John Boozman, American football player, lawyer, and politician, senior senator of Arkansas
John Nichols Boozman ( BOHZ-mən; born December 10, 1950) is an American politician and former optometrist serving as the senior United States senator from Arkansas, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. representative for Arkansas's 3rd congressional district from 2001 to 2011. He is the dean of Arkansas's congressional delegation.
Boozman was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, where his father was stationed with the U.S. Air Force, but the family eventually returned to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he was raised. He is the brother of the late state senator Fay Boozman. He attended the University of Arkansas, where he played football for the Arkansas Razorbacks, and graduated from the Southern College of Optometry. He co-founded a private optometry clinic in 1977 and worked as a volunteer optometrist for low-income families. He won a special election in 2001 to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served as assistant majority whip and sat on the Republican Policy Committee. He was an advocate for drug policy issues and chaired the Veteran Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, where he led the passage of bills expanding services for unemployed veterans.
Boozman was elected to the United States Senate in 2010, defeating Democratic incumbent Blanche Lincoln by a 21-point margin and becoming the first Republican to be elected to the seat since Reconstruction. He took office in January 2011 and is the ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management and Trade and the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies. He is also a senior member of the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Boozman became the senior senator from Arkansas in 2015 when Mark Pryor left the Senate after his defeat. Boozman was reelected in 2016.
1950Dec, 10
John Boozman
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Events on 1950
- 23Jan
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The Knesset resolves that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. - 9Feb
Joseph McCarthy
Second Red Scare: US Senator Joseph McCarthy accuses the United States Department of State of being filled with Communists. - 13May
Silverstone Circuit
The first round of the Formula One World Championship is held at Silverstone. - 11Jul
International Monetary Fund
Pakistan joins the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank. - 11Sep
Harry S. Truman
Korean War: President Harry S. Truman approved military operations north of the 38th parallel.