Jack Reed (D-RI) began his congressional service in the House of Representatives in 1990. In 1996, the people of Rhode Island elected Reed to succeed Claiborne Pell as the state’s 46th U.S. Senator. Reed was appointed by the Senate leadership to the Goldwater Foundation Board in 2016.

Reed’s long-standing interest in higher education and experience serving on the faculty at the U.S. Military Academy made him an obvious choice for an appointment to the Goldwater Board. In the Senate, Reed has been a leading voice on college affordability and student loan debt. He helped write law preventing interest rate increases on new loans to millions of college students, and fought efforts to increase student borrowing costs. He has proposed a Student Loan Borrowers Bill of Rights and has offered legislation to reform disclosure and servicing standards for both federal and private student loans.

Reed is a national leader on consumer protection, defense, education and economic issues. He has led efforts to promote responsible budgets, create jobs, and strengthen the U.S. economy. Today, Senator Reed serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and in that capacity serves as an ex officio member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Reed serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee and is the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. He also holds senior membership on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Jack’s parents instilled in him the importance of getting an education, serving his country and giving back to his community. Reed graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1971. He subsequently earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1982. In the military, Reed served in the 82nd Airborne Division as an Infantry Platoon Leader, Company Commander and Battalion Staff Officer. Reed earned the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge and Expert Infantry Badge.