Washington, D.C.— Senator Tom Cotton released the following statement on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' (ATF) decision to withdraw a proposedban on ammunition used in the AR-15 rifle:  "I am pleased with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' decision not to pursue a proposed ban at this time, but rest assured I will remain a vigilant defender of Arkansans' Second Amendment rights. I commend... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today announced that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has signed on to the open letter to the Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran about the ongoing nuclear negotiations between their country and the United States. An updated PDF of the official letter is available here. The text of the letter can be found below. An Open Letter to the Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran: It has come to our attention while observing your nuclear... Read More

  WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy about the agency's pending carbon regulations for existing power plants. In addition to expressing his opposition to the pending regulations, Senator Cotton also outlines his concern over how the EPA arrived at certain cost impacts of their regulations.  The letter reads, in part: In reviewing the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) prepared by the... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) along with 46 of his Republican colleagues in the Senate will today release an open letter to the the Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran about the ongoing nuclear negotiations between their country and the United States. A PDF of the official letter can be found here.  The  text of the letter can be found below:    An Open Letter to the Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran:   It has come to our attention... Read More

Washington, D.C.- Senator Tom Cotton (AR) and House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (FL-01) this week introduced the Veterans Heritage Firearms Act of 2015, legislation that would create a 180-day amnesty period for veterans or their family members to register firearms acquired overseas before October 31, 1968 without facing any prosecution. "Our World War II and Korean War Veterans risked their lives in foreign lands in defense of our freedoms. These firearms represent the... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and 21 of their colleagues questioned U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) Director Dan Ashe regarding the agency's consideration of the Northern Long-Eared Bat's (NLEB) addition to the endangered species list. These bats can be found across the entire state of Arkansas, and activities throughout most of our state could be impacted by the current proposals from the Service. A poorly-designed plan to protect the bat... Read More

Washington, D.C.-Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after voting to override the President's veto of legislation approving the Keystone XL Pipeline, which failed by a vote of 62-37: "Today, Senate Democrats once again put politics ahead of best interests of the American people. Their refusal to override the President's veto is nothing more than an attempt to appease their liberal allies. But Arkansans and Americans know the Keystone XL Pipeline is a win for our... Read More

Washington, D.C.— Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to a Joint Meeting of Congress this morning: "I am happy to welcome a truly courageous leader to address the Congress today.  There is no one better equipped to discuss the danger posed by a nuclear Iran than Prime Minister Netanyahu. For decades, Iran has had as its expressed goal for Israel to be 'wiped off the face of the earth' and has been a lead... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and a bipartisan group of 15 Senate cosponsors called Monday for strong action after the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov Friday in Moscow. Johnson, Shaheen and their cosponsors introduced a resolution laying out the known facts not only relating to Nemtsov's work on behalf of freedom and human rights but to the violent deaths suffered by other critics of the Putin... Read More

Washington, D.C. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement on today's vote on Department of Homeland Security funding: "President Obama's immigration executive order is unlawful and a blatant abuse of his Constitutional authority. Congress must do everything in its power to make sure it's stopped-not reward the President and Senate Democrats for playing politics with our national security. We should fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and we should stand with... Read More

  Washington, D.C.— Yesterday, Senator Tom Cotton introduced S. 595, the Hunter and Farmer Protection Act, legislation that would protect farmers from federal penalties levied under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act if they are following best practices provided by their state Cooperative Extension Office. Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the government has the authority to regulate hunting seasons for some protected species and prohibit certain actions in... Read More

  WASHINGTON -U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) along with Congressman French Hill (AR-02) today announced that Pulaski and Faulkner counties are the recipients of a $96,000 grant to help disaster recovery efforts from the 2014 EF4 tornado. "Citizens of Pulaski and Faulkner counties are working together to rebuild and recover from the devastating impact of this disaster. These funds are an important step in the process to continue clean-up efforts and protect... Read More

Washington, D.C.- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement on President Obama's veto of legislation approving the Keystone XL Pipeline: "President Obama's veto of a bipartisan bill approving the Keystone XL Pipeline is regrettable. But what's more concerning is his continued tendency to put his liberal allies ahead of America's best interests. Arkansans and all Americans deserve better. The Keystone XL Pipeline would lower energy costs for all Arkansans, create and... Read More

  Washington, D.C.— Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement applauding Wal-Mart's announcement of a $1 billion investment in its employees:   "Arkansans learn at an early age that success can't be achieved alone and you should thank those who help you get there along the way. Wal-Mart's decision to raise wages for all current employees in the United States illustrates Arkansas values at the company's core. Similarly, their new employee training... Read More

WASHINGTON -U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) along with Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-01), French Hill (AR-02), Steve Womack (AR-03) and Bruce Westerman (AR-04) sent a letter to President Obama last week urging him to resolve contract negotiations between the dock workers union and shipowners at West Coast ports because of the negative economic consequences it's having on Arkansas businesses. Over the weekend, the President sent Labor Secretary Tom... Read More

Washington, D.C.- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today issued the following statement after a federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking President Obama's unilateral actions on immigration: "President Obama's immigration executive order is a stunning display of arrogance and disregard for our Constitution and must be stopped. The court's decision to block the implementation of this order is an important step toward restoring the rule of law and protecting Americans from... Read More

Washington, D.C.-Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after yesterday's release of a video showing the Islamic State executing 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya: "Yesterday, the Islamic State released another video, this time showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya. I express my deepest sympathy to these victims' families and I applaud Egypt's decision to avenge their deaths through coordinated airstrikes. The Islamic State's savagery knows no bounds... Read More

  WASHINGTON -U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) today introduced legislation to restore the right of states to approve or disapprove of electric transmission projects before the federal government exercises its power to take private property. The Assuring Private Property Rights Over Vast Access to Lands (APPROVAL) Act would require that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) receive the approval of both the governor and the public service commission of an... Read More

Washington, D.C.- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement on the Russia-Ukraine cease-fire agreement: "The cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia is yet another victory for Vladimir Putin's revanchist campaign against the West. The terms are almost identical to the failed cease-fire from last September that only emboldened Russia. Now, Putin has killed more innocent people and seized more territory and will get greater autonomy for eastern Ukraine, in exchange for nothing... Read More

  WASHINGTON --U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton, along with U.S. Representative Bruce Westerman (AR-3), today announced the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) received a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant to study foodborne pathogens in order to make our food healthier and prevent foodborne illnesses. "We need to ensure that our food supply remains the safest, most reliable in the world. Investing in UAPB's research strengthens our ability to protect our... Read More