Alabama Senator Richard Shelby announced his plans to retire today. Shelby will not seek re-election for a seventh term in 2022. Sen. Shelby’s decision to retire means there will soon be an opening on the powerful Appropriations Committee where the veteran senator was the top Republican.
According to Rollcall:
Shelby’s retirement at the end of the 117th Congress will mark the end of a congressional career that began in 1979 when he joined the House as a Democrat. During his more than four decades on Capitol Hill, Shelby has served on numerous committees, influenced countless pieces of legislation and chaired the Appropriations, Intelligence, Banking and Rules committees.
“Serving in the U.S. Senate has been the opportunity of a lifetime,” Shelby said. “I have done my best to address challenges and find ways to improve the day-to-day lives of all Americans.”
He cited efforts to improve school quality and access to education, Alabama’s role in space exploration and “the utilization of Alabama’s greatest resources, including its unparalleled river system and the Port of Mobile.”
His decision to retire caps off months of speculation about whether the 86-year-old would seek a seventh Senate term.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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