Editing Mark Pryor (section)

==U.S. Senate==

Pryor was recognized for providing a high level of constituent service, and he helped to secure millions of dollars in highway funds for the state. Pryor was also a committed advocate of the state’s military families; he guided the SACRIFICE Act to passage, thus providing families of those injured in combat more timely and reliable medical care.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Pruden|first1=William|title=Mark Lunsford Pryor (1963-)|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=4643|website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas|access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref>

===Elections===
;2002
{{Main|2002 United States Senate election in Arkansas}}
In late 2001, Pryor announced his candidacy for the Senate seat held by [[Tim Hutchinson]], who six years earlier had become the first Arkansas Republican to serve in that body since [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction]]. The seat had been held by his father [[David Pryor]] (also a former Arkansas governor), who actively campaigned for his son. Pryor defeated Hutchinson 54% to 46% and was the only Democratic candidate for the Senate to defeat a Republican incumbent in that election cycle.

;2008
{{Main|2008 United States Senate election in Arkansas}}
Pryor won reelection in [[United States Senate elections, 2008|2008]] without a Republican opponent. There had been speculation that former [[Governor of Arkansas|Governor]] [[Mike Huckabee]] would run against Pryor if his presidential bid was unsuccessful, but on March 8, Huckabee said he would not contest the race.<ref>[http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080308%5cACQRTT200803082111RTTRADERUSEQUITY_0046.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=Huckabee%20Says%20He%20Won't%20Run%20Against%20Pryo] {{dead link|date=June 2015}}</ref> The only Republican to express interest in the race, health care executive Tom Formicola, decided not to run.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=62041 |title=No GOP Opponent For Mark Pryor's Run For Second Term In U.S. Senate &#124; thv11.com |publisher=Todaysthv.com |date=March 10, 2008 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref> Pryor's only announced opponent was [[Green Party (United States)|Green Party]] candidate [[Rebekah Kennedy (candidate)|Rebekah Kennedy]], whom he defeated 80% to 20%.

;2014
{{Main|2014 United States Senate election in Arkansas}}
Pryor ran for reelection to a third term in 2014, against Republican U.S. House Rep. [[Tom Cotton]].

In March 2014, during an MSNBC news segment regarding the Senate race, Pryor said that Cotton gave off a "sense of entitlement" to a seat in the Senate due to his service in the military.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lauer |first=Claudia |date=March 6, 2014 |title=Pryor says Cotton exudes vet 'entitlement,' riling GOP |url=http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/mar/06/pryor-says-cotton-exudes-vet-entitlement--20140306/ |newspaper=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |access-date=June 6, 2014}}</ref> After receiving much criticism for the remark, Pryor later said he was not attacking Cotton’s military service, but his perceived lack of accomplishments in the House: "But the point remains that he's been in the House now for a little over a year, he hasn't passed any legislation. There's not one thing he's done for Arkansas."<ref>{{cite web |last=Joseph |first=Cameron |date=April 26, 2014 |title=Pryor explains 'sense of entitlement' comments |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/204442-pryor-explains-sense-of-entitlement-comments/ |newspaper=The Hill |access-date=June 6, 2014}}</ref>

FactCheck.org called two ads aired by Pryor's 2014 Senate campaign misleading in their criticisms of Paul Ryan's Medicare plan, supported by his opponent.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Robertson|first1=Lori|title=Fact check: Old Medicare claims in Ark. Senate race|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/02/25/fact-check-medicare-arkansas-senate/5804467/|access-date=August 16, 2014|publisher=USA Today|date=February 25, 2014}}</ref>

This race was originally thought out to be close, but Pryor lost in a landslide, with 39% of the vote to Cotton's 57%. This was the worst performance in the nation for any incumbent Senator since the defeat of then-fellow Arkansas Senator [[Blanche Lincoln]] in [[2010 United States Senate election in Arkansas|2010]].

===Tenure===
Somewhat atypically, Pryor was the [[List of youngest members of the United States Congress|Baby of the Senate]] for 19 days in January 2009, at age 45, despite never having held that distinction in his first term. This was due to the defeat of the younger [[John E. Sununu]], making Pryor the oldest member to ever be the youngest within the Senate until the appointment of [[Michael Bennet]].

In June 2007, before the annual Arkansas Democratic Party Jefferson-Jackson dinner, Pryor announced his endorsement of his colleague Sen. [[Hillary Clinton]] for president of the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=2141 |title=Hillary for America |work=hillaryclinton.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081127220045/http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=2141 |archive-date=November 27, 2008 }}</ref>

In 2013, Pryor voted with President Obama 90% of the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://atr.rollcall.com/senate-democrats-supported-obama-on-overwhelming-number-of-votes-in-2013/|title=Senate Democrats Backed Obama On Overwhelming Number of 2013 Votes, CQ Roll Call Vote Studies Show|work=At the Races|access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref>

Since 2009, Pryor's top three donors have been lawyers ($1,131,431), leadership PACs ($429,149), and lobbyists ($323,769).<ref name="opensecrets.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00013823&newMem=N |title=Sen. Mark Pryor: Campaign Finance/Money - Summary - Senator 2014 |publisher=OpenSecrets.org |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref>

===Legislation sponsored===
Pryor introduced the [[Drought Information Act of 2013 (S. 376; 113th Congress)]] on February 25, 2013.<ref name=376allactions>{{cite web|title=S. 376 - All Actions|date=February 4, 2014|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/376/all-actions/|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=February 7, 2014}}</ref> The bill that would authorize funding for the [[National Integrated Drought Information System]] (NIDIS) through 2018.<ref name=CoxSenatepasses>{{cite news|last=Cox|first=Ramsey|title=Senate passes bill funding drought information program|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/197331-senate-passes-bill-funding-drought-information-program/|access-date=February 7, 2014|newspaper=The Hill|date=February 3, 2014}}</ref>  The NIDIS is "charged with providing timely information to prevent drought and extreme weather damage."<ref name="CoxSenatepasses"/> The bill passed the United States Senate on February 3, 2014.

Pryor introduced the bill "[[To repeal section 403 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013]]" on January 27, 2014.<ref name=1963allactions>{{cite web|title=S. 1963 - All Actions|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1963/all-actions/|publisher=United States Congression|access-date=February 11, 2014}}</ref> The bill would repeal the provision of the  [[Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013]] that would reduce the amount of the annual [[cost of living]] increase to non-disabled military [[veteran]]s under age 62.<ref name=senatestarts>{{cite news|title=Senate starts consideration of veterans' pension cuts|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/197990-senate-starts-consideration-of-veterans-pension-cuts/|access-date=February 11, 2014|newspaper=The Hill|date=February 10, 2014|author=Ramsey Cox|author2=Jeremy Herb}}</ref> The [[Congressional Budget Office]] estimated that enacting Pryor's bill would stop the reduction of $6.813 billion from the amount paid to veterans annually.<ref name=1963cbo>{{cite web|title=S. 1963 - CBO|url=http://cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/S.%201963.pdf|publisher=Congressional Budget Office|access-date=February 11, 2014}}</ref>

===Committee assignments===
*'''[[United States Senate Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]]'''
**[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies]] (Chairman)
**[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies]]
**[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense|Subcommittee on Defense]]
**[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies]]
**[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies]]
**[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies]]
*'''[[United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation|Committee on Commerce, Science, Transportation]]'''
**[[United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security|Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security]]
**[[United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance|Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety]] (Chairman)
**[[United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion|Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion]]
**[[United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science and Space|Subcommittee on Science and Space]]
**[[United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security|Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security]]
*'''[[United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs|Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs]]'''
**[[United States Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia|Subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia]]
**[[United States Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Programs and the Federal Workforce|Subcommittee on the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Programs and the Federal Workforce]]
**[[United States Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight|Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight]]
**[[United States Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations|Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations]]
*'''[[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services|Committee on Armed Services]]'''
**[[United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland|Subcommittee on Airland]]
**[[United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support|Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support]]
**[[United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel|Subcommittee on Personnel]]
**[[United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces|Subcommittee on Strategic Forces]]
*'''[[United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration|Committee on Rules and Administration]]'''
*'''[[United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship|Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship]]'''
*'''[[United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics|Select Committee on Ethics]]'''