At long last, our friends in Israel have won the war by defeating the depraved Hamas savages that launched the heinous, unprovoked attack from Gaza on Oct. 7. After the most devastating assault on Jews since the Holocaust, which was followed by two years of fighting, suffering, and death, the living hostages are home, and a new day has dawned in the Middle East. Earlier this week, I joined my fellow Arkansans in rejoicing and thanking God for answering our prayers and bringing those hostages... Read More

Incredibly, the Democrats are here to condemn President Trump’s recent strikes against narco-terrorists operating in our backyard. Maybe they want to distract from the Schumer Shutdown by tying the president’s hands and siding with narco-terrorists who have the blood of hundreds of thousands of Americans on their hands. Whatever the reason, this would be foolhardy. If you think I’m exaggerating here, let me remind you of the kind of depraved savages we’re dealing with. Recall the Tren de Aragua... Read More

Good afternoon. This hearing will come to order. I’d like to welcome you all to today’s hearing to consider the nominations of Mr. Peter Metzger to be the assistant secretary for intelligence and analysis at the Department of the Treasury and Mr. Joshua Simmons to be the general counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency. I would like to remind all those in attendance that while you are welcome to observe today’s hearing, Vice Chairman Warner and I agree that we will not allow disruptions by the... Read More

Senator Cotton: When a criminal is convicted of a crime and locked away in prison, you would think that would put a stop to their illicit activity. Sadly, in too many tragic cases, criminals just continue their wicked ways behind bars. That’s because tens of thousands of contraband cellphones are smuggled into and throughout prisons, enabling convicted criminals to carry on with their criminal business as usual from behind bars. Contraband cellphones in prisons pose a severe threat to public... Read More

Senator Cotton: Here we go again. Hamas is on the verge of defeat, so it’s cranked up the propaganda machine once again. Now, Hamas wants the world to believe that Israel has undertaken a campaign of deliberate starvation of the Gazan population. And, as usual, Hamas can count on an international media and political chorus to fight their battles for them and try to bully Israel into submission. So, I’d like to set the record straight. First, let me observe that no decent person wants to see... Read More

Senator Cotton: Today, I urge my colleagues to confirm Warren Stephens to be our next United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. President Trump could not have chosen a more well-qualified or well-suited person to lead the special relationship between our two nations.   Warren Stephens is a family man, businessman, philanthropist, and patriot who is a pillar of his community and his family-owned financial firm, Stephens Inc. Founded on a handshake by his father, Jack, and his uncle Witt,... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353April 9, 2025 Cotton Again Blocks Democrats’ Attempt to Extend TikTok Ban Deadline “Let me say bluntly to any American who wants to invest in some half-assed TikTok deal—Congress will never protect you from going into business with Communist China.” Click here to view Senator Cotton’s floor speech.  Senator Cotton: Reserving the right to object, because I do object to this effort and will object to future efforts to... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353April 9, 2025 Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Cotton’s Opening Remarks at Confirmation Hearing for Intelligence Officials   Washington, D.C. — Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today delivered the below opening statement at the confirmation hearing of Aaron Lukas to be Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Joseph Kent to be Director of the National Counterterrorism... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353April 9, 2025 Cotton Supports Mike Huckabee’s Confirmation as Ambassador to Israel Click here to view Senator Cotton’s floor speech. Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today spoke on the Senate floor prior to the vote confirming Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel. Senator Cotton’s floor speech may be found here and below.   Senator Cotton: Thank you, Mr. President. Today I urge my Senate colleagues... Read More

Thank you, Chairman Risch, Senator Shaheen, and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Good morning.  I’m honored to introduce today a remarkable family man, businessman, philanthropist, patriot, and, not least, my friend and fellow Arkansan, Warren Stephens.  I’ve known Warren and his family for many years. I’d like to acknowledge his wife, Harriet, and his children, Miles, John, and Laura and their spouses, for their support during his confirmation process. Along with his family... Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353March 25, 2025 Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Cotton’s Opening Remarks as Delivered at the Worldwide Threat Assessment Hearing Washington, D.C. — Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today delivered the below opening statement at the Intelligence Committee’s annual Worldwide Threat Assessment hearing. Below are his remarks as delivered.   Good morning. Welcome to the Senate... Read More

Here we go again. In just a little over 24 hours, federal funding will run out, and the government will shut down.  Let me state for the record that my Republican colleagues and I are ready to get on with matters and ready to fund the government for the rest of this year. And we all know that the faster we move it over the finish line, the faster our federal government can get to work on behalf of the American people and implement the agenda that the American people elected us to get done. But... Read More

Before we get underway, I’d like to take a brief moment to recognize the terrible loss of life that occurred just a few short blocks from where we are right now.  Our hearts and prayers are with the families and friends who lost loved one’s last night, and with the first responders who are still on the scene.  I’d like to ask us to take a quick moment for silent prayer and reflection.  Next, I want to remind all of those in attendance that, while they are welcome to observe today's hearing, I... Read More

Senator Cotton: Mr. President, unfortunately, we were at the point of almost having a consent agreement to have a vote on the confirmation of John Ratcliffe to be the CIA director tomorrow not today, not yesterday when it should have happened but tomorrow. But the senator from Connecticut has decided to object at the last minute. I don’t really understand the objection to Mr. Ratcliffe. He was confirmed by the Senate to be the director of national intelligence. He was fully vetted through the... Read More

Senator Cotton: Reserving the right to object—which I most certainly do. TikTok isn’t just another social-media platform. TikTok is a Chinese Communist spy app that addicts our kids, harvests their data, targets them with harmful and manipulative content, and spreads communist propaganda.  Congress recognized the unique dangers of TikTok when we voted on a massive bipartisan basis last April to give its Chinese Communist–influenced parent company, ByteDance, 270 days to sell TikTok to an... Read More

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Cotton’s Opening Remarks at the Confirmation Hearing of John Ratcliffe for CIA Director  Washington, D.C. — Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today delivered the below opening statement at the confirmation hearing of John Ratcliffe to serve as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.  Welcome everyone to this hearing on President Trump’s nomination of John Ratcliffe to be our next director of the Central Intelligence... Read More

Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today asked the Senate to pass a resolution condemning the Biden administration’s blanket commutations of 37 death row inmates. Senate Democrats blocked the resolution, illustrating that they continue to support Joe Biden’s soft-on-crime policies, denying justice to the victims and their families.   Senator Cotton: For almost four years now, Joe Biden has subjected our country to economic misery, uncontrolled crime, and international humiliation. And now, on the... Read More

Senator Cotton: Last week, Joe Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 convicted criminals—including drug dealers, fraudsters, and corrupt public officials. These are not sympathetic figures—these are individuals who stole from the poor and poisoned the sick. They tore families apart and menaced communities. They were sent to jail; they belong in jail.  With this action, Joe Biden didn’t just reward 1,500 criminals, he robbed hundreds of thousands of victims of the closure and justice they... Read More

Reserving the right to object—this bill is a threat to U.S. national security and an insult to basic fairness and the principle of equality before the law. This is the biggest giveaway to the liberal press in American history—the so-called PRESS Act would turn reporters into a protected class—free to hold, share, and publish highly classified and dangerous information that no other American is allowed to possess. Passage of this bill would turn the United States Senate into the active accomplice... Read More

Senator Cotton: The state of Israel is facing the deadliest threat to its existence in a generation. To its South, Israel is waging a war of survival against Hamas terrorists, who slaughtered 1,200 Israelis and abducted more than 250 men, women, and children. To its North, Hezbollah—the most armed terrorist organization in the world—is menacing Israeli towns and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. And just last month, Iran launched more than 300 ballistic missiles and attack drones at... Read More