Stephen Brewer

{{short description|American politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{BLP sources|date=August 2009}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Stephen Brewer 2010 (2).jpg | caption = Brewer in 2010 | office = Member of the [[Massachusetts Senate]], [[Massachusetts Senate's Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex district|Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex district]] | term_start = 1997 | term_end = 2015 | predecessor = [[Robert D. Wetmore]] | successor = [[Anne Gobi]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|2|10}} | birth_place = [[Worcester, Massachusetts]] | alma_mater = [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]]<br>[[Assumption College (Worcester)|Assumption College]] | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] }} [[File:Stephen M. Brewer (SMB0).jpg|thumb|Official portrait]]

'''Stephen Brewer''' is an American politician who served in the [[Massachusetts Senate]] from 1997 to 2015.

==Early life== Stephen Brewer was born on February 10, 1948, in Worcester, MA.<ref name=Stephen>{{cite web|title=Senator Stephen M. Brewer's Biography|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/4768|publisher=Vote Smart|accessdate=16 September 2012}}</ref> He was raised in the town of [[Barre, Massachusetts]].<ref name="constituent-background" /> He received his B.A. from the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]] in 1971, and his M.A. from [[Assumption College (Worcester)|Assumption College]] in 1974.<ref name=Stephen />

==Political career== Brewer started his political career on the Barre Board of Selectmen, where he served from 1977 to 1984, eventually becoming the board's chairman. He also worked as an aide to state Senator [[Robert D. Wetmore]] from 1980 to 1988. He became a member of the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] in 1989 and moved onto the [[Massachusetts Senate]] in 1997, where he served until his retirement in January 2015.<ref name=Stephen />

In the state Senate he represented the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin District. As the Senate Chair for the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, Brewer was instrumental in the passing of the [[Welcome Home Bill]], a comprehensive package for recent combat veterans to come home to as they transition back to civilian life. He also chaired the Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading and served as vice-chair of the Joint Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.

On October 14, 2011, Sen. Brewer opposed a budget amendment by state Rep. [[James J. Lyons, Jr.]] (R-Andover) that would have required the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services to give a public accounting on state benefits given to immigrants, both documented and undocumented. The amendment died in the resolution phase of the Senate and House versions. Sen. Brewer said, "It was not a Senate priority. I think it needs further study."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2011_1015rep_sits_tight_wins_duel_over_budget |title=Rep sits tight, wins duel over budget - BostonHerald.com |access-date=2011-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018161523/http://bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2011_1015rep_sits_tight_wins_duel_over_budget/ |archive-date=2011-10-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Brewer retired from the Senate at the end of his term in January 2015.<ref>[http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/24473090/mass-state-sen-brewer-to-retire-at-end-of-term Mass. state Sen. Brewer to retire at end of term] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140129161728/http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/24473090/mass-state-sen-brewer-to-retire-at-end-of-term |date=2014-01-29 }}</ref>

==Personal life== Brewer practices Catholicism.<ref name=Stephen /> As of 2009 he resides in Barre with his wife Valerie and two daughters, April and Audrey.<ref name="constituent-background">{{cite web |url = http://www.stevebrewer.org/index.cfm?p=p.27 |title = Background |accessdate = 2010-04-28 |author = Massachusetts State Senator Stephen M. Brewer Constituent Services web site |date = 2009-06-03 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110728055436/http://www.stevebrewer.org/index.cfm?p=p.27 |archivedate = 2011-07-28 }}</ref>

Brewer will be serving as a parade dignitary celebrating the Town of Barre, Massachusetts 250th Anniversary. Brewer will be riding in an old stage coat that was renovated by the Historical Society.

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{succession box | title = Chairman of the Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee | before = [[Steven C. Panagiotakos]] | after =[[Karen Spilka]] | years = 2011–2015}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brewer, Stephen}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Barre, Massachusetts]] [[Category:Democratic Party Massachusetts state senators]] [[Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni]] [[Category:Assumption University (Worcester) alumni]] [[Category:Democratic Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives]] [[Category:1948 births]] [[Category:21st-century members of the Massachusetts General Court]] [[Category:20th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court]]