United States Senator for South CarolinaWashington, District of Columbia, USA
United States House of Representatives
1995–2003
United States Representative for the 3rd District of South CarolinaWashington, District of Columbia, USA
South Carolina General Assembly
1993–1995
Representative South Carolina House of Representatives, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
City of Central Government
1990–1994
City AttorneyCentral, South Carolina, USA
Oconee County Government
1988–1992
Assistant County AttorneyCentral, South Carolina, USA
Private Legal Practice
1988–1992
AttorneyCentral, South Carolina, USA
Directorships
2010–present
International Republican Institute (IRI)Founded in 1983, the IRI is an ideologically conservative organization, funded by the U.S. government, employing 400 around the world that conducts international political programs, sometimes called 'democratization programs.'Member, Board of Directors
Professional affiliations
2003–present
United States Senate CommitteesCommittee on Armed Services (2010 - present)Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Personnel Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (2010 - present)Ranking Member, Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery Committee on the Judiciary (2010 - present)Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Crime and DrugsSenate National Guard Caucus (2010 - present)Co-ChairSelect Committee on Intelligence (2007 - 2009)Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry (2007 - 2009)Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (2003 - 2005)
Professional honors and awards
National Leadership Award National Association of Development Organizations
Benjamin Franklin Public Policy AwardNational Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
President’s Award National District Attorneys Association
G.V. ‘Sonny’ Montgomery Eagle AwardNational Guard of the United States
Preservation of Constitutional Rights Award National Japanese American Memorial Foundation
Policymaker of the Year Award American Vocational Association
Taxpayer Hero Award Citizens against Government Waste
Legislative Award Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
Chief Justice John Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award Judge Advocates Foundation
Colonel Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership Award Military Officers Association of America
Community
Community honors and awards
Defender of Marriage AwardAlliance for Marriage
Spark Matsunaga Memorial Hydrogen AwardNational Hydrogen Association
Congressional Champion Award YMCAs in South Carolina and across America
Medal of Honor Award U.S. Oncology
'Up-and-Comers’ in the U.S. Senate AwardTIME magazine
Legislative Honor RollSouthern Economic Development Council
Small Business Advocate AwardSmall Business Survival Committee
Small Business Champion AwardSmall Business and Entrepreneurship Council
Legislator of the Year AwardSenior Army Reserve Commanders Association
Minuteman of the Year Award Reserve Officers Association
Award for Manufacturing Legislative ExcellenceNational Association of Manufacturers
Guardian of Small Business AwardNational Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
Taxpayer Friend AwardNational Taxpayer Union
National Humanitarian Healthcare AwarNational Patients Advocate Foundation
Congressional Champion AwardNational Nutritional Foods Association
President’s Award National Guard Association of South Carolina
Guardian of Worker Freedom AwardAlliance for Worker Freedom
Capitol AwardNational Council of La Raza
State Directors AwardNational Association of State Directors of Vocational Technical Education
Excellence in Manufacturing AwardNational Association of Manufacturers
National Drug Court Congressional Leadership AwardNational Association of Drug Court Professionals
Distinguished Community Health SUPERHERO AwardNational Association of Community Health Centers
Jefferson AwardInternational Foodservice Distributors Association
True Blue Award Family Research Council
President’s Leadership AwardThe Citadel
Champion of the Merit Shop AwardAssociated Builders and Contractors
Friend of the Coast AwardAmerican Shore & Beach Preservation Association
2006
Legislator of the Year South Carolina Citizens for Life
Friend of the Shareholder AwardAmerican Shareholder Association
Hero of the Taxpayer AwardAmericans for Tax Reform
ACU Conservative AwardAmerican Conservative Union
Spirit of EnterpriseU.S. Chamber of Commerce
Education
College
University of South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina, USABachelor of ArtsPsychology1973–1977Member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity
Law School
University of South Carolina School of LawColumbia, South Carolina, USAJuris DoctorLawClass of 1981Member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity
Native language
English
Honorary Degrees
2011
Clemson UniversityClemson, South Carolina, USADoctorate of Humanities
2009
Presbyterian CollegeClinton, South Carolina, USADoctor of Public Service
2008
The CitadelCharleston, South Carolina, USADoctorate of Public Administration
2007
Francis Marion UniversityFlorence, South Carolina, USADoctor of Humanities
2006
College of CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina, USADoctorate of Humane Letters
2006
Erskine CollegeDue West, South Carolina, USADoctor of Laws
2004
Winthrop UniversityRock Hill, South Carolina, USADoctor of Humane Letters
Allen UniversityColumbia, South Carolina, USADoctor of Humane Letters
Coker CollegeHartsville, South Carolina, USADoctor of Laws
South Carolina State University Orangeburg, South Carolina, USADoctor of Laws
Southern Wesleyan UniversityCentral, South Carolina, USADoctor of Law
University of South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina, USADoctoral of Law