Bob Graham

Former Senator Bob Graham chaired the congressionally established commission on the prevention of weapons of mass destruction proliferation and terrorism, producing the new report World at Risk. Based on the report's three principle findings, Graham and his co-authors make thirteen recommendations for America moving forward. With a belief that the use of WMD and the proliferation of terrorism are not inevitabilities, Graham lays out how decisive and urgent action can reduce our vulnerability to biological and nuclear weapons. In spring of 2009, CQ Press will release Graham's newest book, America: the Owner's Manual, a volume that outlines the tools of effective participatory citizenship.

Graham is a former governor of Florida and also represented Florida in Washington, D.C. as a senior senator. Graham was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1986; reelected in 1992 and 1998 and served from January 3, 1987, to January 3, 2005.

Graham is the son of Ernest "Cap" Graham, a Florida state senator, mining engineer, and dairy/cattleman, and Hilda Simmons Graham, a schoolteacher. He was first elected to the Florida State Representatives in 1966 and reelected in 1968. Graham then went on to become Florida State Senator in 1970 and was reelected in 1974. As chairman of the Senate Health and Rehabilitative Services Committee, he focused on two key issues: more adequate services for the elderly and community health services.

In 1978, Graham was elected as the 38th Governor of Florida. He was recognized for providing strong leadership during a time of explosive population growth and dramatic challenges, including a truckers' strike, civil disturbances and immigration crises. During Graham's two terms as governor, Florida brought more environmentally endangered lands into public ownership than any other state in the nation. This included acquisition of sensitive lands surrounding rivers, beaches and barrier islands. The unemployment rate in Florida also remained well below the national average during Graham's administration; more than one million new jobs were created, many of them in high-tech manufacturing.

Graham was elected to the United States Senate in 1986 and reelected in 1992 and 1998. Graham has emerged as a leading voice of moderate Democrats bent on putting results ahead of politics. His centrist philosophy and commitment to bipartisanship have made him a major player in some of the most important issues facing Americans today, from reforming Medicare to ensuring our continued prosperity. As the founder and past chairman of the Senate New Democrats, Graham has worked to bring together a coalition that shares his views to promote sound fiscal policy while emphasizing paying down the debt and social policies that strikes an equitable balance between the needs of all Americans. Graham is also chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in the 107th Congress; Graham led efforts to improve the nation's intelligence agencies. He was a primary author of the portions of the USA PATRIOT Act which mandate greater information sharing among foreign intelligence and domestic law enforcement agencies to help fight a unified war on terrorism.

Graham's recently published book, Intelligence Matters, outlines what Senator Graham believes, based upon his experience as both a member and as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to be the cascade of intelligence and administration failures leading up to and after September 11, 2001. The book also provides specific prescriptions for intelligence reform based upon both personal observations and Senator Graham's role as the co-Chair of the historic Joint House/Senate Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001.