Senator John B. Breaux

Senator John B. Breaux led a distinguished career in Congress, with a long established reputation on Capitol Hill as an expert on healthcare policy. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1972 at the age of 28. At the time of his election, he was the youngest member of the US Congress. 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. In 1993, he 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, he served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy. He also held positions on two other Finance subcommittees, including the Subcommittee on Health Care. From his position on the Finance Committee, he played instrumental roles in forging the compromises that led to passage of the landmark welfare reform and health insurance reform bills in 1996. In 1998, he was selected by the White House and House and Senate leaders to chair the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare.

Senator Breaux is the current Chair of The Medicare Rx Education Network. Consisting of 40 national organizations, the network provides assistance with outreach, education and enrollment for the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. The network works closely with federal agencies to ensure that information disseminated by the network about Medicare Part D is factual and accurately conveyed, thereby preempting confusion about the benefit and equipping beneficiaries and their caregivers to make informed choices.

Senator Breaux received his L.L.B. from the Louisiana State University, Paul M. Herbert Law Center, and his B.A. from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.