Jeff Sessions has been honored to represent the people of Alabama in the United States Senate since 1997. His days in the Senate continue to be defined by the fundamental principles learned from his parents in rural Alabama: integrity, hard work, and respect for God and country.
Born the son of a country store owner in Hybart, Alabama, Sessions adopted early the diligent and common sense style that would later define his years of public service. He became an Eagle Scout in 1964 - the scouts' "Be Prepared" motto can still be found on the desk in his Senate office - and is the recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. After graduating in a class of thirty from Camden High School, Sessions worked his way though Huntingdon College in Montgomery, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. He continued his education at the University of Alabama School of Law, where he excelled and received a Juris Doctor degree in 1973.
After a distinguished legal career, first as a practicing attorney in Russellville, and later in Mobile, Sessions served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated him to serve as a United States Attorney in Alabama, a position he held for 12 years.
Sessions was elected as Alabama's Attorney General in 1994 and served as the state's chief legal officer until 1997, when he entered the United States Senate.
In the Senate, Sessions quickly gained the respect of colleagues and constituents alike for his conscientious work ethic, straightforward style, and mastery of complicated issues. He is a strong voice for those that believe in limited government, low-taxes, upholding the rule of law, and maintaining a strong national defense.
Sessions, upholding his commitment to stay in close contact with constituents throughout the state, has visited each of Alabama's 67 counties every year for over a decade.
His efforts have not gone unnoticed. Since he came to the Senate in 1997, Sessions has received numerous awards: the Reserve Officers Association Minuteman of the Year Award, the National Taxpayers Union Friend of the Taxpayer Award, the Watchdogs of the Treasury Golden Bulldog Award, the National Federation of Independent Business Guardian of Small Business Award, the Coalition of Republican Environment Advocates Teddy Roosevelt Environmental Award, the Alabama Farmers Federation Service to Agriculture Award, and the prestigious Ballington and Maud Booth award from the Volunteers of America.
Family and faith continue to be guiding forces in Sessions' life. He has served as a lay leader and a Sunday school teacher at his family's church, Ashland Place United Methodist Church, in Mobile. He has served as the Chairman of his church's Administrative Board and for over two decades has been selected as a delegate to the annual Alabama Methodist Conference. Sessions and his wife, Mary Blackshear Sessions, live in Mobile. They have three children, Ruth Sessions Walk, Mary Abigail Reinhardt, and Sam. They welcomed their first grandchild this summer.