Reed, Jack

Jack Reed is the senior United States senator from Rhode Island and a member of the Democratic Party. As Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he leads the minority party's efforts on the committee that oversees the nation's military structure, overseas operations, and defense policy. This position grants him significant influence over defense legislation and military oversight, including the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Between 2021 and 2025, Reed chaired the committee when Democrats held the Senate majority.

Reed brings substantial military and legal expertise to his role. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1971 and served as an active-duty Army officer from 1971 to 1979, including service in the 82nd Airborne Division and as an associate professor at West Point. He later earned a Master of Public Policy from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and a law degree from Harvard Law School. After practicing law in Rhode Island, he served in the state senate from 1984 to 1991 before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served from 1991 to 1997. He has represented Rhode Island in the Senate since 1997.

As Ranking Member, Reed has been instrumental in shaping defense policy and military readiness. He has held hearings on military compensation and retirement modernization, military nominations, and strategic defense challenges. He also serves on the Appropriations Committee as Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, and holds senior membership on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. His legislative work spans defense, financial regulation, consumer protection, and education. Reed is known for his bipartisan approach and deep expertise on defense and national security matters, making him one of the Senate's most influential voices on military policy.