Senator Tom Cotton

Senator

Tom Cotton is a United States Senator from Arkansas. His committees include the Judiciary Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, the Intelligence Committee, and the Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member of the Air Land Power Subcommittee.

Senator Cotton is a 6th generation Arkansan who was born and raised on his family’s cattle farm in Yell County. He graduated from Dardanelle High School before going to Harvard and Harvard Law School.

The tragic attacks of September 11, 2001 occurred during Senator Cotton’s final year of law school, and he began to reconsider his future plans. After a clerkship with the U.S. Court of Appeals and a short time in a private law practice, he joined the United States Army as an Infantry Officer where he spent nearly 5 years on active duty.

Senator Cotton completed combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, where he served with the 101st Airborne and a Provincial Reconstruction Team. Between his two combat tours he served as a platoon leader with the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, the unit responsible for military honors funerals. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge and Ranger Tab.

Prior to his election to the Senate, Senator Cotton worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Co. and served one term in the House of Representatives.

Senator Cotton and his wife Anna have two sons, Gabriel and Daniel.