Education
While in college, Coverdell was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
President Bush greets Nancy Coverdell after signing in honor of her husband, Paul Coverdell, a former director of the Peace Corps.
While in college, Coverdell was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
He worked against tax increases, to protect more federal lands in national parks, and for humanitarian concerns. He was active in writing policies to toughen drug sentencing and enhance law enforcement efforts. His crowning achievement in his Senate career came in the area of education. Coverdell drafted new legislation allowing individuals to make pretax contributions to educational savings accounts, now known as Coverdell Education Savings Accounts.
He served in the state senate for the next eighteen years. After four years Coverdell became the leader of the senate Republicans, a post that he held until he left the legislature. Coverdell served as state party chair from 1985 to 1987. In 1988 he became a leading supporter of George H. W. Bush's presidential campaign. In 1989 President Bush named Coverdell director of the Peace Corps, a position he held until 1991. Later on Coverdell left the agency to run against incumbent Georgia Democratic senator Wyche Fowler in 1992. Coverdell faced a strong primary challenge from a former U.S. attorney, Bob Barr. Barr proved to be an aggressive campaigner, and Coverdell was forced into a runoff, which he won by fewer than 1,600 votes. The general election also proved difficult.In the Senate, Coverdell was appointed to the committees on foreign relations, agriculture, and small business.