John F. Reed

Democrat senior Senator of Rhode Island

Representative
Rhode Island, district 2
January 3, 1991 - January 3, 1993
Representative
Rhode Island, district 2
January 5, 1993 - January 3, 1995
Representative
Rhode Island, district 2
January 4, 1995 - January 3, 1997
Senator
Rhode Island
January 7, 1997 - January 3, 2003
Senator
Rhode Island
January 7, 2003 - January 3, 2009
Senator
Rhode Island
January 6, 2009 - January 3, 2015
Senator
Rhode Island
January 6, 2015 - January 3, 2021
Senator
Rhode Island
January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2027

202-224-4642

@SenJackReed

reed.senate.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

Senate Terms

January 1, 1949 (75 years old)

Birthday

Served as the senior United States senator since 1996
Previously served as a U.S. representative from 1991 to 1997
Graduated from the United States Military Academy and Harvard University
Served in the U.S. Army as an active officer from 1971 to 1979, retiring as a major from the Army Reserve in 1991
Has a background in law, having worked as an associate at a law firm in Washington, D.C., and then at a law firm in Providence, Rhode Island
Elected as a state senator in 1984, serving three terms
Married with one daughter
Has focused on education and health care during his time in the U.S. House of Representatives
Won his Senate seat initially in 1996 and has been re-elected in landslide victories
Mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate in 2008 and for Secretary of Defense positions but expressed a desire to continue serving in the Senate
Holds several committee assignments including Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee and member of the Committee on Appropriations
Advocates for liberal positions on social and economic issues, including supporting abortion rights, affirmative action, LGBTQ rights, fair trade policies, election security, alternative energy, gun control, preventive healthcare, and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants
Opposed the Iraq War and initially supported U.S. backing in Yemen before reversing his stance
Co-signed a letter condemning Azerbaijan’s offensive operations against the Republic of Artsakh and calling for a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Supported President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by September 2021
Proposed a framework to mitigate existential risks from artificial general intelligence