Lawmaker Profile

Rep. Jim Cooper

[D, TN-5]
Congressman Jim Cooper was born and raised in Tennessee. He and Martha, his wife of thirty-three years, live in Nashville and have three children.

A New York Times columnist called him "the House's conscience, a lonely voice for civility in this ugly era" and a "tart-tongued moderate" who "seeks bipartisanship on fiscal matters and other issues in a polarized political climate." USA Today named him one of the "Brave 38" of a "tiny band of heroes" in Congress for his work on a bipartisan budget plan.

In Congress, he's known for his work on the federal budget, health care and government reform. He's also a businessman, attorney and part-time Vanderbilt professor when Congress is not in session.