James T. Brett

Portrait of Brett, circa 1983

Brett (right) in 2022 with U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, who had been Brett's successor in the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Brett (right) with Governor Maura Healey in 2023

Brett grew up in Savin Hill as one of six siblings, the eldest of whom, Jack, was born with an intellectual disability and died in 2010. In high school, Brett participated in a federal TRIO program called Upward Bound, which works with students to prepare them for college.

From 1980-81, Brett was the Massachusetts' assistant secretary of energy.[1]

Brett represented the 14th Suffolk District from 1981 until his resignation in 1996. As a member of the House, Brett served as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Banks and Banking, the Joint Committee on Criminal Justice, the Joint Committee on Congressional Redistricting, the Joint Committee on Counties, the House Committee on Legislative Redistricting, the House Committee on Taxation, and the House Committee on Banking.[2]

In 1993, he was a candidate in the Boston mayoral election. He finished second in the nonpartisan primary, but lost in the general election to Acting Mayor Thomas Menino.[3]

Since 1996, Brett has been the president and CEO of the New England Council.[2] He was appointed to the position in October 1996.[4]

Brett, whose brother had intellectual disabilities, has been a longtime advocate for people with disabilities.[5]

President George W. Bush appointed Brett to the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities,[6] with Brett serving from 2002 into 2006.[7] In May 2011, President Barack Obama named Brett the committee's chairman.[8] His tenure as chair lasted into 2013.[6] He continued to serve on the committee into the Trump administration.[9] Brett rejoined the committee in 2014, when Obama appointed him to again serve as a member.[7] In March 2022, President Joe Biden named Brett to again serve as a member of the commission.[10] That June, Biden selected him to again serve as chairman of the committee.[11]

In May 2016, the U.S. House of Representatives appointed Brett to the National Council on Disability,[9] with Brett being a choice of Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.[12] During part of his tenure, Brett has been the council's vice chairman.[13]

Brett has also served as chair of the Massachusetts Disabled Persons Protection Commission[9] and the Massachusetts Intellectual Disability Commission.[14]

Brett formerly served as the president of the board of directors of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health.[15] Brett as served on the advisory councils of the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps and the New England Center for Children.[16]

Brett served as the co-host of D.C. Dialogue, a public affairs program broadcast monthly on New England Cable News.[4]

In 2019, Brett received an honorary doctorate from Beacon College.[17] He has also received honorary degrees from Franklin Pierce University and Merrimack College.[6]

In 2018, the Éire Society of Boston presented its Gold Medal award to Brett.[9] That same year, the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health awarded Brett the Michael and Kitty Dukakis Lifetime Achievement Award.[18] In 2023, Brett was the first-ever recipient of the Cultural Centre of Greater Boston's Brian J Donnelly Award.[19] Brett has also received Action for Boston Community Development’s Lifetime Public Service Award, Massachusetts Special Olympics' Distinguished Leadership Award, and Hospice of Boston's Humanitarian of the Year Award, and the Disability Law Center's Edward M. Kennedy Leadership Award.[16]

In 2021, EP Magazine (formerly Exceptional Parent Magazine) named Brett to the "50 for 50 Advocate Heroes" list compiled for the publication's 50th anniversary.[4]

In 1996, in honor of Brett, Bay Cove Human Services of Boston named a community home serving disabled adults "Brett House".[16]

In 2013, the University of Massachusetts Boston established an endowed chair named for Brett. The James T. Brett Chair in Disability and Workforce Development is the United States' only endowed chair in disability and workforce development.[20]

• Appearances on C-SPAN