Jack Reed ( politician ) John Francis “ Jack ” Reed ( born November 12 , 1949 ) is the senior United States Senator from Rhode Island , serving since 1997 . A member of the Democratic Party , he previously served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1991 to 1997 . Early life , education and career . Reed was born in Cranston , Rhode Island , the son of Mary Louise ( née Monahan ) and Joseph Anthony Reed . Reed graduated from La Salle Academy and the United States Military Academy at West Point , where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971 . Following graduation , he spent several years in active duty military service . Reed earned the Ranger Tab and was a paratrooper . He served as a paratrooper in the 2nd Battalion , 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment , 82nd Airborne Division where he was a Platoon Leader , Company Commander , and Battalion Staff Officer . Reed attended the John F . Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University , where he received a Masters of Public Policy . He returned to West Point in 1978 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences . He left active duty in 1979 after earning the rank of Captain . However , he would remain a member of the United States Army Reserve until 1991 . After leaving active duty , Reed enrolled in Harvard Law School , where he became a member of the Board of Student Advisers . In 1982 , he graduated with his Juris Doctor and worked as an associate at the Washington , D . C . office of law firm of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan . Afterwards , he returned to Rhode Island and joined Edwards and Angell , a Providence law firm . He worked with this group until 1990 . Reed was elected as a state senator in 1984 and served three terms . Reed married professional Senate staffer Julia Hart in a Roman Catholic ceremony in the Catholic chapel on the United States Military Academy campus on April 16 , 2005 . On January 5 , 2007 , Mrs . Reed gave birth to a daughter , Emily . U . S . House of Representatives . In 1990 , Reed was elected to the United States House of Representatives , receiving 59 % of the vote in the general election . For the next six years , Reed focused on education and health care . U . S . Senate . Political campaigns . When Senator Claiborne Pell , the longest - serving Senator in Rhode Island ' s history and the 13th - longest serving Senator in US history announced his retirement in 1996 , Reed declared his candidacy . Reed won the Democratic primary with 86 % of the vote and beat the Republican nominee , Rhode Island General Treasurer Nancy Mayer , in the general election by 63 % to 35 % . Reed ran for re - election to a second term . He was unopposed in the Democratic primary and his Republican opponent was Robert Tingle , a casino pit manager and the unsuccessful Republican nominee for the state ' s 2nd congressional district in 2000 . Reed won by 78 % to 22 % . In 2008 , ran for re - election to a third term . He faced a primary challenge which he easily turned aside , winning with 87 % of the vote . In the general election , he faced a re - match against Robert Tingle . Reed again won a landslide victory , by 73 % to 28 % . Reed has announced that he will run for re - election to a fourth term in 2014 . Polling shows him leading prospective Republican opponents by margins of between 29 % and 65 % . Political future . In 2008 , Reed was mentioned as a potential Vice Presidential running mate for Barack Obama . On 14 July 2008 , Reed announced that he was " not interested " in becoming Obama ' s running mate . Reed has consistently been speculated as a possible Secretary of Defense . In late 2010 , he turned down an offer from President Obama to succeed Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense . The position was ultimately filled by Leon Panetta . After President Obama was re - elected in 2012 , Reed was again mentioned as a possible nominee for Secretary of Defense , as well as for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency . Once again , he denied interest in either position . Political positions . Since his election to Congress , Reed has consistently voted in a similar manner to other New England Democrats , holding generally liberal positions on social and economic issues . Reed has voted with his party 94 . 7 % of the time . Healthcare . Reed has been an advocate of preventive healthcare . He has generally followed the Democratic line by supporting increased Medicare funding , enrolling more Americans into programs that help the uninsured , allowing prescription drugs to be imported from Canada , and negotiating bulk medication purchases for Medicare in order to lower costs . However , in 2003 , he stated that individual states should be allowed to negotiate these bulk purchases on their own . Economy and jobs . Reed has generally supported fair trade policies over similar ones advocating free trade . He voted against renewing presidential authority for ' fast tracking ' normalized trade relations . He also opposed CAFTA and similar free trade proposals for Chile , Singapore , Peru , and Oman . However , Reed voted in favor of normalizing trade relations with China . He has also been a strong supporter of unionizing workers , and he has criticized government and business interference with these groups . He also supports increasing the minimum wage and unemployment compensation . Civil rights . Reed supports affirmative action . He has voted to expand such policies and to set aside money for women and minorities from the highway fund . Reed also has supported gay rights , voting against a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage , while voting in favor of measures that prevent job discrimination and hate crimes against homosexuals . Reed has also consistently voted against proposals to change the Constitution to ban flag desecration and has criticized wiretapping policies . Abortion . He is strongly pro - choice , and he has rejected proposals to limit late - term abortion , such procedures from occurring on military installations , and the ability of minors to cross state lines to obtain abortions . Energy . Reed supports limiting American oil use and expanding alternative energy . He opposes Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling and federal subsidies for oil exploration , while favoring a 40 percent reduction in oil use by 2025 and funding for hydrogen automobiles . However , he voted to end discussions on Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards . Reed has also been an outspoken proponent of stronger restrictions of mercury use , as well as an end to commercial whaling . Gun control . Reed has continuously voted against limiting lawsuits on gun manufacturers and has favored expanding gun control . He voted against loosening background checks at gun shows . The NRA has given Reed a F rating on gun control . > http : / / www . nytimes . com / interactive / 2012 / 12 / 19 / us / politics / nra . html Immigration . Although he voted for the 1996 Immigration Reform Bill , Reed has generally supported allowing illegal immigrants and foreign workers to enter the path to citizenship . He supports Guest Worker programs and allowing immigrants to have access to Social Security . He rejected the idea of establishing English as the nation ' s official language and has been critical of the effort to fence the US - Mexican border . He is the author of the Reed Amendment , which permits former U . S . citizens to be denied entry to the country if they are believed to have renounced for tax reasons . On February 23 , 2010 , Reed co - sponsored the DREAM Act , a piece of legislation that would allow undocumented students living in the United States from a very young age to gain legal status . When asked about voting against Social Security benefits going to illegal immigrants , Reed said that he supported this interim measure and " any such agreement must be fully examined so that it does not adversely impact benefits earned by American citizens . " Veteran affairs . Reed has made it a point to maintain liaisons within his office specifically to interact with discharged veterans of the Armed Services . These liaisons often help veterans enter the Department of Veteran Affairs , ensuring that these former servicemen and servicewomen can receive medical care . War in Iraq . Reed was one of 23 US senators to vote against H . J . Resolution 114 , which authorized President George W . Bush to use force against Iraq in 2002 . In 2007 , Reed elaborated on his sentiments , saying " It was a flawed strategy that diverted attention and resources away from hunting down Osama bin Laden ' s terrorist network . " Like General Petraeus , Reed said that he believed the real problems in Iraq were political and unrelated to the military . Electoral history . United States Senate election in Rhode Island , 2008 United States Senate election in Rhode Island , 2002 United States Senate election in Rhode Island , 1996