William S. Cohen (born 1940) has been active in United States government since the mid-1970s, serving in both houses of Congress in subsequent terms. He was named Secretary of Defense in 1997.

Former Senator William S. Cohen of Maine, nominated for the position of 20th Secretary of Defense in January of 1997, has after 24 years in national governmental service a reputation as a "maverick," a person who places ideals and morality above party loyalties. "Cohen won the label in 1974, when, as a 33-year-old freshman Congressman, he was the first Republican on the House Judiciary Committee to oppose Richard Nixon on the question of providing `edited' transcripts of Oval Office plotting in the Watergate cover-up," explained Nation contributor Doug Ireland, "and was one of seven Republicans who voted for Nixon's impeachment." President Clinton nominated Cohen for the position because of his reputation as a moderate-to-liberal Republican and because of his extensive...