“As a country, we can't teach kids how to read and write when we got 18 years to do it. And that's - that's a disgrace.”

American politician and attorney

John Neely Kennedy is an American politician and attorney who has served as the junior United States senator from Louisiana since 2017. A Republican, he has held public office in Louisiana for much of his career and is known for his long record in state government. Before entering the Senate, Kennedy served as Louisiana state treasurer from 2000 to 2017. He was secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue from 1996 to 1999, and earlier worked as special counsel and later as a cabinet member to Governor Buddy Roemer from 1988 to 1992.