Independent Senator from Vermont

Born in Rutland, Vermont, on May 11, 1934, James Merrill Jeffords is the son of the late Marion H. Jeffords and the late Olin M. Jeffords, former Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. . He is married to Elizabeth Daley and has two children, Leonard and Laura. Jeffords' residence is in Shrewsbury, Vermont. He is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and enjoys cross country and downhill skiing.

He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1956 and his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1962. Jeffords served active duty with the U.S. Navy from 1956 to 1959, and retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve as a Captain in 1990.

Jeffords served as a Vermont State Senator for Rutland County from 1967 to 1968 and held his first statewide office as Vermont Attorney General from 1969 to 1973. From 1975 to 1988 Jeffords served as Vermont's Congressman At Large. Jim Jeffords is serving his third term in the United States Senate, he was first elected in 1988.

On Thursday, May 24, 2001 Jim Jeffords caused a complete switch in the balance of the Senate. Jeffords declared his independence, citing increasing disagreements with the Republican Platform, especially that put forward by President George W. Bush and became a Independent, and shifted control of the Senate to the Democrats. His Committees:

Read his "Declaration of Independence" and get his general contact info at www.senate.gov/~jeffords

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