Why the Hatch Foundation chose to honor Sen. Tom Cotton

 
 
 

The Orrin G. Hatch Foundation is continuing its tradition of bringing Senate heavyweights to Utah to honor them with the foundation’s annual Titan of Public Service Award. Two years ago we honored former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his wife, Secretary Elaine Chao. Last year we honored current Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

This year we’re thrilled to host Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton.

Sen. Cotton is an American hero. After college and law school at Harvard, he left a lucrative law practice to join the U.S. Army following the Sept. 11 attacks. He served as an infantry officer in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Between his overseas tours, he also served with The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, which protects the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Sen. Cotton was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge for his bravery in combat.

Sen. Cotton was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. Two years later, in 2014, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating a two-term incumbent. He quickly established himself as a leader on national security, energy and financial services issues. Sen. Cotton also rose through the ranks to become the third-ranking member in Senate Republic Leadership as Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, where he works closely with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Majority Whip John Barrasso to advance legislation and nominees.

In addition to his responsibilities in Senate leadership, Sen. Cotton is the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a senior member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the latter now chaired by Utah Sen. Mike Lee.

On the Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, Sen. Cotton is deeply involved in cybersecurity, aerospace and defense issues. He has been particularly outspoken on the need to protect government data security and guard against unauthorized foreign access to Americans’ private information. He has also been a strong advocate for our nation’s military and ensuring the United States’ continued position as a global superpower. On foreign policy, like Sen. Hatch, Sen. Cotton is a steadfast defender of Israel and a strong opponent of Iran’s efforts to sow terror and instability in the Middle East. He’s also one of the most vocal critics of communist China’s influence, having recently published a New York Times bestselling book on this topic.

When it comes to energy issues, Sen. Cotton has long advocated for energy independence and the need to unlock our nation’s natural resources. As an avid hunter and outdoor enthusiast, he values the importance of protecting access to wilderness areas and defending Americans’ Second Amendment rights.

A strong conservative, Sen. Cotton also looks for opportunities to work across the aisle with his Democratic colleagues. His recent bipartisan efforts include a bill with Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine to examine the academic and mental health impacts of cellphone use in schools and a bill to reduce drug shortages.

Sen. Cotton’s work and experience touch on areas of significant importance to Utahns. His focus on defense and national security issues is crucially important to our state’s military installations and burgeoning aerospace and defense industries. He is deeply involved in cloud and data privacy issues, both of which are central to Utah’s tech sector. And few subjects are more important to our state than energy production and natural resources, where Sen. Cotton has an important voice.

On a personal level, Sen. Cotton enjoyed a warm relationship with Sen. Hatch during their time in the Senate. Sen. Hatch recognized Sen. Cotton’s tremendous abilities early on and sought opportunities to mentor the young senator, knowing he would become an important leader for our country.

Sen. Cotton represents the best of American leadership. He served with bravery and distinction in the military, where he risked his life defending our nation’s interests. As a senator, he has continued to stand up for those interests, ensuring our country has the tools it needs to defend itself and promote peace and stability abroad. He believes deeply in America’s greatness and capacity to make the world a better place.

Sen. Cotton is a true Titan of Public Service. The Hatch Foundation is thrilled to honor him and introduce him to more of our fellow Utahns. He’s someone we all should know.

Sen. Cotton will receive the Titan of Public Service Award at a special gala in Salt Lake City on August 7. For ticket inquiries, please visit orrinhatchfoundation.org/titan.

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Matt is the executive director of the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation. A 15-year veteran of Capitol Hill, he served as senior counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee and as Senator Hatch’s chief of staff.

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