Patrick J. Kennedy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Rhode Island's 1st district
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Ronald Machtley
Succeeded by	David Cicilline
Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Martin Frost
Succeeded by	Nita Lowey
Member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from the 9th district
In office 1 January 1989 – 1 January 1993
Succeeded by	Anastasia P. Williams
Personal details
Born	Patrick Joseph Kennedy II July 14, 1967 (age 46) Brighton, Massachusetts, United States
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Amy Petitgout (2011–present)
Relations	Parents: Edward Moore Kennedy Virginia Joan Bennett Siblings: Kara Anne Kennedy (1960–2011) Edward Moore Kennedy, Jr.(born 1961) See also: Kennedy family
Residence	Brigantine, New Jersey, United States[1]
Alma mater	Providence College (B.S.)
Occupation	Politician
Religion	Roman Catholic
Website	Patrick Kennedy Homepage partrickkennedy.house.gov(Kennedy's section at theU.S. House of Representatives official website) kennedyforri.com,("Patrick J. Kennedy for U.S. Congress" campaign's official website)

Patrick Joseph Kennedy II (born July 14, 1967) is the former U.S. Representative forRhode Island's 1st congressional district, serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all of Bristol County and Newport County, and parts of Providence County. Kennedy did not seek re-election in 2010.
A member of the Kennedy family, he is the younger son of the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts. At the time of his father's 2009 death, he was the last remaining member of the Kennedy family to serve in an elective office in Washington. When he retired in 2011, it was the first time since 1947 that there were no members of the Kennedy family in Congress.

Early life and education
He was born in 1967 to Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy and Virginia Joan Bennett inBrighton, Massachusetts, the third of three children, after Kara Anne Kennedy (1960—2011) and Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy, Jr. (born 1961). Patrick was named after his patrilineal great-grandfather, politician Patrick Joseph "P. J." Kennedy.
He graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 1986, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island in 1991.^[2]

Rhode Island House of Representatives
Kennedy became the youngest member of the Kennedy family to hold elected office when, in 1988, he won election to the Rhode Island House of Representatives at age 21. He served two terms in the House serving District 9 in Providence, Rhode Island, choosing not to run for a third term. He was succeeded by Anastasia P. Williams.

Private life and family
He resides in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Kennedy announced his engagement to sixth-grade history teacher Amy Savell (daughter of Jerry^[26] and Leni Savell) on March 28, 2011.^[27] Amy has a daughter, Harper Petitgout, from her previous marriage to Mark Petitgout. They married on July 15, 2011 in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts ^[28] and have a son named Owen Patrick Kennedy, born on April 15, 2012.^[29][30][31]
His father, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, died on August 25, 2009. Patrick made a tearful eulogy at the funeral, saying that "He [Ted] would be very proud to see you all out here today paying a final respect and tribute to his memory". He further elaborated on his experiences with his father as a child, saying his father would stay at his bedside during his frequent bouts of ill health.^[32][33]
Patrick suffers from bipolar disorder.^[34]
When Kennedy decided not to run for reelection in 2010, he cited his decision on the fact that his life "has taken a new direction". Mark Weiner, a major Democratic fundraiser inRhode Island and one of Kennedy's top financial backers, said "It's tough to get up and go to work every day when your partner is not there, I think he just had a broken heart after his father passed away."