Seniority in the United States Senate
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Seniority in the United States Senate is based upon a series of ranked factors, only resorting to the next factor when tied.[1]
"Senior senator" and "junior senator" are terms commonly used to describe United States senators. Each state sends two senators to serve in the Senate; the longer (continuously) serving of the two is by convention referred to as the senior senator, and the other is referred to as the junior senator. If both are sworn in on the same day, other factors, as listed below, are considered.
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[edit] Benefits of seniority
There is no mandated difference in rights or power, although Senate rules give more power to senators with more seniority. Generally, senior senators will have more power, though being a member of the majority party is more advantageous than being senior. In addition, by custom the senior senators from the president's party control federal patronage appointments in their states. Thus being the junior senator is disadvantageous if the senior one is from the same party.
Some of the perquisites of seniority offered by the U.S. Senate:
- Senators are given preferential treatment for committee assignments based on seniority. Although the committee chairmanship is an elected position, it is traditionally given to the most senior senator of the majority party serving on the committee. Ranking member (called vice-chairman in some select committees) of a committee is the most senior member of the minority party thereon.
- Greater seniority enables a senator to choose a desk closer to the front of the Senate Chamber.
- Senators with higher seniority may choose to move into better office space as those offices are vacated.
- Seniority determines the ranking in the United States order of precedence although other factors, such as being a former President or First Lady, can place an individual higher in the order of precedence.
[edit] Factors considered
There are 11 factors considered in calculating seniority:
- Amount of consecutive time serving as U.S. senator
- Former U.S. senator (non-consecutive)
- Length of time serving as a senator in previous non-consecutive terms
- Former U.S. representative
- Length of time serving as a U.S. representative
- Former president
- Former vice president
- Former cabinet member
- Former state governor
- Population of state based on the most recent census when the senator took office
- Alphabetical by last name (in the rare instance that two senators came from the same state on the same day and have identical credentials)
[edit] Current seniority list
The president pro tempore of the Senate is traditionally the most senior member of the majority party. The current president pro tempore, Robert Byrd, is also the dean of the United States Senate.
Only relevant factors are listed below. For instance, Robert Byrd's time with the House of Representatives no longer has any bearing on his seniority, so it is not listed.
For senators whose seniority is based on their states' respective populations, the state population ranking, as determined by the relevant United States Census[2][3][4][5] is given.
| Rank | Name | Seniority date | Second factor | Third factor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Byrd (D-WV) | January 3, 1959 | Dean of the Senate President pro tempore |
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| 2 | Ted Kennedy (D-MA) | November 7, 1962 | Chair: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | ||
| 3 | Daniel Inouye (D-HI) | January 3, 1963 | Chair: Appropriations | ||
| 4 | Patrick Leahy (D-VT) | January 3, 1975 | Chair: Judiciary | ||
| 5 | Richard Lugar (R-IN) | January 3, 1977 | Indiana 11th in population (1970) | Ranking Member: Foreign Relations | |
| 6 | Orrin Hatch (R-UT) | Utah 36th in population (1970) | |||
| 7 | Max Baucus (D-MT) | December 15, 1978 | Chair: Finance | ||
| 8 | Thad Cochran (R-MS) | December 27, 1978 | Ranking Member: Appropriations | ||
| 9 | Carl Levin (D-MI) | January 3, 1979 | Chair: Armed Services | ||
| 10 | Chris Dodd (D-CT) | January 3, 1981 | Former U.S. Representative (6 years) | Connecticut 24th in population (1970) | Chair: Banking |
| 11 | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) | Iowa 25th in population (1970) | Ranking Member: Finance | ||
| 12 | Arlen Specter (D-PA) | ||||
| 13 | Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) | January 3, 1983 | Chair: Energy | ||
| 14 | John Kerry[6] (D-MA) | January 2, 1985 | Chair: Foreign Relations | ||
| 15 | Tom Harkin (D-IA) | January 3, 1985 | Former U.S. Representative | Chair: Agriculture | |
| 16 | Mitch McConnell (R-KY) | Minority Leader | |||
| 17 | Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) | January 15, 1985 | Chair: Commerce | ||
| 18 | Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) | January 3, 1987 | Former U.S. Representative (10 years) | ||
| 19 | Richard Shelby (R-AL) | Former U.S. Representative (8 years) | Ranking Member: Banking | ||
| 20 | John McCain (R-AZ) | Former U.S. Representative (4 years) | Arizona 29th in population (1980) | Ranking Member: Armed Services | |
| 21 | Harry Reid (D-NV) | Nevada 43rd in population (1980) | Majority Leader | ||
| 22 | Kit Bond (R-MO) | Former governor | Ranking Member: Intelligence | ||
| 23 | Kent Conrad (D-ND) | Chair: Budget | |||
| 24 | Herb Kohl (D-WI) | January 3, 1989 | Wisconsin 16th in population (1980) | Chair: Aging | |
| 25 | Joe Lieberman[7] (ID-CT) | Connecticut 25th in population (1980) | Chair: Homeland Security | ||
| 26 | Daniel Akaka (D-HI) | May 16, 1990 | Chair: Veterans' Affairs | ||
| 27 | Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) | November 10, 1992 | Chair: Intelligence | ||
| 28 | Byron Dorgan (D-ND) | December 15, 1992 | Chair: Indian Affairs | ||
| 29 | Barbara Boxer (D-CA) | January 3, 1993 | Former U.S. Representative (10 years) | Chair: Environment and Public Works Chair: Ethics |
|
| 30 | Judd Gregg (R-NH) | Former U.S. Representative (8 years) | Ranking Member: Budget | ||
| 31 | Russ Feingold (D-WI) | Wisconsin 16th in population (1990) | |||
| 32 | Patty Murray (D-WA) | Washington 18th in population (1990) | |||
| 33 | Bob Bennett (R-UT) | Utah 35th in population (1990) | Ranking Member: Rules | ||
| 34 | Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) | June 14, 1993 | Ranking Member: Commerce | ||
| 35 | Jim Inhofe (R-OK) | November 17, 1994 | Ranking Member: Environment | ||
| 36 | Olympia Snowe (R-ME) | January 3, 1995 | Former U.S. Representative (16 years) | Ranking Member: Small Business | |
| 37 | Jon Kyl (R-AZ) | Former U.S. Representative (8 years) | Minority Whip | ||
| 38 | Ron Wyden (D-OR) | February 6, 1996 | |||
| 39 | Sam Brownback (R-KS) | November 7, 1996 | |||
| 40 | Pat Roberts (R-KS) | January 3, 1997 | Former U.S. Representative (16 years) | ||
| 41 | Richard Durbin (D-IL) | Former U.S. Representative (14 years) | Majority Whip | ||
| 42 | Tim Johnson (D-SD) | Former U.S. Representative (10 years) | |||
| 43 | Jack Reed (D-RI) | Former U.S. Representative (6 years) | |||
| 44 | Mary Landrieu (D-LA) | Louisiana 21st in population (1990) | Chair: Small Business | ||
| 45 | Jeff Sessions (R-AL) | Alabama 22nd in population (1990) | Ranking Member: Judiciary | ||
| 46 | Susan Collins (R-ME) | Maine 38th in population (1990) | Ranking Member: Homeland Security | ||
| 47 | Mike Enzi (R-WY) | Wyoming 50th in population (1990) | Ranking Member: Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions | ||
| 48 | Chuck Schumer (D-NY) | January 3, 1999 | Former U.S. Representative (18 years) | Chair: Rules | |
| 49 | Jim Bunning (R-KY) | Former U.S. Representative (12 years) | |||
| 50 | Mike Crapo (R-ID) | Former U.S. Representative (6 years) | |||
| 51 | Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) | Former U.S. Representative (4 years) | |||
| 52 | George Voinovich (R-OH) | Former governor (8 years) | Ohio 7th in population (1990) | ||
| 53 | Evan Bayh (D-IN) | Indiana 15th in population (1990) | |||
| 54 | Bill Nelson (D-FL) | January 3, 2001 | Former U.S. Representative (12 years) | ||
| 55 | Tom Carper (D-DE) | Former U.S. Representative (10 years) | |||
| 56 | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | Former U.S. Representative (4 years) | Michigan 8th in population (1990) | ||
| 57 | John Ensign (R-NV) | Nevada 39th in population (1990) | |||
| 58 | Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | Former U.S. Representative (2 years) | |||
| 59 | Ben Nelson (D-NE) | ||||
| 60 | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) | December 20, 2002 | Ranking Member: Energy | ||
| 61 | Frank Lautenberg[8] (D-NJ) | January 3, 2003 | Previously a U.S. Senator | ||
| 62 | Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) | Former U.S. Representative (8 years) | Georgia 10th in population (2000) | Ranking Member: Agriculture | |
| 63 | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | South Carolina 26th in population (2000) | |||
| 64 | Lamar Alexander (R-TN) | Former Cabinet member | |||
| 65 | John Cornyn[9] (R-TX) | Texas 2nd in population (2000) | |||
| 66 | Mark Pryor (D-AR) | Arkansas 33rd in population (2000) | |||
| 67 | Richard Burr (R-NC) | January 3, 2005 | Former U.S. Representative (10 years) | Ranking Member: Veterans' Affairs | |
| 68 | Jim DeMint (R-SC) | Former U.S. Representative (6 years) | South Carolina 26th in population (2000) | ||
| 69 | Tom Coburn (R-OK) | Oklahoma 27th in population (2000) | |||
| 70 | John Thune (R-SD) | South Dakota 46th in population (2000) | |||
| 71 | Johnny Isakson (R-GA) | Former U.S. Representative (5 years, 10 months) | Ranking Member: Ethics | ||
| 72 | David Vitter (R-LA) | Former U.S. Representative (5 years, 7 months) | |||
| 73 | Mel Martinez (R-FL) | Ranking Member: Aging | |||
| 74 | Bob Menendez (D-NJ) | January 18, 2006 | |||
| 75 | Ben Cardin (D-MD) | January 3, 2007 | Former U.S. Representative (20 years) | ||
| 76 | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | Former U.S. Representative (16 years) | |||
| 77 | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) | Former U.S. Representative (14 years) | |||
| 78 | Bob Casey, Jr. (D-PA) | Pennsylvania 6th in population (2000) | |||
| 79 | Jim Webb[10] (D-VA) | Virginia 12th in population (2000) | |||
| 80 | Bob Corker (R-TN) | Tennessee 16th in population (2000) | |||
| 81 | Claire McCaskill (D-MO) | Missouri 17th in population (2000) | |||
| 82 | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Minnesota 21st in population (2000) | |||
| 83 | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | Rhode Island 43rd in population (2000) | |||
| 84 | Jon Tester (D-MT) | Montana 44th in population (2000) | |||
| 85 | John Barrasso (R-WY) | June 25, 2007 | Ranking Member: Indian Affairs | ||
| 86 | Roger Wicker (R-MS) | December 31, 2007 | |||
| 87 | Mark Udall[11] (D-CO) | January 3, 2009 | Former U.S. Representative (10 years) | Colorado 24th in population (2000) | |
| 88 | Tom Udall (D-NM) | New Mexico 36th in population (2000) | |||
| 89 | Mike Johanns (R-NE) | Former Cabinet member | |||
| 90 | Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) | Former governor (6 years) | |||
| 91 | Mark Warner (D-VA) | Former governor (4 years) | |||
| 92 | Jim Risch (R-ID) | Former governor (7 months) | |||
| 93 | Kay Hagan (D-NC) | North Carolina 11th in population (2000) | |||
| 94 | Jeff Merkley (D-OR) | Oregon 28th in population (2000) | |||
| 95 | Mark Begich (D-AK) | Alaska 47th in population (2000) | |||
| 96 | Roland Burris (D-IL) | January 12, 2009 | |||
| 97 | Ted Kaufman (D-DE) | January 15, 2009 | |||
| 98 | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | January 21, 2009 | |||
| 99 | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | January 26, 2009[12] | |||
| 100 | Al Franken (D-MN) | July 7, 2009[13] |
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ "A Chronological List of United States Senators 1789-Present". Official website of the United States Senate. http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/senators_chronological.htm.
- ^ 1971 U.S Census Report Contains 1970 Census results.
- ^ 1981 U.S Census Report Contains 1980 Census results.
- ^ 1991 U.S Census Report Contains 1990 Census results.
- ^ 2000 Census State Population Rankings
- ^ John Kerry is currently the Senate's most senior junior senator.
- ^ Joe Lieberman won re-election as a third party candidate in 2006 and caucuses with the Democratic Party. However, he has chosen to refer to himself as an "Independent Democrat." Despite the party change, Lieberman retains his seniority since there is no break in his Senate service.
- ^ Frank Lautenberg served a previous term as U.S. Senator from New Jersey from January 1983 to January 2001, but under the rules, does not retain seniority from that prior service. Lautenberg has sought restoration of his seniority based on his prior service, but has not received it. - HillNews.com
- ^ Cornyn's predecessor, Phil Gramm, resigned early, effective November 30, 2002, so that Cornyn could take senate office on December 2, 2002, and move into Gramm's office suite in order to begin organizing his staff. Cornyn did not, however, gain seniority, owing to a 1980 Rules Committee policy that no longer gave seniority to senators who entered Congress early for the purpose of gaining advantageous office space.
- ^ Senator Webb served as Secretary of the Navy; however, that has not been a Cabinet-level position since 1947 and therefore does not affect his Seniority.
- ^ Mark Udall is currently the Senate's most junior senior senator.
- ^ Gillibrand's appointment was January 23, but it was not effective until she resigned from the House on January 26.
- ^ Al Franken was elected to the senate term that began on Jan 3, 2009, but he was not certified the winner in the election until June 30, 2009 due to legal challenges by his opponent. Was formally sworn in on July 7, 2009. (see United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008 for more details). Majority Leader Harry Reid's spokesman said, "Franken's service begins on the date on which he is sworn. So regardless of state size, etc, he cannot jump over members who were sworn on Jan. 6th." Rushing, J. Taylor (July 8, 2009). "Franken ranks last in Senate seniority". The Hill. http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/07/08/franken-ranks-last-in-senate-seniority/. Retrieved on July 10, 2009.
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