Joseph Kennedy III

Joseph Kennedy III

Democratic Party

Prior offices

U.S. House Massachusetts District 4

Successor: Jake Auchincloss

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Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Net worth

(2012) $31,964,615

Elections and appointments

Last election

September 1, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Stanford University

Law

Harvard Law School

Personal

Religion

Christian: Catholic

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal LinkedIn

Joseph Kennedy III (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2013. He left office on January 3, 2021.

Kennedy (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Massachusetts. He lost in the Democratic primary on September 1, 2020.

On December 19, 2022, the State Department announced that the Biden administration would appoint Kennedy to serve as a special envoy for Northern Ireland Economic Affairs.

At the start of the 116th Congress, he was a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Prior to his congressional career, Kennedy served as District Attorney for Middlesex County, Mass., received a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and spent two years in the United States Peace Corps.

He is a grandson of former United States Attorney General Robert Kennedy and a great-nephew of former Senator Ted Kennedy and President John F. Kennedy.

Biography

Kennedy earned his bachelor's degree from Stanford University. Upon graduation, he went on to obtain his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. From 2004-2006, he served in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic, where he helped local residents establish control over the Rio Damajagua waterfall national park. He served several Massachusetts counties as Assistant District Attorney before he occupied the same position for Middlesex County.

Elections

2020

U.S. Senate

See also: United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 2020

United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 2020 (September 1 Democratic primary)

United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 2020 (September 1 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Massachusetts

Incumbent Edward J. Markey defeated Kevin O'Connor and Shiva Ayyadurai in the general election for U.S. Senate Massachusetts on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edward J. Markey (D)	66.2	2,357,809
		Kevin O'Connor (R)	33.0	1,177,765
		Shiva Ayyadurai (R) (Write-in)	0.6	21,134
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	7,428

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,564,136
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Frederick Mayock (Independent)
• Andre Gray (G)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Massachusetts

Incumbent Edward J. Markey defeated Joseph Kennedy III in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Massachusetts on September 1, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edward J. Markey	55.4	782,694
		Joseph Kennedy III	44.5	629,359
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	1,935

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,413,988
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Washington Blask (D)
• Shannon Liss-Riordan (D)
• Steve Pemberton (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Massachusetts

Kevin O'Connor defeated Shiva Ayyadurai in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Massachusetts on September 1, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin O'Connor	59.7	158,590
		Shiva Ayyadurai	39.4	104,782
		Other/Write-in votes	0.8	2,245

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 265,617
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Libertarian primary election

No Libertarians filed for this race. Vermin Supreme ran as a write-in and received 27 votes. He did not receive enough votes to make the general election ballot.

U.S. House

See also: Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District election, 2020

Joseph Kennedy III did not file to run for re-election.

2018

See also: Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Massachusetts District 4

Incumbent Joseph Kennedy III won election in the general election for U.S. House Massachusetts District 4 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joseph Kennedy III (D)	97.7	245,289
		Other/Write-in votes	2.3	5,727

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 251,016
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Massachusetts District 4

Incumbent Joseph Kennedy III defeated Gary Rucinski in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Massachusetts District 4 on September 4, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joseph Kennedy III	93.4	60,214
		Gary Rucinski	6.6	4,240

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 64,454
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Joseph Kennedy III (D) defeated David Rosa (R) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Neither candidate faced a primary opponent in September.

U.S. House, Massachusetts District 4 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Joseph Kennedy III Incumbent	70.1%	265,823
	Republican	David Rosa	29.8%	113,055
	N/A	Write-in	0.1%	335
Total Votes				379,213
Source: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

2014

See also: Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District elections, 2014

Kennedy won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He was unopposed the Democratic primary election and faced no major party opposition in the general election.

U.S. House, Massachusetts District 4 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Joe Kennedy Incumbent	72.1%	184,158
	Write-in	Other	1.5%	3,940
	Blank	None	26.3%	67,199
Total Votes				255,297
Source: Massachusetts Secretary of State Official Results

2012

See also: Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District elections, 2012

Kennedy ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Massachusetts' 4th District. He defeated Herb Robinson and Rachel Brown in the September 6, 2012, Democratic primary. Incumbent Democrat Barney Frank did not seek re-election.

General election

U.S. House, Massachusetts District 4 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Joseph Kennedy III	59.3%	221,303
	Republican	Sean Bielat	34.8%	129,936
	Independent	David Rosa	2.9%	10,741
	N/A	All Others	0.1%	265
	N/A	Blank Votes	2.9%	10,869
Total Votes				373,114
Source: Massachusetts Secretary of State "Return of Votes"

U.S. House, Massachusetts District 4 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Joseph Kennedy III	90.1%	36,388
Rachel Brown	6.5%	2,611
Herb Robinson	3.4%	1,368
Total Votes		40,367

Endorsements

Kennedy received official endorsements for the 2012 election from the organizations below.

• Sierra Club
• Massachusetts Coalition of Police
• Human Rights Campaign
• Planned Parenthood
• Massachusetts Nurses Association
• Massachusetts Teachers Association
• Massachusetts AFL-CIO

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Joseph Kennedy III did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2012

On his campaign website, Kennedy listed eight issues. They were:

• Jobs and the Economy

Excerpt: "The top creators of jobs in our district and state are small businesses. We need to do everything we can to make sure they have the tools and resources they need to start hiring, and that government is helping them rather than standing in the way."

• Balancing our budget

Excerpt: "I believe in a country where the success of our future generations isn’t limited by the debts of their parents and grandparents. We have an obligation to our children – to their children – to get serious about balancing our budget and reducing our debt and deficit."

• Energy independence

Excerpt: "A comprehensive energy plan is essential to the economy, environment, and security of our district, state and country. That means maximizing our domestic resources in a responsible way, seriously committing to renewable energy technologies and fuel efficiency measures, and cracking down on speculators manipulating the markets at the expense of working families

• Health care reform

Excerpt: "I support the path set forth by the Affordable Care Act. It’s not perfect, but it makes some important reforms like paving the way for universal coverage, making sure insurance companies can’t discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions, and guaranteeing women access to essential health services. There is still much work to do to make health care more efficient, more effective, and more transparent."

Joseph Kennedy III, "Kennedy announces his candidacy for Congress"

• Foreign policy and security

Excerpt: "We have no greater obligation than protecting the safety and security of our country and her citizens at home and abroad. We’re facing one of the most complicated foreign policy landscapes in our history. We’re engaged in a global fight against terror involving multiple fronts, repeated deployments, tens of thousands dead and wounded, and great uncertainty."

• Education

Excerpt: "Providing access to quality education is the number one way to ensure that a child has the chance to succeed. It’s also one of the most significant investments that we as a society can make in our economic future. Unless and until every child is prepared to take up the challenge of continuing our great history of innovation and high-skilled work, we will continue to fall behind where we once led."

• Social Justice

Excerpt: "I believe that this country was founded on the principles of equality and fairness, and that we should be doing all we can to ensure those basic ideals continue to light our way."

• Women's Rights

Excerpt: "I believe this country was founded on the basic principles of equality and fairness. The fight to preserve and strengthen women’s rights is at the epicenter of our efforts to make sure those fundamental values hold true for future generations."

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Kennedy's academic, professional, and political career:

• 2013-Present: U.S. Representative from Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District
• 2011-2012: Assistant District Attorney, Middlesex County
• 2009: Graduated from Harvard University with a J.D.
• 2004-2006: U.S. Peace Corps
• 2003: Graduated from Stanford University with a B.S.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2019-2020

Kennedy was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Energy and Commerce

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Kennedy III was assigned to the following committees:

• Committee on Energy and Commerce

2015-2016

Kennedy served on the following committees:

• Energy and Commerce Committee
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

2013-2014

Kennedy served on the following committees:

• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa
  • Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade
• Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021

The 116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in the U.S. Senate (53-47). Donald Trump (R) was the president and Mike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020   The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020 (H.R. 1044) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives seeking to increase the cap on employment-based visas, establish certain rules governing such visas, and impose some additional requirements on employers hiring holders of such visas. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended.	Passed (365-65)
Yea	The Heroes Act   The HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to address the COVID-19 outbreak by providing $1,200 payments to individuals, extending and expanding the moratorium on some evictions and foreclosures, outlining requirements and establishing finding for contact tracing and COVID-19 testing, providing emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies for fiscal year 2020, and eliminating cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (208-199)
Yea	For the People Act of 2019   The For the People Act of 2019 (H.R.1) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to protect election security, revise rules on campaign funding, introduce new provisions related to ethics, establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions, and establish new rules on the release of tax returns for presidential and vice presidential candidates. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (234-193)
Yea	CARES Act   The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 27, 2020, that expanded benefits through the joint federal-state unemployment insurance program during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation also included $1,200 payments to certain individuals, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and funds for businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (419-6)
Yea	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to ban discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity by expanding the definition of establishments that fall under public accomodation and prohibiting the denial of access to a shared facility that is in agreement with an indiviual's gender indenitity. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (236-173)
Yea	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House that sought to ban firearm transfers between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (240-190)
Yea	American Dream and Promise Act of 2019   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R.6) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to protect certain immigrants from removal proceedings and provide a path to permanent resident status by establishing streamlined procedures for permanant residency and canceling removal proceedings against certain qualifed individuals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (237-187)
Nay	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, setting policies and appropriations for the Department of Defense. Key features of this bill include appropriations for research/development, procurement, military construction, and operation/maintenence, as well as policies for paid family leave, North Korea nuclear sanctions, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, military housing privatization, and paid family leave for federal personnel. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (377-48)
Yea	Families First Coronavirus Response Act   The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to unemployment benefits and food assistance, increasing funding for Medicaid, providing free testing for COVID-19, and requiring employers to provide paid sick time to employees who cannot work due to COVID-19. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-40)
Yea	Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019   The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (H.R. 1994) was a bill passed by the House Representatives that sought to change the requirements for employer provided retirement plans, IRAs, and other tax-favored savings accounts by modfying the requirements for things such as loans, lifetime income options, required minimum distributions, the eligibility rules for certain long-term, part-time employees, and nondiscrimination rules. The bill also sought to treat taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation for the purpose of an IRA, repeal the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, increase penalties for failing to file tax returns, allow penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans if a child is born or adopted, and expand the purposes for which qualified tuition programs may be used. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (417-3)
Yea	Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act   The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to address the price of healthcare by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate prices for certain drugs, requiring drug manufactures to issue rebates for certain drugs covered under Medicare, requiring drug price transparency from drug manufacturers, expanding Medicare coverage, and providing funds for certain public health programs. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (230-192)
Yea	Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for federal agencies in fiscal year 2020. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (297-120)
Yea	Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019   The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 (S. 1838) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on November 27, 2019, directing several federal departments to assess Hong Kong's unique treatment under U.S. law. Key features of the bill include directing the Department of State to report and certify annually to Congress as to whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous from China to justify its unique treatment, and directing the Department of Commerce to report annually to Congress on China's efforts to use Hong Kong to evade U.S. export controls and sanctions. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (417-1)
Yea	MORE Act of 2020   The MORE Act of 2020 (H.R. 3884) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana by removing marijuana as a scheduled controlled substance and eliminating criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. This bill required a simple majority vote from the House.	Passed (228-164)
Yea	Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020   The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2020, providing emergency funding to federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Key features of the bill include funding for vaccine research, small business loans, humanitarian assistance to affected foreign countries, emergency preparedness, and grants for public health agencies and organizations. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.	Passed (415-2)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 15, 2019, providing approrations for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (300 -128)
Yea	John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act   The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Doanld Trump on March 12, 2019. This bill sought to set provisions for federal land management and conservation by doing things such as conducting land exchanges and conveyances, establishing programs to respond to wildfires, and extending and reauthorizing wildlife conservation programs. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-62)
Nay	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (On passage)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.	Passed (335-78)
Nay	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Overcoming veto)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.	Passed (322-87)
Yea	Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019   The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (S.24) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on January 16, 2019, that requires federal employees who were furloughed or compelled to work during a lapse in government funding to be compensated for that time. The bill also required those employees to be compensated as soon as the lapse in funding ends, irregardless of official pay date. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.	Passed (411-7)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 1)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.	Guilty (230-197)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 2)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.	Guilty (229-198)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018 For detailed information about each vote, click here. Votes on domestic policy (click to expand) Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)  Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023. Voted Nay on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))  Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program. Voted Nay on: Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)  Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018 Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border. Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)  Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018 Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)  Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017 Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. Voted Nay on: Kate's Law (HR 3004)  Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017 Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally. Voted Nay on: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)  Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017 Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws. Voted Nay on: American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)  Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017 Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand) Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Yea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Voted Nay on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Did not vote on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Voted Nay on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)  Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018 Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Voted Nay on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)  Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes. Voted Nay on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)  Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)  Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018. Did not vote on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)  Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018. Did not vote on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017 Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018. Did not vote on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)  Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017 Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017 Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses. Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.) Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. Voted Nay on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)  Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017 Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills. Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)  Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017 Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts. Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)  Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017 Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Voted Nay on: Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)  Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017 Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts. Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)  Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017 Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017. Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand) Voted Nay on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)  Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities Did not vote on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)  Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018. Voted Nay on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017 Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. Voted Nay on: Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)  Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017 Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018. Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)  Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017 Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)  Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. Voted Nay on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)  Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. Voted Nay on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017 Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority. Voted Nay on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)  Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017 The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding. 114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Kennedy's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 Trade adjustment assistance On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Kennedy was one of 144 Democrats to vote against the bill. Trade promotion authority On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Kennedy was one of 157 Democrats to vote against the measure. Trade promotion authority second vote After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining his or her original position on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Kennedy was one of 158 Democrats to vote against the amendment. Trade adjustment assistance second vote The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Kennedy was one of 175 Democrats to vote in favor of HR 1295. Defense spending authorization On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Kennedy voted with 142 other Democrats and eight Republicans against the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Kennedy voted with 48 other Democrats and nine Republicans against the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, including Kennedy, voted against the resolution. 2015 budget On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Kennedy voted with 186 Democrats and 79 Republicans in favor of the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Kennedy voted with 176 Democrats to approve the bill. Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Kennedy voted with 161 Democrats for the bill. Suspension of Iran sanctions relief On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Kennedy voted with 185 Democrats against the bill. Presidential non-compliance of section 2 On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Kennedy voted with 185 Democrats against the resolution. Export-Import Bank On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Kennedy voted with 185 Democrats and 127 Republicans in favor of the bill. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Kennedy voted with 141 Democrats and 196 Republicans to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Kennedy voted with 179 Democrats against the bill. Cyber security On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Kennedy voted with 134 Democrats and 220 Republicans to approve the bill. On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Kennedy voted with 104 Democrats and 202 Republicans in favor of the bill. Immigration On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Kennedy voted with 134 Democrats and two Republicans against the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Kennedy's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security NDAA Kennedy voted in opposition of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote. DHS Appropriations Kennedy voted in opposition of HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines. Economy Farm bill On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, known as the Farm Bill. The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill provides for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop. However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Kennedy voted with 102 other Democratic representatives against the bill. 2014 Budget On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the protection of the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Kennedy joined with the majority of the Democratic party and voted in favor of the bill. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Kennedy voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate. The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Kennedy voted for HR 2775. Immigration Morton Memos Prohibition Kennedy voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines. Healthcare Kennedy has voted against all attempts to repeal or delay the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Social issues Abortion Kennedy voted against HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.

Issues

Economy

King Amendment

Kennedy signed a letter sent to Collin Peterson (D) in August 2013, asking him to keep Steve King's (R) amendment out of the final Farm Bill. The "Protect Interstate Commerce Act" amendment prevents states from applying their own laws on agricultural products to agricultural products from another state. King introduced the amendment in response to a law in California, requiring a larger size cage for egg-producing chickens. King represented Iowa, a large egg producer.

Immigration

24-hour fast

Kennedy joined immigration activists in a fast in an effort to encourage Congress to take up immigration reform. Kennedy fasted for 24 hours and then another Congress member took over the fast. On December 3, 2013, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R) announced he had a new policy staffer working specifically on immigration issues.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Joseph Kennedy III campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2020	U.S. Senate Massachusetts	Lost primary	$11,400,834	$15,561,023
2018	U.S. House Massachusetts District 4	Won general	$4,496,056	$3,074,453
2016	U.S. House, Massachusetts District 4	Won	$3,121,187	N/A**
2014	U.S. House (Massachusetts, District 4)	Won	$2,694,291	N/A**
2012	U.S. House Massachusetts District 4	Won	$4,204,050	N/A**
Grand total			$25,916,418	$18,635,476
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Kennedy's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $15,127,233 and $48,801,997. That averages to $31,964,615, which is higher than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Kennedy ranked as the 22nd most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2011 and 2012, Kennedy's calculated net worth decreased by an average of 12 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Joseph Kennedy Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2011	$36,415,956
2012	$31,964,615
Growth from 2011 to 2012:	−12%
Average annual growth:	−12%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Kennedy received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Securities & Investment industry.

From 2011-2014, 36.09 percent of Kennedy's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Joseph Kennedy III Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$6,575,294
Total Spent	$5,208,114
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Securities & Investment	$784,225
Lawyers/Law Firms	$764,874
Real Estate	$369,580
Business Services	$236,546
Retired	$217,800
% total in top industry	11.93%
% total in top two industries	23.56%
% total in top five industries	36.09%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Kennedy was a "rank-and-file Democrat," as of August 4, 2014. Kennedy was rated as a "centrist Democratic follower" in June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Kennedy most often votes with:

• Suzanne Bonamici
• Chris Gibson

Kennedy least often votes with:

• Jim Matheson
• Randy Weber

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Kennedy missed 27 of 1,752 roll call votes from January 2013 to September 2015. This amounted to 1.5 percent, which was lower than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Kennedy ranked 57th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Kennedy voted with the Democratic Party 95.4 percent of the time, which ranked 18th among the 204 House Democratic members as of August 2014.

2013

Kennedy voted with the Democratic Party 95.9 percent of the time, which ranked 7th among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.

2016 Democratic National Convention

• Delegate to the 2016 DNC (click to expand)

  See also: Democratic National Convention, 2016

  Joseph Kennedy III
  Democratic National Convention, 2016
  Status:	Superdelegate
  State:	Massachusetts
  Supporting:	Hillary Clinton
  Delegates to the DNC 2016
  Calendar and delegate rules overview • Types of delegates • State election law and delegates • Superdelegates by state

  Kennedy was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts. Kennedy was one of 24 superdelegates from Massachusetts. Superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention were not bound by the results of their state’s primary or caucus results to support a specific presidential candidate. Kennedy supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.Clinton formally won the Democratic nomination for president on July 26, 2016.

  What is a superdelegate?

  See also: Superdelegates and the 2016 Democratic National Convention

  Superdelegates in 2016 were automatic delegates to the Democratic National Convention, meaning that, unlike regular delegates, they were not elected to this position. Also unlike regular delegates, they were not required to pledge their support to any presidential candidate, and they were not bound by the results of their state's presidential primary election or caucus. In 2016, superdelegates included members of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic members of Congress, Democratic governors, and distinguished party leaders, including former presidents and vice presidents. All superdelegates were free to support any presidential candidate of their choosing at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

  Massachusetts primary results

  See also: Presidential election in Massachusetts, 2016

  Hillary Clinton won the 2016 Massachusetts Democratic primary. With 97 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton narrowly defeated Bernie Sanders, 50.3 percent to 48.5 percent. This was a hard-fought victory for Clinton as Sanders outspent her in the state with $1.35 million in television and radio advertising buys. Clinton spent less than half that amount: $547,000. According to exit polls from CNN, Clinton won with women, voters 30 years of age or older and college graduates. Sanders won 65 percent of voters younger than 29 years of age and 72 percent of first-time voters.

  Massachusetts Democratic Primary, 2016
  Candidate	Vote %	Votes	Delegates
  Hillary Clinton	49.7%	606,822	46
  Bernie Sanders	48.3%	589,803	45
  Martin O'Malley	0.4%	4,783	0
  Roque De La Fuente	0.1%	1,545	0
  Other	0.4%	4,927	0
  No preference	0.7%	8,090	0
  Blank votes	0.4%	4,326	0
  Totals		1,220,296	91
  Source: Massachusetts Elections Division and CNN

  Delegate allocation

  See also: 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules

  

  Massachusetts had 115 delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Of this total, 91 were pledged delegates. National party rules stipulated how Democratic delegates in all states were allocated. Pledged delegates were allocated to a candidate in proportion to the votes he or she received in a state's primary or caucus. A candidate was eligible to receive a share of the state's pledged delegates if he or she won at least 15 percent of the votes cast in the primary or caucus. There were three types of pledged Democratic delegates: congressional district delegates, at-large delegates, and party leaders and elected officials (PLEOs). Congressional district delegates were allocated proportionally based on the primary or caucus results in a given district. At-large and PLEO delegates were allocated proportionally based on statewide primary results.

  Twenty-four party leaders and elected officials served as unpledged delegates. These delegates were not required to adhere to the results of a state's primary or caucus.

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Notable candidate endorsements by Joseph Kennedy III

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Elizabeth Warren  source	President of the United States (2020)		Withdrew in Convention
Hillary Clinton  source  (D)	President of the United States (2016)	Primary	Lost General

Notable ballot measure endorsements by Joseph Kennedy III

Measure	Position	Outcome
Massachusetts Question 2, Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2020)  source	Support	Defeated

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Kennedy is the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy. His father was a member of the U.S. House from Massachusetts.

See also

2020 Elections

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External links

Suggest a link

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• Official Campaign Site
• Official U.S. House website

• Social media:
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• Biographies:
  • Wikipedia
• Political profiles:
  • CongressMerge
  • Project Vote Smart
• Financial (federal level):
  • FEC contributions
  • OpenSecrets.org
• Interest group ratings:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions:
  • On The Issues
  • Project Vote Smart
• Public statements:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Voting record:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Media appearances:
  • C-SPAN

• Politico article about Kennedy's entry

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Barney Frank	U.S. House of Representatives - Massachusetts, District 4 2013-Present	Succeeded by '

[show]

Massachusetts' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Edward Markey (D)

Elizabeth Warren (D)

Representatives

District 1

Richard Neal (D)

District 2

Jim McGovern (D)

District 3

Lori Trahan (D)

District 4

Jake Auchincloss (D)

District 5

Katherine Clark (D)

District 6

Seth Moulton (D)

District 7

Ayanna Pressley (D)

District 8

Stephen Lynch (D)

District 9

Bill Keating (D)

Democratic Party (11)