Cotton, Tom

Tom Cotton is a Republican politician who has represented Arkansas in the United States Senate since 2015. Before his election to the Senate, he served a term in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Arkansas's 4th congressional district from 2013 to 2015. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Cotton worked as a judicial clerk and in private law practice before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2005, where he served as an officer.

In the Senate, Cotton holds significant influence over national security and intelligence matters. He serves as the Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and is a member of the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. His legislative work often focuses on foreign policy, where he maintains a hawkish stance regarding nations such as China and Iran. He has sponsored numerous bills, including the Know Your American Customer Act and the Educational Visa Transparency Act.

Beyond his committee work, Cotton holds a key leadership position as the Chair of the Senate Republican Conference. His policy priorities frequently involve oversight of emerging threats, cybersecurity, and the management of public lands. Throughout his tenure, he has remained a prominent voice in his party on matters of military strategy and international relations.