Bill Nelson
Clarence William "Bill" Nelson II (born September 29, 1942)[1] is an American politician and astronaut. Nelson is the 14th and current Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration since May 2021. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was the United States Senator from Florida from 2001 to 2019. He lost his re-election campaign in 2018 to Republican Governor Rick Scott.
Bill Nelson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2021 | |
| 14th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration | |
| Assumed office May 3, 2021 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Pamela Melroy |
| Preceded by | Jim Bridenstine |
| United States Senator from Florida | |
| In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Connie Mack III |
| Succeeded by | Rick Scott |
| Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | John Thune |
| Succeeded by | Maria Cantwell |
| Chair of the Senate Aging Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Herb Kohl |
| Succeeded by | Susan Collins |
| Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Fire Marshal of Florida | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001 | |
| Governor | Lawton Chiles Buddy MacKay Jeb Bush |
| Preceded by | Tom Gallagher |
| Succeeded by | Tom Gallagher |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Louis Frey Jr. (9th) Dan Mica (11th) |
| Succeeded by | Michael Bilirakis (9th) Jim Bacchus (11th) |
| Constituency | 9th district (1979–1983) 11th district (1983–1991) |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 47th district | |
| In office November 21, 1972 – November 21, 1978 | |
| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Succeeded by | Tim Deratany |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Clarence William Nelson II September 29, 1942 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Grace Cavert (m. 1972) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Florida Yale University (BA) University of Virginia (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1965–1968, 1970–1971 (Reserve) 1968–1970 (Active) |
| Rank |  Captain |
 | |
| Space career | |
| NASA payload specialist | |
Time in space | 6d 02h 03m |
| Missions | STS-61-C |
Mission insignia |  |
He was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1972 to 1978 and in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991. In January 1986, he became the second sitting member of Congress to fly in space, after Jake Garn. He was a payload specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Nelson retired from Congress in 1990 to run for Governor of Florida, but was lost the Democratic nomination to Lawton Chiles.
In March 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Nelson to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in his administration.[2]
Early life
Nelson was born in Miami, Florida. He was raised in Melbourne, Florida. Nelson studied at the University of Florida, Yale University and at the University of Virginia.
Early political career
Nelson began his career in the Florida House of Representatives, where he served from 1973 to 1979. He then served in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991.
In January 1986, Nelson became the second sitting member of the United States Congress to fly in space along with John Glenn. He flew as a Payload Specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia.
United States Senate
He served in the United States Senate, serving Florida from 2001 to 2019.
In the U.S. Senate, he was a centrist and a moderate Democrat.[3][4][5][6] Nelson supported same-sex marriage, lowering taxes on lower and middle income families, expanding environmental programs and regulation, protecting the Affordable Care Act and expanding Medicaid.
Nelson chaired the Senate Aging Committee from 2013 to 2015, and was Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee from 2015 to 2019.
Nelson lost re-election in 2018 to Republican Rick Scott by 0.1%.[7]
Administrator to NASA
On February 22, 2021, reports emerged that President Joe Biden was considering nominating Nelson to be the NASA Administrator.[8] Biden officially nominated Nelson on March 19, 2021 to the position.[2]
His nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 29, 2021 by a unanimous voice vote.[9]
Personal life
In 1972, Nelson married Grace Cavert. The couple have two adult children: Charles William "Bill Jr." Nelson,[10] and Nan Ellen Nelson.[11] He has suffered from prostate cancer.
Bill Nelson Media
Nelson in 1972 as a Florida State Representative
Governor Jeb Bush and Nelson in 1999
Nelson's official Senate portrait, c. 2001
Nelson with Vice President Joe Biden and Rep. Alcee Hastings in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2012)
Nelson is sworn in as the 14th NASA administrator by Vice President Kamala Harris
Anti-war activists protest Democratic senators who supported Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, December 2017
Nelson works with government storm trackers during a hurricane-hunter flight into the center of Hurricane Charley in August 2004
President Barack Obama and Nelson visit Kennedy Space Center in April 2010
Nelson looks on as President Donald Trump signs the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017
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References
- ↑ "Florida Marriage Collection, 1822–1875 and 1927–2001". Ancestry.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Davenport, Christian. "Biden expected to nominate former senator Bill Nelson to be NASA administrator" (in en-US). Washington Post. . https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/03/18/nasa-administrator-bill-nelson/. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
- ↑ "Bill Nelson pitches long-held moderate message in tight U.S. Senate race". Tampabay.com. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ↑ Sullivan, Erin. "U.S. Rep. Connie Mack takes on longtime Sen. Bill Nelson | News". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ↑ "Sen. Bill Nelson fights off GOP efforts to tag him a liberal | Tampa Bay Times". Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
- ↑ "U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson: Nelson works hard to be seen as moderate - tribunedigital-orlandosentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. October 25, 2012. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ↑ "Republican Rick Scott wins Florida Senate race, defeating incumbent Bill Nelson". Vox. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
- ↑ Speck, Emilee (February 22, 2021). "Report: President Biden considering former Sen. Bill Nelson to lead NASA". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ↑ "Senate confirms ex-Sen. Nelson to NASA". The Hill. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ↑ Henry Pierson Curtis and April Hunt (November 9, 2006). Senator's Son Arrested after Orlando Fracas. Orlando Sentinel. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2006-11-09/news/NELSON09_1_bill-nelson-william-nelson-pine-street. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
- ↑ "Florida's senior senator praises Martinez, stays quiet about possible candidates in 2010". Archived 2009-12-02 at the Wayback Machine U.S. Senator Bill Nelson – Florida (official U.S. Senate website). Retrieved 2009-12-16.
Other websites
Media related to Bill Nelson at Wikimedia Commons