Tom Coburn

Tom Coburn REPRepublican

American politician and physician (1948–2020)

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Tom CoburnREPRepublican American politician and physician (1948–2020)
72
Age at Death1948-2020
16
Years of Experience
OKResidence (state)

Thomas Allen Coburn (March 14, 1948 – March 28, 2020) was an American politician and physician who served as a United States senator from Oklahoma from 2005 to 2015. A Republican, Coburn previously served as a United States representative from 1995 to 2001. Coburn was an obstetrician who operated a private medical practice in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994 as part of the Republican Revolution. After being re-elected twice, Coburn upheld his campaign pledge to serve no more than three consecutive terms and did not seek re-election in 2000. In 2004, he returned to political life with a successful run for the United States Senate. Coburn was re-elected to a second Senate term in 2010 and kept his pledge not to seek a third term in 2016. In January 2014, Coburn announced that he would resign before the expiration of his final term due to a recurrence of prostate cancer. He submitted a letter of resignation to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, effective at the end of the 113th Congress.Coburn was a fiscal and social conservative known for his opposition to deficit spending, pork barrel projects, and abortion. Described as "the godfather of the modern conservative austerity movement", he supported term limits, gun rights and the death penalty, and opposed same-sex marriage and embryonic stem cell research.

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Education6 - 6 of 4
University of Arkansas
residency
Central High School
University of Oklahoma
Bachelor of Science
1970
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
trainee
1983
Past Positions1 - 7 of 7
Senator
United States Senate
2005 - 2015
Representative
United States House of Representatives
1995 - 2001
Resident
Family Practice, University of Arkansas Area Health and Education Center
1984 - 1986
Resident
Surgery, Saint Anthony's Hospital
1983 - 1984
Manufacturing Manager
Ophthalmic Division, Coburn Optical Industries
1970 - 1978
Former Chair
Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Muskogee Regional Medical Center
Former Medical Doctor
Family Practice and Obstetrics
Other Experience1 - 26 of 26
Board Member
Better Vision Institute
1967 - 1977
Board Member
Optical Manufacturers' Association
1973 - 1974
Former President
East Central County Medical Society, Division of Oklahoma Medical Society
Former Co-Chair
President's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS
Former Member
Muskogee Chamber of Commerce
Former Member
New Community Church
Former Member
Oklahoma Medical Association
Former Member
Promise Keepers
Former Member
American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy
Former Member
National Republican Congressional Committee
Former Member
American Academy of Family Practice
Former Member
Pan American Allergy Society
Former Member
American Medical Association
Former Member
Arkansas Medical Society
Former Member
First Baptist Church, Muskogee, Oklahoma
Former Ordained Deacon
Southern Baptist
Former President
Medical Doctor Physicians of Muskogee
Former Teacher
Married Adult Class, First Baptist Church
Former Vice-Counselor
Southern Medical Association
Former Member
Subcommittee on Economic Policy, United States Senate
Former Member
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, United States Senate
Former Member
Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment, United States Senate
Former Member
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, United States Senate
Former Member
Select Committee on Intelligence, United States Senate
Former Member
Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, United States Senate
Former Ranking Member
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, United States Senate