Cotter, William R.

William R. Cotter, Democratic Member of Congress for the First District of Connecticut, was born in Hartford, Connecticut on 18 July 1926. He attended public schools, and received a bachelor's degree in economics and history from Trinity College (Hartford) in 1949. In 1953, Cotter was elected to the Hartford Court of Common Council, and served as an aide to United States Senator Abraham Ribicoff (1955-1957), as Deputy Insurance Commissioner (1957-1964), and as Insurance Commissioner of Connecticut (1964-1970). He developed and introduced laws to regulate rates and solvency of insurance companies in Connecticut, and developed a comprehensive automobile liability insurance reform program.

Cotter was elected to the ninety-second Congress on 3 November 1970 and was reelected five times. He represented the First District in Connecticut from 1971 until his death. The towns Cotter represented varied over the years, but included Berlin, Bloomfield, Bolton, Cromwell, East Hartford, East Windsor, Glastonbury, Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, and much of Portland. As a congressional representative, Cotter served on the Banking and Currency Committee, and the Science and Astronautics Committee. He was also an active member of the House Ways and Means Committee. William Cotter died on 8 September 1981.

From the guide to the William R. Cotter Papers., undated, 1970-1981., (Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center .)