Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after Attorney General Barr announced reforms to the FISA program: "Attorney General Barr continues to make necessary reforms to the Department of Justice's FISA procedures. An FBI Office of Internal Auditing and new directives guarding against FISA abuses-common under James Comey and the Obama administration-will improve accountability and provide tools necessary to pursue justice and keep the American... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold  (202) 734-0430 August 31, 2020   Cotton Bill to Block Unemployment Funds for Rioters   Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) has introduced the Support Peaceful Protest Act, a bill that would make people convicted of federal offenses as part of riots ineligible for virus-related federal unemployment funds. It would also mandate that those convicted of such riot offenses face fines to help... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold (202) 734-0430 August 20, 2020   Cotton Statement on Snapback Sanctions Against Iran   Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notified the United Nations that the United States will seek the reinstatement of all U.N. sanctions on Iran:   “The Iranian regime was never serious about giving up its... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold (202) 734-0430 August 18, 2020   Cotton Statement on Final Russia Investigation Report   Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence issued the fifth and final volume of its bipartisan Russia investigation. Senator Cotton also authored additional views on the report.   “Today, the Senate... Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after the administration announced an agreement was reached to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates: "This deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates moves us closer to a peaceful and stable Middle East. I commend President Trump and Secretary Pompeo for their deft diplomacy to advance America's interests in the region. I congratulate Prime Minister Netanyahu and Crown... Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after China announced sanctions against him: "The Chinese Communist Party imposed these impotent sanctions against me because I defend the real victims of Chinese Communism: the millions of Americans harmed by the Wuhan coronavirus, the workers whose factories shut down and moved offshore to China, the businesses and inventors whose property has been stolen, the Chinese Christians and missionaries whose... Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals vacated an injunction imposed by the district court preventing enforcement of Arkansas's law prohibiting "dismemberment abortions": "After years of obstruction and delay, Arkansas is one step closer to protecting unborn babies from the barbaric method of dismemberment abortion. Today's ruling moves us toward a society that respects the dignity and worth of every... Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement on the president's Executive Order on TikTok: "ByteDance is a Chinese company subject to control of the Chinese Communist Party. Its ownership of TikTok puts at risks the privacy of Americans, especially our kids, and potentially subjects them to manipulation by Beijing. I commend the president for ordering ByteDance to divest from TikTok and I encourage the administration to explore options that will allow... Read More

Washington, D.C.- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) along with Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), and Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia) today introduced the Campus Free Speech Restoration Act, a bill that protects the First Amendment rights of students at public universities from unconstitutional speech codes and so-called free speech zones. It also requires private colleges and universities to honestly disclose their policies on free expression, and obligates private... Read More

      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold  (202) 734-0430 August 5, 2020   Cotton, Blackburn, Loeffler Bill to Allow Concealed Carry for Prosecutors, Federal Judges   Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), along with Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia), introduced the Protect Our Prosecutors and Judges Act, a bill that expands the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act—which... Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced an amendment to the HEALS Act that would prohibit any funds in the HEALS Act-or residual CARES Act funds-from supporting any entity that is under Chinese ownership, control, or influence. The legislation also mandates that the Secretary of the Treasury claw back CARES Act funds provided to Chinese firms. The amendment comes in response to reports that Chinese-owned companies received PPP funding from the CARES Act passed earlier... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold (202) 734-0430 July 30, 2020   Cotton Calls for Law Change After Indictment of UA Professor With China Ties   Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after news that a former University of Arkansas professor with ties to China was indicted on counts of wire and passport fraud:   “Federal law enforcement deserves great credit for putting... Read More

Washington, D.C.-Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today led Senators Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Rick Scott (R-Florida) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) in sending a letter to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray, and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf expressing concern over the Chinese social-media service TikTok. Specifically, the Senators... Read More

  Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) tonight released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court denied the appeal of Nevada's church attendance restriction: "Freedom of religion is our first freedom. Yet the Supreme Court has ruled that casinos can host hundreds of gamblers, while churches cannot welcome their full congregations. Justice Roberts once again got it wrong, shamefully closing church doors to their flocks." Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold  (202) 734-0430 July 23, 2020   Cotton Bill to Defund 1619 Project Curriculum   Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) introduced the Saving American History Act of 2020, a bill that would prohibit the use of federal funds to teach the 1619 Project by K-12 schools or school districts. Schools that teach the 1619 Project would also be ineligible for federal professional-development... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold  (202) 734-0430 July 20, 2020   Ft. Smith Airport Potential Host of Singapore Air Force, F-35 Aircraft   Washington, D.C. — Ft. Smith Airport has been selected as one of five possible sites to host F-35 planes as well as the Republic of Singapore’s F-16 squadron. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) has long advocated for Ft. Smith’s inclusion in this important economic development and... Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after the UK announced Huawei would not be part of its 5G network: "The UK government's decision is a step in the right direction, imposing limits on further Chinese spying on British communications. I urge London to remove completely the risk that Huawei 5G equipment poses to the privacy and security of its people." Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement on the Supreme Court's rulings in the Little Sisters of the Poor case and the Our Lady of Guadalupe case: "The Little Sisters of the Poor and other religious communities have been hounded for years by activist lawyers and politicians who demand they sacrifice their beliefs on the altar of left-wing dogma. I welcome the Supreme Court's rulings to protect religious individuals, so they can live out their... Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) today introduced an amendment to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act that would create a commission to study all Department of Defense assets that are named after or commemorate the Confederacy or anyone associated with the Confederacy. The commission would submit a list of those assets to both Congress and the Secretary of Defense, who would then decide how to move forward on possible renaming.... Read More

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after China passed a national security law for Hong Kong: "Xi Jinping and his Communist thugs must face severe consequences for crushing Hong Kong's freedoms. The House of Representatives should pass the Hong Kong Autonomy Act to impose punishing sanctions on Chinese Communist Party officials. The administration should consider all options at its disposal to deny Beijing the benefits of Hong Kong's special... Read More