History of Bill Cassidy in Timeline

Bill Cassidy is an American physician and politician currently serving as the senior United States Senator for Louisiana since 2015. As a member of the Republican Party, Cassidy has an extensive political background, including serving in the Louisiana State Senate from 2006 to 2009 and as a U.S. Representative from 2009 to 2015. His career encompasses both the medical field and public service.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

September 28, 1957: Birth of William Morgan Cassidy

On September 28, 1957, William Morgan Cassidy was born. He is now an American physician and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Louisiana.

1979: Received Bachelor of Science Degree

In 1979, William Morgan Cassidy received a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University.

1983: Received Doctor of Medicine Degree

In 1983, William Morgan Cassidy received a Doctor of Medicine degree from LSU School of Medicine.

1988: Supported Michael Dukakis

In 1988, Bill Cassidy supported Michael Dukakis for president.

September 29, 1989: Marriage to Laura Layden

On September 29, 1989, Bill Cassidy married Laura (née Layden), who is also a physician. They met during their respective residencies in Los Angeles.

1992: Donated to Paul Tsongas's Presidential Campaign

In 1992, Bill Cassidy donated to Senator Paul Tsongas's presidential campaign.

1992: Dardenne Held Seat Since 1992

Jay Dardenne vacated the seat he had held since 1992 upon his election as Louisiana Secretary of State.

1998: Helped Found the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic

In 1998, Bill Cassidy helped found the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic to provide uninsured residents of the greater Baton Rouge area with access to free health care.

2001: Contributed to Republican Candidates

Since 2001, Bill Cassidy has mostly contributed to Republican candidates, including Senator David Vitter.

2002: Donated to Mary Landrieu

In 2002, Bill Cassidy donated to Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu.

2003: Donated to Kathleen Blanco

In 2003, Bill Cassidy donated to Louisiana Democrats Governor Kathleen Blanco.

2004: Donated to Kathleen Blanco

In 2004, Bill Cassidy donated to Louisiana Democrats Governor Kathleen Blanco.

December 9, 2006: Won Special Election for Louisiana Senate Seat

On December 9, 2006, Bill Cassidy won a special election for the District 16 seat in the Louisiana Senate, defeating William Daniel and S.B. Zaitoon.

December 20, 2006: Sworn into Louisiana State Senate

On December 20, 2006, Bill Cassidy was sworn into the Louisiana State Senate.

2006: Elected to Louisiana State Senate

In 2006, Bill Cassidy was elected to the Louisiana State Senate.

October 20, 2007: Re-elected to Louisiana State Senate

On October 20, 2007, Bill Cassidy was re-elected to a full four-year term in the Louisiana State Senate with 76% of the vote.

November 4, 2008: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

On November 4, 2008, Bill Cassidy was elected to serve Louisiana's 6th district in the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating incumbent Democratic Congressman Don Cazayoux with 48% of the vote.

2008: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

In 2008, Bill Cassidy was elected as the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 6th congressional district, defeating Democratic incumbent Don Cazayoux.

May 2009: Introduced Legislation for Earmark Transparency

In May 2009, Bill Cassidy partnered with Jackie Speier to introduce legislation to amend House rules, requiring members of Congress to list earmark requests on their websites.

2009: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

In 2009, Bill Cassidy was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

June 2010: Introduced Gulf Coast Jobs Preservation Act

In June 2010, Bill Cassidy introduced the Gulf Coast Jobs Preservation Act to terminate the moratorium on deep water drilling and require the Secretary of the Interior to ensure the safety of deep water drilling operations.

December 2010: Voted to Extend Bush Tax Cuts

In December 2010, Bill Cassidy voted to extend the tax cuts enacted during the administration of President George W. Bush.

2010: Honoris Causa Membership in Omicron Delta Kappa

In 2010, Bill Cassidy's alma mater, Louisiana State University, selected him for honoris causa membership in Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society.

2010: Won Second Term in Midterm Elections

In the 2010 midterm elections, Bill Cassidy easily won a second term, defeating Democrat Merritt E. McDonald with 66% of the vote.

2011: Voted for Balanced Budget Amendment

In 2011, Bill Cassidy voted for the Constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment.

2012: Re-elected Again

In the 2012 election, Bill Cassidy was reelected again, defeating Rufus Holt Craig, Jr., a Libertarian, and Richard Torregano, an Independent, receiving 79% of the vote.

May 2013: Introduced the Energy Consumers Relief Act

In May 2013, Bill Cassidy introduced the Energy Consumers Relief Act of 2013 (H.R. 1582) to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to submit reports to Congress and the Department of Energy regarding proposed regulations with significant compliance costs.

June 2013: Supported Bill Banning Abortions After 20 Weeks

In June 2013, Bill Cassidy supported a House-passed bill that federally banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

2013: Circulated Letter Opposing Immigration Reform

Also in 2013, Bill Cassidy circulated a draft letter opposing an immigration reform bill. Democratic Representative Mark Takano marked it up and gave it an F.

2013: Called Landrieu Donation a 'Youthful Indiscretion'

In 2013, Bill Cassidy called his donation to Mary Landrieu a "youthful indiscretion", stating she fell into partisan politics.

2013: Opposed Obamacare

In 2013, Bill Cassidy was a vocal opponent of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly called Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act), arguing that it would fail to lower costs and give too much decision-making authority to the federal government.

2013: Addressed Obesity Crisis

In 2013, due to the American Medical Association's decision to officially recognize obesity as a disease, Bill Cassidy helped introduce legislation to lower health care costs and prevent chronic diseases by addressing America's growing obesity crisis. Cassidy said the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act could help empower physicians to use all methods and means to fight the condition.

2013: Closure of Earl K. Long Medical Center

In 2013, the Earl K. Long Medical Center closed. Bill Cassidy worked as a gastroenterologist at the facility until its closure.

September 2014: House Passed Employee Health Care Protection Act

In September 2014, the House passed the Employee Health Care Protection Act of 2013 (H.R. 3522; 113th Congress), sponsored by Bill Cassidy, which enabled Americans to keep health insurance policies that do not meet all of the Affordable Care Act's requirements.

2014: Co-sponsored Amendment to Flood Insurance Act

In 2014, Bill Cassidy co-sponsored an amendment to the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act in 2014 to limit annual premium increases for flood insurance, reinstate the flood insurance program's grandfathering provision, and eliminate a provision that required an increase to actuarial levels when a home is sold.

2014: Supported Lowering Gasoline Prices Act

In 2014, Bill Cassidy supported the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014 (H.R. 4899; 113th Congress), a bill intended to increase domestic energy production and lower gas prices.

2014: Elected to the Senate

In 2014, Bill Cassidy was elected to the Senate, defeating Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu.

2014: Ran for U.S. Senate

In the 2014 election, Bill Cassidy ran for the U.S. Senate, and he was endorsed by Republican Senator David Vitter.

2015: Became U.S. Senator

In 2015, Bill Cassidy assumed the position of senior United States Senator from Louisiana.

March 2017: Asserted False Information About Obamacare

In March 2017, Bill Cassidy sent a letter to a constituent falsely asserting that Obamacare "allows a presidentially handpicked 'Health Choices Commissioner' to determine what coverage and treatments are available to you."

May 8, 2017: Appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

On May 8, 2017, Bill Cassidy appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and discussed healthcare in the United States. He introduced the "Jimmy Kimmel test" for healthcare legislation.

September 2017: Introduced Graham-Cassidy Bill

In September 2017, Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham introduced legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The "Graham–Cassidy" bill would eliminate the ACA's marketplace subsidies, repeal the ACA's Medicaid expansion, and introduce a temporary block grant.

2017: Became Louisiana's Senior Senator

In 2017, Bill Cassidy became Louisiana's senior senator when David Vitter retired from the Senate.

2017: Passage of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed, which included a provision that raised the tax on benefits children receive from a parent's Department of Defense survivor benefits plan, which the Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act aimed to undo.

January 2019: Cosponsorship of Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

In January 2019, Bill Cassidy was one of 31 Republican senators to cosponsor the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, introduced by John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. The bill aimed to allow people with concealed-carry privileges in their home state to exercise this right in any other state with concealed-carry laws.

May 2019: Senate passage of Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act

In May 2019, the Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act, co-sponsored by Bill Cassidy, passed in the Senate. The bill aimed to undo a provision in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that raised the tax on the benefit children receive from a parent's Department of Defense survivor benefits plan.

July 2019: Letter regarding FY 2020 continuing resolution

In July 2019, Bill Cassidy was among 16 Republican senators who sent a letter to Acting OMB Director Russell Vought, Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, encouraging them to prevent a continuing resolution for FY 2020 that would delay the implementation of the President’s National Defense Strategy.

July 2019: Introduction of Agricultural Trucking Relief Act

In July 2019, Bill Cassidy was one of eight senators who introduced the Agricultural Trucking Relief Act, a bill designed to alter the definition of an agricultural commodity to encompass horticultural and aquacultural products. The Act aimed to promote consistency in regulation by federal and state agencies to ease regulatory burdens on trucking and the agri-community.

July 30, 2019: Release of bipartisan paid parental leave proposal

On July 30, 2019, Bill Cassidy and Senator Kyrsten Sinema released a proposal for paid parental leave. Under the proposal, new parents would be authorized to advance their child tax credit benefits to receive a $5,000 cash benefit upon the birth or adoption of a child, with a reduction in the child tax credit for the following decade.

2020: Concerns over FY 2020 continuing resolution

In 2020, Bill Cassidy expressed concerns regarding a continuing resolution for FY 2020, fearing it would delay the implementation of the President’s National Defense Strategy, increase costs, and render the Defense Department incapable of increasing readiness.

2020: Re-elected to the Senate

In 2020, Bill Cassidy was reelected to the Senate.

2020: Voted to Certify Election Results

In 2020, after the Capitol was secured, Bill Cassidy voted to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.

May 27, 2021: Voted for Bipartisan Commission on Capitol Attack

On May 27, 2021, Bill Cassidy, along with five other Republicans and all Democrats, voted to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol.

2021: Proposal for Social Security investment fund

In 2021, Bill Cassidy and Senator Angus King proposed creating a $1.5 trillion investment fund, managed independently of Congress, to fund 75% of the Social Security trust fund's liabilities.

2021: Witnessed and Responded to Capitol Attack

In 2021, Bill Cassidy was in attendance during the United States Electoral College vote count when Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol. He called them "hooligans" and the storming "un-American."

2021: Voted to Convict Trump in Impeachment Trial and was Censured

In 2021, Bill Cassidy, as one of seven Republican senators, voted to convict President Donald Trump of incitement of insurrection in his second impeachment trial, leading to his censure by the Republican Party of Louisiana.

May 2022: Statements on gun control after Robb Elementary School shooting

In May 2022, following the Robb Elementary School shooting, Bill Cassidy reaffirmed his opposition to banning any kind of guns, including assault rifles like the AR-15. However, he expressed openness to discussions on ways to prevent shootings, such as red-flag laws and expanded background checks and later supported a bipartisan agreement on gun control.

2022: Supported Overturning of Roe v. Wade

In 2022, Bill Cassidy supported the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it a decision that "recognizes that an unborn child has a right to life".

October 2023: Visit to China as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation

In October 2023, Bill Cassidy visited China as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. During this visit, the delegation met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other high-ranking officials.

November 2023: Co-sponsorship of the Foreign Pollution Fee Act

In November 2023, Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham co-sponsored the Foreign Pollution Fee Act. The bill proposed a carbon tariff on energy and industrial imports based on the good's emission intensity or carbon footprint, compared with the same domestic good, to impose a carbon price on goods from countries with greater greenhouse gas emissions than the United States.

2023: Vote against Fiscal Responsibility Act

In 2023, Bill Cassidy was among the 31 Senate Republicans who voted against the final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

2023: Called for Trump to Drop Out

In 2023, after Donald Trump was indicted for mishandling classified documents, Bill Cassidy called for Trump to drop out of the 2024 presidential election.

January 2024: Vote against resolution on U.S. aid to Israel's military

In January 2024, Bill Cassidy voted against a resolution proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders to apply the human rights provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act to U.S. aid to Israel's military. The resolution was defeated with a vote of 72 to 11.

2024: Declined to Endorse Trump

In 2024, after Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination, Bill Cassidy declined to endorse him in the general election.

January 2025: Confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In January 2025, during the confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Bill Cassidy questioned Kennedy about his anti-vaccine stance and his refusal to denounce the discredited theory that vaccines cause autism.

2026: Expiration of Block Grant

In 2026, The Graham-Cassidy bill temporary block grant would expire.

2027: Federal Health Care Funding Cut

In the year 2027 alone, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that the Graham-Cassidy legislation "would cut federal health care funding by $299 billion relative to current law".

2034: Projected Social Security Solvency

By 2034, it is projected that Social Security will run out of money to pay all beneficiaries, an issue that Bill Cassidy has been focused on addressing.