat in 1986. Senator Breaux was a widely recognized bipartisan leader in the Senate, and in 1993 was elected by his Democratic colleagues to the post of Deputy Minority Whip, a position he held until his retirement. He also held a number of key Senate committee positions. A senior member of the Finance Committee, Senator Breaux served as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy. He also held positions on two other Finance subcommittees, the Subcommittee on Health Care and the Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight. From his position on the Finance Committee, he played instrumental roles in forging the compromises that led to passage of the welfare reform and health insurance reform bills in 1996. He was also a leader in the efforts to reduce the capital gains tax and to provide tax relief for college education expenses. Senator Breaux was also a recognized leader on energy issues. Senator Breaux was a founder of the Centrist Coalition of Senate Democrats and Republicans and served as Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council. In 2005 President George W. Bush appointed Senator Beaux as the Co-Chair of the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform.