On October 22, the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee approved, by voice vote, two bills (S. 1415/H.R. 2746) honoring former Rep. Barbara Kennelly (D-CT). Sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Rep. John Larson (D-CT), the bills designate a U.S. Postal facility in Hartford, Connecticut, as the “Barbara B. Kennelly Post Office Building.”
Ms. Kennelly served eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives after winning a special election in January 1982. During her congressional career, Ms. Kennelly was the first woman to serve as Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and to serve as Chief Majority Whip. She also was the first woman to serve on the House Committee on Intelligence and to chair one of its subcommittees. Ms. Kennelly was the third woman to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee. During the 105th Congress, she held the position as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Social Security.
After an unsuccessful bid for Governor of the State of Connecticut in 1998, Ms. Kennelly was appointed Counselor to the Commissioner and Associate Deputy on Retirement Policy at the Social Security Administration. In April 2002, she became President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
