Blackburn, Marsha

Marsha Blackburn is a senior United States senator from Tennessee and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy. As chair, she sets the subcommittee's agenda and determines which technology and privacy-related bills receive hearings and votes—a significant role given the growing importance of digital regulation in Congress. She also chairs the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law within the same committee, giving her substantial influence over how Congress addresses emerging tech policy challenges.

Blackburn's background positions her well for this technology-focused role. Before entering the Senate in 2019, she spent 16 years in the House of Representatives representing Tennessee's 7th district, where the National Journal ranked her among the chamber's most conservative members. Earlier in her career, she worked in business and marketing, including founding and operating Marketing Strategies, a promotion and event management firm she has continued to run. From 1995 to 1997, she served as executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission, giving her experience in media and entertainment industries.

As a senator, Blackburn has maintained a strong conservative voting record and has been a vocal ally of former President Donald Trump. Her committee work reflects her ideological priorities: she serves on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the Finance Committee, in addition to her Judiciary assignments. She has sponsored 261 bills during her tenure, including legislation addressing rural health, business innovation, and technology-related issues.

Blackburn made history in 2018 as the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee. She was reelected in 2024 and became the dean of Tennessee's congressional delegation in 2023. In August 2025, she announced her candidacy for governor of Tennessee in 2026.