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Birthday: 12/07/1937

Religion: Baptist

Website: http://cochran.senate.gov

COCHRAN, William Thad, a Representative and a Senator from Mississippi; born in Pontotoc, Pontotoc County, Miss., December 7, 1937; educated in the public schools of Mississippi; graduated, University of Mississippi, Oxford 1959 and the University of Mississippi Law School 1965; studied international law and jurisprudence at Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland 1963-1964; served in the United States Navy 1959-1961; admitted to the Mississippi bar in 1965 and commenced practice in Jackson; elected as a Republican to the Ninety-third Congress in 1972; reelected to the Ninety-fourth and Ninety-fifth Congresses and served from January 3, 1973, until his resignation on December 26, 1978; was not a candidate for reelection to the House of Representatives, but was elected in 1978 to the United States Senate for the term commencing January 3, 1979; subsequently appointed by the Governor, December 27, 1978, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James O. Eastland for the term ending January 3, 1979; reelected in 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, and again in 2008 for the term ending January 3, 2015; chair, Senate Republican Conference (1991-97), Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (One Hundred Eighth Congress); Committee on Appropriations (One Hundred Ninth Congress).