Glenn’s political life was also important to him

Glenn participated actively in Ohio politics. Additionally, he supported legislation that would save the environment. He was the governor of every county in Ohio when he was elected to the Senate in 1974. He was then re-elected in 1980, and his constituents viewed him as a senator who was incredibly effective. From 1987 until 1995, Glenn presided over the Committee on Governmental Affairs. He learned of environmental and safety issues with the country's nuclear weapons sites while serving in this capacity. Glenn learned about the issue at the Fernald Feed Materials Production Center, which is close to Cincinnati, and soon discovered that it affected locations all throughout the country.

Glenn chaired many hearings on the subject and asked the General Accounting Office of Congress to conduct investigations. Additionally, he made public the Glenn Report, a study on the possible expense of hazardous waste remediation at former nuclear weapons manufacturing facilities. The remainder of his Senate career was devoted to raising money for the cleanup of the radioactive waste that had been left at the plants.

He also served in the Senate for a second term in 1986, winning re-election with a wide margin of support. He was elected to the Ohio Senate for a fourth time in a row in 1992. As a result, John Glenn made history by becoming the first senator to hold office for more than three terms. He was often consulted whenever the Senate needed technical and scientific expertise, and he won the respect of all the other Senators who would share seats with him, as he was a hardworking man.