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Thad Cochran

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This is a profile of a U.S. senator. (See all the Mississippi portal for all incumbents, candidates and blogs.)

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Thad Cochran currently serves as the Sr. Senator for Mississippi

William Thad Cochran, a Republican, has been a U.S. Senator from Mississippi since 1978. (map)

Contents

Record and controversies

General information about important bills and votes for can be found in Congresspedia's articles on legislation. You can add information you find on how Thad Cochran voted by clicking the "[edit]" link to the right and typing it in. Remember to cite your sources!

Iraq War

Cochran voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq in Oct. 2002.

In 2003, Cochran killed an amendment to the FY2004 defense appropriations bill (S.AMDT.1271) by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), requiring the Defense Secretary to submit a report to Congress every thirty days detailing the costs of military action, the number of troops deployed in the region, and any contributions received from foreign governments. Supporters argued that the Bush administration was using deceitful tactics to circumvent Congress's right to appropriate funds for the war. Republican opposition was unanimous, and Sen. Cochran effectively motioned to table (kill) the amendment.

Main article: Congressional actions on the Iraq War following the 2003 U.S. invasion

On March 27, 2007, Cochran introduced an amendment to the Senate's Iraq supplemental spending bill to strip the withdrawal deadline from the measure. The amendment was narrowly defeated, 48-50, with the support of two Republicans.

Main article: U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, 2007 (H.R.1591)
For more information see the chart of U.S. Senate votes on the Iraq War.

Environmental record

For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Budget

In 2006, the Republican-led 109th Congress was unable to pass spending bills for the next fiscal year. After learning that the bills would not be completed during the 109th Congress and would require a continuing resolution, a spokesperson for then Committee Chair Cochran stated, “Senator Cochran thinks it’s completely irresponsible that the responsibilities of this Congress have been abdicated for the year.”

Main article: Continuing resolution of 2007

Bio

Background

Cochran was born December 7, 1937 in Pontotoc, Mississippi. He earned Eagle Scout rank as a youth and graduated from Byram High School near Jackson. He received a B.A. degree from the University of Mississippi with a major in psychology and a minor in political science in 1959. After serving in the United States Navy (1959-1961), he attended the University of Mississippi School of Law and graduated in 1965. He practiced law for seven years.

Cochran had always been active in politics, working on several state Democratic campaigns. He became a Republican in the late 1960s and served as Mississippi executive director of Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign.

In 1972, Cochran ran succesfully for Congress. He was reelected in 1974, and by an even larger margin in 1976.

Senate Career

In 1978, James Eastland retired after six terms in the Senate, and Corchran decided to run. Cochran defeated state senator and future circuit court judge Charles Pickering, Sr. for the Republican nomination. The independent candidacy of Charles Evers, mayor of Fayette and brother of slain civil rights worker Medgar Evers, siphoned off enough black votes from Democrat Maurice Dantin to allow Cochran to become the first Republican to win a statewide election in Mississippi since Reconstruction. When Eastland resigned two days after Christmas, Cochran was appointed to the seat and started his Senate career a week early. He was reelected in 1984, was unopposed in 1990, reelected with over 70 percent of the vote in 1996 and faced no major-party opposition in 2002.

Cochran's voting record has been fairly moderate by Southern Republican standards. He has maintained a very low profile, at least compared to his colleague Trent Lott, who was elected to the Senate in 1988.

Money in politics

This section contains links to – and feeds from – money in politics databases. For specific controversies, see this article's record and controversies section. <crpcontribdata>cid=N00003328&cycle=2006</crpcontribdata>

Links to more campaign contribution information for Thad Cochran
from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org site.
Fundraising profile: 2006 election cycle Career totals
Top contributors by organization/corporation: 2006 election cycle Career totals
Top contributors by industry: 2006 election cycle Career totals


Committees and Affiliations

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

Coalitions and Caucuses

More Background Data

Wikipedia also has an article on Thad Cochran. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the GFDL.

Contact

DC Office:
113 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2402
Phone:202-224-5054
Fax:202-224-9450
Web Email
Website

District Office- Gulfport:
14094 Customs Boulevard, Suite 201
Gulfport, MS 39503
Phone: 228-867-9710
Fax: 228-867-9789

District Office- Jackson:
188 East Capitol Street, Suite 614
Jackson, MS 39201-2125
Phone: 601-965-4459
Fax: 601-965-4919

District Office- Oxford:
United States Federal Courthouse
911 East Jackson Avenue, Suite 249
Oxford, MS 38655
Phone: 662-236-1018
Fax: 662-236-7618

Articles and Resources

Sources


External resources

External articles

Local blogs and discussion sites

Corresponding article on Wikipedia and Cause Caller. (If Cause Caller link does not work, pick from its list of senators and representatives.)

Current Office: U.S. Senate
111th Congress
Leadership Position:
 Committees Chaired:
 Committees,
Ranking Member On:
Senate Committee on Appropriations		 Caucuses:
Committees:
110th Congress
Leadership Position:
None		 Committees Chaired:
 Committees,
Ranking Member On:
Senate Committee on Appropriations		 Caucuses:
Committees: Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry, Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry/Subcommittee on Nutrition and Food Assistance Sustainable and Organic Agriculture and General Legislation, Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry/Subcommittee on Production Income Protection and Price Support, Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry/Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization Conservation Forestry and Credit, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senate Committee on Appropriations/Subcommittee on Agriculture Rural Development Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, Senate Committee on Appropriations/Subcommittee on Defense, Senate Committee on Appropriations/Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Senate Committee on Appropriations/Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Senate Committee on Appropriations/Subcommittee on Interior Environment and Related Agencies, Senate Committee on Appropriations/Subcommittee on Labor Health and Human Services Education and Related Agencies, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
Congressional Career
First Elected to Current Office:
November 7, 1978		 First Took Current Office:
December 27, 1978		 Next Election:
November 4, 2014		 Term Ends:
Freshman Member?
no		 Previous Political Work?
U.S. House of Representatives		 Other Party Membership:
District Offices:
1. 14094 Customs Boulevard, Suite 201, Gulfport, MS 39503
Phone: 228-867-9710 / Fax: 228-867-9789
2. 188 East Capitol Street, Suite 614, Jackson, MS 39201-2125
Phone: 601-965-4459 / Fax: 601-965-4919
3. United States Federal Courthouse, 911 East Jackson Avenue, Suite 249, Oxford, MS 38655
Phone: 662-236-1018 / Fax: 662-236-7618
Campaign Contact:

Website:
Webform Email: / Email:

Campaign Offices:

1.
Phone: / Fax:
Zip Code Affiliations:
Misc:

Date of Birth: December 7, 1937







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