John Francis 'Jack' Reed is an American politician, lawyer, and retired Army officer serving as the senior United States senator from Rhode Island since 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously represented Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 1997. Born on November 12, 1949, in Providence, Rhode Island, Reed graduated near the top of his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He served on active duty in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1979, including commanding infantry companies in the 82nd Airborne Division during his time in the 9th Infantry Division, and continued in the Army Reserve until 1991, retiring as a major. After leaving active duty, Reed pursued advanced education at Harvard University, earning a master's degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1982. He worked briefly as an associate at a law firm in Washington, D.C., before entering Rhode Island state politics, serving in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1985 to 1991. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 to succeed Claiborne Pell, Reed has focused on national security, military reform, education, and economic development. He is the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he has been instrumental in addressing extremism in the military and shaping defense policy. Reed has influenced figures like Heidi Beirich in efforts to combat extremism and has been the dean of Rhode Island's congressional delegation since 1999. He is running for re-election in 2026.