Mary L. Landrieu is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party. She has served since she was first elected to the Louisiana state legislature at the age of 23. After serving eight years as a state representative and two terms as State Treasurer, in 1996 she became the first woman from Louisiana elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate.

Senator Landrieu is the Co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and  Congressional Foster Care Caucus, Chair of  both the Senate Small Business Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. She is also a member of the committees on Energy and Natural Resources, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

As one of the chairs on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Landrieu is a strong and effective voice for Louisiana. The Appropriations Committee is considered the most powerful panel on Capitol Hill. The nonpartisan Congress.org has ranked Senator Landrieu as the tenth most effective legislator in the Senate.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Senator Landrieu is married to Frank Snellings of Monroe, La., and has two children.