Claiborne Pell

Claiborne de Borda Pell (born November 22, 1918) served as a Senator from Rhode Island from 1961-1997, making him Rhode Island's longest serving senator. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Born in New York City, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Princeton University in 1940, and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1946. While in Princeton he was a member of Colonial Club. He served in the United States Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard Reserve. From 1945 to 1952, Pell served in the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer in Czechoslovakia, Italy, and Washington, D.C..

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November 22 - 1918 - Senator - Rhode Island - 1961 - 1997 - Democratic Party - New York City - Bachelor of Arts - Princeton University - 1940 - Master of Arts - Columbia University - 1946 - Colonial Club - United States Coast Guard - State Department - Foreign Service Officer - Czechoslovakia - Italy - Washington, D.C.

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Pell is largely responsible for the creation of "Pell Grants" in 1973 (originally known as "Basic Educational Opportunity Grants"), which provide financial aid funds to U.S. college students. He was also the main sponsor of the bill which created the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Related Topics:
1973 - National Endowment for the Arts - National Endowment for the Humanities

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Pell is the son of former Congressman Herbert Claiborne Pell, Jr., great-great-grandson of former Congressman John Francis Hamtramck Claiborne, great-great-grandnephew of former Senator and Vice President of the United States George Mifflin Dallas and great-great-great-grandnephew of former Senator and Representative William Charles Cole Claiborne and of former Congressman Nathaniel Herbert Claiborne. He is married to the former Nuala O'Donnell and is the father of Bertie Pell and the grandfather of Clay Pell.

Related Topics:
Congressman - Herbert Claiborne Pell, Jr. - John Francis Hamtramck Claiborne - Vice President of the United States - George Mifflin Dallas - William Charles Cole Claiborne - Nathaniel Herbert Claiborne - Nuala O'Donnell - Bertie Pell - Clay Pell

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Upon his retirement from the Senate, Rhode Island's Newport Bridge was redesignated the "Claiborne Pell Bridge".

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During the bitter confirmation battle over Roberta Achtenberg to the Department of Housing and Urban Developement (HUD), Pell mentioned that his daughter was a lesbian, and that he would hope that it should not be a barrier to federal employment for her. Many agree that Pell, arguably one of the most popular US senators of the past few decades, helped secure Achtenberg's nomination, making her the first homosexual to be confirmed by the US Senate.

Related Topics:
Roberta Achtenberg - Department of Housing and Urban Developement - Lesbian

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