Biography

William R. Keating was born in Norwood and is the grandson of Irish immigrants. His father served the community as a police officer and a veterans agent. To put himself through college and graduate school, Keating worked as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service. He resides in Bourne with his wife, Tevis, and they are the parents of two children, Kristen and Patrick.

Keating was elected to the United States House of Representatives on November 2, 2010, as one of nine new Democratic Members elected to the 112th Congress. He represents Massachusetts' 9th Congressional District, which includes the state's South Shore, South Coast, Cape Cod, and the Islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. In Congress, he has established a reputation as a civil servant and advocate for Massachusetts, focusing on job creation, educational opportunities, middle-class families, domestic security, seniors, veterans, and ecosystem protection.

Education

Keating attended Boston College, where he received a B.A. and a Masters in Business Administration. He later entered Suffolk University Law School while serving in the State House. He became a member of the state bar in 1985.

Political Experience

State Legislature
In 1977, at the age of 23, Keating was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In 1985, he began serving in the Massachusetts State Senate. During his tenure in the Senate, he served as Senate Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, the Joint Committee on Public Safety, and the Joint Committee on Taxation. He also served as the Senate Chairman of the standing Committee on Steering and Policy.

Norfolk District Attorney
Keating served as the Norfolk District Attorney from 1999 until his election to Congress. During this time, his office pursued cases involving community-based crime prevention, senior abuse, domestic violence, post-traumatic stress disorder services for veterans, school bullying, and drug enforcement. Under his leadership, the Norfolk District Attorney's office became the first in Massachusetts to win a murder conviction in a case lacking a victim's body. He was also a founding member of the Norfolk Advocates for Children, a partnership aimed at aiding abused children.

United States House of Representatives
Since entering Congress in 2010, Keating has served as a senior member of the House, sitting on both the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees. He currently serves as Chairman of the Europe, Eurasia, Energy and Environment subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He also sits on the Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism, as well as the Armed Services subcommittees for Strategic Forces and Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities.

His legislative achievements include renewing the focus on airport perimeter security, introducing legislation to require tamper-resistant prescription drugs, and securing a new cybersecurity mission at Joint Base Cape Cod. He has introduced legislation regarding nuclear power plant safety and protection for fishing communities. Additionally, he has secured federal funding for the district to aid workforce development, coastal resiliency, education, and public safety projects.