# Tom Cotton Republican Senator · AR [Official site ↗](https://www.cotton.senate.gov) [JSON](https://whovotedwhy.com/data/politicians/C001095.json) [Report an error](mailto:hello@jonasneves.com?subject=WhoVotedWhy%20correction%3A%20member%20C001095&body=Row%20or%20page%3A%20member%20C001095%0AWhat%20is%20wrong%3A%0APrimary%20source%20that%20shows%20it%3A%0A) 4 press releases on AI $83K from AI-industry employees and PACs Data as of: votes Oct 21, 2026 · statements Oct 19, 2026 · contributions Oct 19, 2026 · super PAC spending Oct 23, 2026. [What changed](https://whovotedwhy.com/data/changes.json) ## Said and voted ### Same bill, both records Bills this member both voted on and cited in a release. Shown side by side; no score is drawn from them ([why](https://whovotedwhy.com/about)). [Ratepayer Protection Act](https://whovotedwhy.com/bills/a43d67bbafe647d3) YEA [On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed](https://whovotedwhy.com/votes/c4ab5f94505ce4d8) cloture · Sep 30, 2026 · Rejected 57-43 neutral Sep 23, 2026 Supports legislation requiring data centers to pay full costs of grid infrastructure rather than passing costs to ratepayers. [Read the release ↗](https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-announces-support-for-bill-to-protect-arkansans-from-paying-for-data-centers/) ### What they said toward oversight Oct 2, 2026 Cotton and colleagues urged preserving domestic silicon carbide semiconductor manufacturing, a component used in AI data centers, to counter China. “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tatum Wallace or Hannah McCarthy October 2, 2026 Cotton, Senators to Hegseth, Lutnick: Preserve Domestic Critical Mineral Supply Chain to Beat Communist China WASHIN…” [Source ↗](https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-senators-to-hegseth-lutnick-preserve-domestic-critical-mineral-supply-chain-to-beat-communist-china/) neutral Sep 23, 2026 Supports legislation requiring data centers to pay full costs of grid infrastructure rather than passing costs to ratepayers. “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tatum Wallace or Hannah McCarthy September 23, 2026 Cotton Announces Support for Bill to Protect Arkansans from Paying for Data Centers WASHINGTON—Senator Tom Cotton…” [Source ↗](https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-announces-support-for-bill-to-protect-arkansans-from-paying-for-data-centers/) [cites HR.9340 by title](https://whovotedwhy.com/bills/a43d67bbafe647d3) mixed Jul 30, 2026 Cotton urges strict export controls on advanced compute and a government-wide ban on contractor use of Chinese AI models, while promoting maximal diffusion and adoption of American models to secure U.S. AI dominance. “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tatum Wallace or Hannah McCarthy July 30, 2026 Cotton to Lutnick: Combat Communist China’s AI Diffusion Strategy WASHINGTON — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) sent a …” [Source ↗](https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-to-lutnick-combat-communist-chinas-ai-diffusion-strategy) mixed Jul 30, 2026 Cotton urges strict export controls on advanced compute and a government-wide ban on contractor use of Chinese AI models, while promoting maximal diffusion and adoption of American models to secure U.S. AI dominance. “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tatum Wallace or Hannah McCarthy July 30, 2026 Cotton to Lutnick: Combat Communist China’s AI Diffusion Strategy WASHINGTON — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) sent a …” [Source ↗](https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-to-lutnick-combat-communist-chinas-ai-diffusion-strategy/) Summaries and stance tags are written by a model; the release is the record. ### How they voted YEA Sep 30, 2026 [Ratepayer Protection Act](https://whovotedwhy.com/votes/c4ab5f94505ce4d8) cloture · H.R. 9340 · Rejected 57-43 NAY Jul 16, 2026 [A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model".](https://whovotedwhy.com/votes/de7744646acadb2c) motion to proceed · S.J.Res. 198 · Rejected 46-50 YEA Jul 14, 2026 [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027](https://whovotedwhy.com/votes/1582c6eb48e4c5fc) cloture · S. 4784 · Rejected 50-46 YEA Dec 17, 2025 [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://whovotedwhy.com/votes/bca10742d0876330) procedural · S. 1071 · Agreed to 77-20 YEA Dec 15, 2025 [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://whovotedwhy.com/votes/47dfb73a82b0a2ce) cloture · S. 1071 · Agreed to 76-20 YEA Dec 11, 2025 [National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://whovotedwhy.com/votes/dd1489dacf44112f) motion to proceed · S. 1071 · Agreed to 75-22 YEA Jul 1, 2025 [To strike the section relating to support for artificial intelligence.](https://whovotedwhy.com/votes/5759c87e484cf21b) amendment · H.R. 1 · S.Amdt. 2814 · Agreed to 99-1 ## Contributions from AI-industry employees and PACs Itemized receipts to this member's campaign committee where the contributor's employer or the contributing PAC is on the alias list. An employee's personal gift is not the company's. $71K From employees and investors, personally $12K From company PACs ### By employer Company PACs in teal; employees' personal gifts in black. Spellings are unified through the alias list. ### Largest gifts | Date | Contributor | Employer, as filed | Amount | Filing | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Feb 4, 2026 | GOOGLE NETPAC | PAC | $5K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202602199834759242) | | Aug 29, 2025 | Kent Walker | GOOGLE | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202510159791114637) | | Jun 22, 2026 | Jason Clinton | ANTHROPIC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875700239) | | Jun 3, 2026 | Brian Chen | ANTHROPIC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875699983) | | May 20, 2026 | Peter Lofgren | ANTHROPIC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875699761) | | May 19, 2026 | Trenton Bricken | ANTHROPIC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875699746) | | May 18, 2026 | Jan Leike | ANTHROPIC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875699724) | | May 18, 2026 | Andrew Jones | ANTHROPIC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875699723) | | May 13, 2026 | Tao Lin | ANTHROPIC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875699663) | | May 12, 2026 | Elizabeth Edwards-Appell | ANTHROPIC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875699653) | | Apr 29, 2026 | Daniel Ziegler | ANTHROPIC PBC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202607159875699504) | | Feb 27, 2026 | Joel Kaplan | FACEBOOK | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202604159857685046) | | Jan 31, 2026 | Shyam Sankar | PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202604159857685439) | | Oct 25, 2025 | Drake Thomas | ANTHROPIC PBC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202601319795579479) | | Oct 25, 2025 | Drake Thomas | ANTHROPIC PBC | $4K | [↗](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202601319795579455) | Source: [OpenFEC Schedule A](https://api.open.fec.gov), itemized receipts only, 2026 cycle, read Oct 19, 2026. The FEC itemizes a contributor once their gifts to a committee pass $200 in aggregate.