Order Code RL30567
Party Leaders in the United States Congress,
1789-2009
Updated November 25, 2008
2010
Valerie Heitshusen
Analyst on the Congress and the Legislative Process
Government and Finance DivisionJune 29, 2010
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
RL30567
CRS Report for Congress
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress
Party Leaders in the United States Congress,
1789-2009
2010
Summary
This report briefly describes current responsibilities and selection mechanisms
for 15 House and
Senate party leadership posts and provides tables with historical
data, including service dates,
party affiliation, and other information for each. Tables
have been updated as of the report’s
issuance date to reflect leadership changes. The
report will be updated as changes in House and Senate party leadership positions
occur.
Although party divisions appeared almost from the First Congress, the formally
structured party
leadership organizations now taken for granted are a relatively
modern development.
Constitutionally-specified leaders, namely the Speaker of the
House and the President pro
tempore of the Senate, can be identified since the first
Congress. Other leadership posts, however,
were not formally recognized until about
the middle of the 19th century, and some are 20th century
creations.
In the earliest Congresses, those House Members who took some role in leading
their party were
often designated by the President as his spokesperson in the
chamber. By the early 1800s, an
informal system developed when the Speaker began
naming his lieutenant to chair one of the
most influential House committees.
Eventually, other members wielded significant influence via
other committee posts
(e.g., the post-1880 Committee on Rules). By the end of the 19th century,
the formal
position of floor leaders had been established in the House.
The Senate was slower than the House to develop formal party leadership
positions, and there are
similar problems in identifying individual early leaders. For
instance, records of party
conferences in the 19th century Senate are not available.
Memoirs and other secondary sources
reveal the identities of party conference or
caucus chairs for some, but not all, Congresses after
about 1850, but these posts
carried very little authority. It was not uncommon for Senators to
publicly declare
that within the Senate parties, there was no single leader. Rather, through the turn
of the 20th century, individuals who led the Senate achieved their position through
recognized recognized
personal attributes, including persuasion and oratorical skills, rather than
election or appointment
to formal leadership posts. The formal positions for Senate
party floor leaders eventually arose
from the position of conference chair.
Owing to the aforementioned problems in identifying informal party leaders in
earlier earlier
Congresses, the tables in this report identify each leadership position
beginning with the year in
which each is generally regarded to have been formally
established. The report excludes some
leadership posts in order to render the amount
of data manageable. An appendix explains the abbreviations used to denote political
parties, and a bibliography cites useful references, especially in regard to sources for
historical data.
Contents
Introduction and Methodological Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Identifying House Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Identifying Senate Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Party Affiliation Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Leadership Posts Excluded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
House Positions: Descriptions and Historical Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Speaker of the House of Representatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Party Floor Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Party Whip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Conference or Caucus Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Senate Positions: Descriptions and Historical Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
President Pro Tempore of the Senate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Party Floor Leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Conference Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Party Whip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Appendix: Political Party Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Source Notes and Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
List of Tables
Table 1. Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1789-2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Table 2. House Republican Floor Leaders, 1899-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Table 3. House Democratic Floor Leaders, 1899-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Table 4. House Democratic Whips, 1901-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Table 5. House Republican Whips, 1897-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Table 6. House Republican Conference Chairs, 1863-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Table 7. House Democratic Caucus Chairs, 1849-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Table 8. Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1789-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Table 9. Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1977-2009 . . . . . . . . . 27
Table 10. Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore of the Senate,
1964-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Table 11. Senate Republican Floor Leaders, 1919-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Table 12. Senate Democratic Floor Leaders and Conference Chairs,
1893-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Table 13. Senate Republican Conference Chairs, 1893-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Table 14. Senate Democratic Whips, 1913-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Table 15. Senate Republican Whips, 1915-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Party Leaders in the
United States Congress, 1789-2009
Introduction and Methodological Notes
Although party divisions sprang up almost from the First Congress, the formally
structured party leadership organizations now taken for granted are a relatively
modern development. Constitutionally-specified leaders, namely the Speaker of the
House and the President pro tempore of the Senate, can be identified since the first
Congress. Other leadership posts, however, were not officially recognized until
about the middle of the 19th century, and some are 20th century creations. The
following tables identify 15 different party leadership posts beginning with the year
when each is generally regarded to have been formally established.
The tables herein present data on service dates, party affiliation, and other
information for the following House and Senate party leadership posts:
House Positions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1789-20081
House Republican Floor Leaders, 1899-2009
House Democratic Floor Leaders, 1899-2009
House Democratic Whips, 1901-2009
House Republican Whips, 1897-2009
House Republican Conference Chairs, 1863-2009
House Democratic Caucus Chairs, 1849-2009
Senate Positions
8. Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1789-2009
9. Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1977-2009
10. Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1964-2009
11. Senate Republican Floor Leaders, 1919-2009
12. Senate Democratic Floor Leaders and Conference Chairs, 1893-2009
13. Senate Republican Conference Chairs, 1893-2009
14. Senate Democratic Whips, 1913-2009
15. Senate Republican Whips, 1915-2009
1
The House will not elect a Speaker for the 111th Congress until January of 2009.
CRS-2
This information reflects the leadership elections and appointments for the first
session of the 111th Congress, made in party organizational meetings held in
November, 2008, at the end of the 110th Congress.2
Included for each post are leaders’ names, party and state affiliations, and dates
and Congresses of service. For most Congresses, the report indicates years of service
only, except in the tables for the House Speaker and the Senate President pro
tempore, both of which include specific dates of service. When a Member died while
holding a leadership office, however, the date of death is included as the end-ofservice date (except in Table 13). In cases where a leadership change occurs during
the course of a Congress, exact dates of service are indicated where possible. With
respect to length of service, the report includes all instances in which a Member held
a particular leadership post, regardless of whether the Member held the post for the
entire Congress or only a portion of it.
Official congressional documents (House Journal and Senate Journal,
Congressional Record, and predecessor publications) can be used to document the
tenure of the constitutionally-specified leaders (i.e., Speaker and President pro
tempore). The actions of the party organizations in choosing other leaders, such as
floor leaders or caucus or conference chairs, frequently went unacknowledged in
these sources, however. In the frequent absence of party caucus records in the latter
half of the 19th century, scholars have had to rely on secondary sources, such as
memoirs and correspondence, for evidence of party leadership position-holding. The
concluding portion of this report, “Source Notes and Bibliography,” provides more
information about sources and the reliability of leadership lists.
Identifying House Leaders
The changing nature of congressional leadership provides additional challenges
to identifying leaders not constitutionally specified (e.g., floor leader).3 Even for
party elected posts, determining who held other positions can be problematic in
earlier Congresses. For example, identifying each party’s conference (or caucus)
chair often requires reliance on incomplete historical records of conference meetings
or inferences made from informal practices (e.g., noting which Member nominated
his party’s candidate for Speaker, a motion that often fell to the conference chair).
In the House, for example, it was the common practice of President Thomas
Jefferson and his immediate successors to designate a Member as their principal
legislative spokesman. Often these spokesmen held no other formal leadership
position in the House, and Presidents frequently designated new spokesmen, or even
specialized spokesmen for individual measures, as their terms progressed. As these
2
This report was originally written and updated by Paul S. Rundquist and Richard C. Sachs,
former Specialists in American National Government at CRS, and Faye M. Bullock, former
Technical Information Specialist at CRS. The listed author has updated and expanded this
report and is available to respond to inquiries on the subject.
3
See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and citation of the multiple sources used in identifying leaders in the House of
Representatives.
CRS-3
and other “leaders” were not chosen by a congressional party group or by a party
leader such as the Speaker, these presidential designees have not been included here
as “party leaders.”
Most historians who study the 19th century House acknowledge that an informal
“positional leadership” system emerged possibly as early as the “War Hawk”
Congress (1811-1813) under Speaker Henry Clay. Under this system, the Speaker
— who at the time designated the chairmen of the standing committees — would
name his principal lieutenant to be chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
After the Appropriations Committee was split from the Ways and Means Committee
in 1865, the Speaker’s principal floor lieutenant received either of these chairs.
Sometimes, the Speaker chose a rival for the speakership to chair one of these
committees in an effort to resolve intra-party disputes.
It is somewhat inaccurate, however, to consider these early leaders to be
majority leaders in the modern sense, and they have not been included here. The
position of chair of the Appropriations or Ways and Means Committee inevitably
made the incumbent a powerful congressional figure because of the important
legislation reported from these committees. These chairs were not, however, chosen
in a vote by the full party organization, as the majority or minority House leaders are
now. Furthermore, other leading congressional figures, such as the Republican leader
Thomas Brackett Reed, achieved their positions of influence within the House by
service on other committees, such as — in Reed’s case — the post-1880 Rules
Committee.
Identifying Senate Leaders
The Senate developed an identifiable party leadership later than the House. The
few existing records of party conferences in the 19th century Senate are held in private
collections. Memoirs and other secondary sources reveal the identities of party
conference or caucus chairs for some, but not all, Congresses after about 1850; these
posts, however, carried very little authority. It was not uncommon for Senators to
declare publicly that within the Senate parties there was no single leader.4 Instead,
through the turn of the 20th century, individuals who led the Senate achieved their
position through recognized personal attributes, including persuasion and oratory
skills, rather than the current practice of election to most official leadership posts.
The development of Senate party floor leaders was one of slow evolution, like
the House, but they arose for the most part from the post of conference chair. Not
until 1945 did Senate Republicans specify that the conference chair and floor leader
posts must be held by separate Senators. Among Senate Democrats, the floor leader
is also chair of the conference. In many secondary sources, Senators are identified
as “floor leaders” before existing party conference records so identify them. In this
report, footnotes to the tables attempt to clarify when a leader was identified through
official sources such as caucus minutes or through secondary sources.
4
Woodrow Wilson, Congressional Government (Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1885), p. 223.
CRS-4
Party Affiliation Designations
Another problem in identifying party leaders in early Congresses is the matter
of party affiliation. Secondary sources reporting on party leaders often relied upon
the information compiled in early editions of the Biographical Directory of the
United States Congress. As the editors of the 1989 edition of the Biographical
Directory noted:
The most serious source of error and confusion in previous editions [of the
Biographical Directory] [was] the designations of party affiliation. Many of the
party labels added to the editions of 1913 and 1928 were anachronistic, claiming
for the two modern parties Senators and Representatives elected to Congress
before the [modern] Democratic or Republican parties existed. Other entries
ignored the frequent shifts in party affiliation during the nineteenth century or
omitted reference to short-lived and regional political parties and thus failed to
reflect the vigor and diversity of nineteenth-century politics.5
The 1989 and 1997 editions of the Biographical Directory resolved these differences,
and their designations of party affiliations are principal sources for this report. The
1997 edition of the Biographical Directory, in particular, included more complete
notations where Members changed their party affiliations while serving in Congress.6
The main source for early party affiliations of Senator leaders, principally Presidents
pro tempore, is volume four of Senator Robert C. Byrd’s The Senate, 1789-1989.
(Historical Statistics, 1789-1992).7 An appendix explains the abbreviations used to
denote party affiliations in this report.
Leadership Posts Excluded
The tables in this report exclude some leadership posts in order to render
manageable the amount of data provided. Specifically, the Senate and House party
conference secretaries, and the chairs of party committees (e.g., steering committees,
policy committees, committees on committees, and campaign committees) are not
presented here. Junior party whips are also not identified. At least since the 1930s
5
U.S. Congress, Senate, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774-1989:
the Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and The Congress of the
United States, from the First through the One Hundredth Congresses, March 4, 1789, to
January 3, 1989, inclusive, Bicentennial edition, S.Doc. 100-34, 100th Cong., 2nd sess.
(Washington: GPO, 1989), p. 3.
6
Biographical Directory of the American Congress 1774-1996 (Washington: CQ Staff
Directories, Inc., 1997), p. xi. This commercially published edition of the Biographical
Directory is a continuation of earlier editions that were published under public auspices.
An online, updated, version is also available at [http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/
biosearch.asp].
7
Robert C. Byrd, The Senate, 1789-1989, 4 vols., S. Doc. 100-20, 100th Cong., 1st sess.
(Washington: GPO, 1988-1993), vol. 4, Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. Hereafter cited
as Byrd’s Historical Statistics. See also, Gerald Gamm and Steven S. Smith, “Last Among
Equals: The Senate’s Presiding Officer,” paper presented at the annual meeting of the
American Political Science Association, Boston, MA, September 3-6, 1998.
CRS-5
in the House, both parties have selected (or allowed the principal whip to designate)
subordinate whips. The lack of adequate records makes it almost impossible to
identify all deputy whips, regional whips, and zone whips who have been appointed
in the last 70 years.
House Positions:
Descriptions and Historical Tables
Speaker of the House of Representatives
The position of Speaker is constitutionally specified in Article 1, Section 2. The
Speaker is the only party leader who is chosen by a roll-call vote of the full House of
Representatives, which occurs after each party has nominated a candidate for the
position when a new Congress convenes. House rules give the Speaker various
formal duties. These include, for example, administering the oath of office to new
Members, signing House-passed bills and resolutions, presiding over the House (and
making rulings on the presence of a quorum, points of order, etc.), referring measures
to committees, and naming the party’s slate of members for certain committee
positions. Each party conference cedes additional powers and responsibilities to a
Speaker from its own party, including influence over the makeup of certain standing
committees. For more information, consult CRS Report 97-780, The Speaker of the
House: House Officer, Party Leader, and Representative, by James V. Saturno, and
CRS Report RL30857, Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2007, by Richard S.
Beth and James V. Saturno.
Table 1. Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1789-2008
Speaker
Party
State
Congress
Dates
Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg
N/A
PA
1st
Apr. 1, 1789Mar. 3, 1791
Jonathan Trumbull
N/A
CT
2nd
Oct. 24, 1791Mar. 3, 1793
Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg
N/A
PA
3rd
Dec. 2, 1793Mar. 3, 1795
Jonathan Dayton
N/A
NJ
4th-5th
Dec. 7, 1795Mar. 3, 1799
Theodore Sedgwick
N/A
MA
6th
Dec. 2, 1799Mar. 3, 1801
Nathaniel Macon
N/A
NC
7th-9th
Dec. 7, 1801Mar. 3, 1807
Joseph B. Varnum
N/A
MA
10th-11th
Oct. 26, 1807Mar. 3, 1811
R(DR)a
KY
12th-13th
Nov. 4, 1811Jan. 19, 1814b
Henry Clay
CRS-6
Speaker
Party
State
Congress
Dates
Langdon Cheeves
R(DR)a
SC
13th
Jan. 19, 1814Mar. 3, 1815
Henry Clay
R(DR)a
KY
14th-16th
Dec. 4, 1815Oct. 28, 1820c
John W. Taylor
R(DR)a
NY
16th
Nov. 15, 1820Mar. 3, 1821
Philip Barbour
R(DR)a
VA
17th
Dec. 4, 1821Mar. 3, 1823
Henry Clay
R(DR)a
KY
18th
Dec. 3, 1823Mar. 6, 1825d
John W. Taylor
R(DR)a
NY
19th
Dec. 5, 1825Mar. 3, 1827
Andrew Stevenson
N/A
VA
20th
Dec. 3, 1827Mar. 3, 1829
Andrew Stevenson
J
VA
21st-23rd
Dec. 7, 1829June 2, 1834e
N/A
TN
23rd
June 2, 1834Mar. 3, 1835
James K. Polk
J
TN
24th-25th
Dec. 7, 1835Mar. 3, 1839
Robert M.T. Hunter
W
WA
26th
Dec. 16, 1839Mar. 3, 1841
John White
W
KY
27th
May 31, 1841Mar. 3, 1843
John W. Jones
D
VA
28th
Dec. 4, 1843Mar. 3, 1845
John W. Davis
D
IN
29th
Dec. 1, 1845Mar. 3, 1847
Robert C. Winthrop
W
MA
30th
Dec. 6, 1847Mar. 3, 1849
Howell Cobb
D
GA
31st
Dec. 22, 1849Mar. 3, 1851
Linn Boyd
D
KY
32nd-33rd
Dec. 1, 1851Mar. 3, 1855
Amf
MA
34th
Feb. 2, 1856Mar. 3, 1857
James L. Orr
D
SC
35th
Dec. 7, 1857Mar. 3, 1859
William Pennington
R
NJ
36th
Feb. 1, 1860Mar. 3, 1861
Galusha A. Grow
R
PA
37th
July 4, 1861Mar. 3, 1863
John Bell
Nathaniel P. Banks
CRS-7
Speaker
Party
State
Congress
Dates
Schuyler Colfax
R
IN
38th-40th
Dec. 7, 1863Mar. 3, 1869g
Theodore Pomeroy
R
NY
40th
Mar. 3, 1869h
James G. Blaine
R
ME
41st-43rd
Mar. 4, 1869Mar. 3, 1875
Michael C. Kerr
D
IN
44th
Dec. 6, 1875Aug. 19, 1876i
Samuel J. Randall
D
PA
44th-46th
Dec. 4, 1876Mar. 3, 1881
J. Warren Keifer
R
OH
47th
Dec. 5, 1881Mar. 3, 1883
John G. Carlisle
D
KY
48th-50th
Dec. 3, 1883Mar. 3, 1889
Thomas B. Reed
R
ME
51st
Charles F. Crisp
D
GA
52nd-53rd
Dec. 7, 1891Mar. 3, 1895
Thomas B. Reed
R
ME
54th-55th
Dec. 2, 1895Mar. 3, 1899
David B. Henderson
R
IA
56th-57th
Dec. 4, 1899Mar. 3, 1903
Joseph G. Cannon
R
IL
58th-61st
Nov. 9, 1903Mar. 3, 1911
James B. (Champ) Clark
D
MO
62nd-65th
April 4, 1911Mar. 3, 1919
Frederick H. Gillett
R
MA
66th-68th
May 19, 1919Mar. 3, 1925
Nicholas Longworth
R
OH
69th-71st
Dec. 7, 1925Mar. 3, 1931
John N. Garner
D
TX
72nd
Dec. 7, 1931Mar. 3, 1933
Henry T. Rainey
D
IL
73rd
Mar. 9, 1933Aug. 19, 1934j
Joseph W. Byrns
D
TN
74th
Jan. 3, 1935June 4, 1936k
William B. Bankhead
D
AL
74th-76th
June 4, 1936Sept. 15, 1940l
Sam T. Rayburn
D
TX
76th-79th
Sept. 16, 1940Jan. 3, 1947
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
R
MA
80th
Jan. 3, 1947Jan. 3, 1949
Dec. 2, 1889Mar. 3, 1891
CRS-8
Speaker
Party
State
Congress
Dates
Sam T. Rayburn
D
TX
81st-82nd
Jan. 3, 1949Jan. 3, 1953
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
R
MA
83rd
Jan. 3, 1953Jan. 3, 1955
Sam T. Rayburn
D
TX
84th-87th
Jan. 5, 1955Nov. 16, 1961m
John W. McCormack
D
MA
87th-91st
Jan. 10, 1962Jan. 3, 1971
Carl Albert
D
OK
92nd-94th
Jan. 21, 1971Jan. 3, 1977
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr.
D
MA
95th-99th
Jan. 4, 1977Jan. 3, 1987
James C. Wright, Jr.
D
TX
100th-101st
Jan. 6, 1987June 6, 1989n
Thomas S. Foley
D
WA
101st-103rd
June 6, 1989Jan. 3, 1995
Newt Gingrich
R
GA
104th-105th
Jan. 4, 1995Jan. 3, 1999
J. Dennis Hastert
R
IL
106th-109th
Jan. 6, 1999Jan. 3, 2007
Nancy Pelosi
D
CA
110th-
Jan. 4, 2007-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources.
Note: A key to all party abbreviations can be found in the Appendix of this report.
a. Although the Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996 identifies these
Speakers as Republicans, the party designation “Democratic Republicans” is more widely used
and familiar to readers. This designation, R(DR), should not be taken to refer to the
contemporary Republican Party, which did not emerge until the 1850s.
b. Resigned from the House of Representatives, January 19, 1814.
c. Resigned the Speakership on October 28, 1820.
d. Resigned from the House, March 6, 1825.
e. Resigned from the House, June 2, 1834.
f. Speaker Nathaniel P. Banks served in the House three separate times under three different party
designations. In the 34th Congress, he served as an American Party Member.
g. Resigned from the House, March 3, 1869.
h. Elected Speaker, March 3, 1869, and served one day.
i. Died in office, August 19, 1876.
j. Died in office, August 19, 1934.
k. Died in office, June 4, 1936.
l. Died in office, September 15, 1940.
m. Died in office, November 16, 1961.
n. Resigned the Speakership, June 6, 1989; resigned from the House, June 30, 1989.
CRS-9
Party Floor Leader
At an organizational meeting prior to the beginning of a new Congress, each
party conference (or caucus) in the House selects its floor leader (also called majority
leader or minority leader, as appropriate) in a secret-ballot vote. The majority party
floor leader works closely with the Speaker and is largely responsible for the party’s
daily legislative operations, in consultation with other party leaders. Similarly, the
minority party floor leader directs the party’s ongoing legislative strategies and
operations and typically serves as the spokesperson for the party in the House. Each
party assigns additional responsibilities to its respective floor leader. For more
information on the majority party floor leader position, see CRS Report RL30665,
The Role of the House Majority Leader: An Overview, by Walter J. Oleszek.
Table 2. House Republican Floor Leaders, 1899-2009
Floor Leader
Sereno E. Payne
State
Congress
Dates
NY
56th-61st
1899-1911
IL
th
62 -65
1911-1919
Franklin W. Mondell
WY
66th-67th
1919-1923
Nicholas Longworth
OH
68th
1923-1925
John Q. Tilson
CT
69th-71st
1925-1931
Bertrand H. Snell
NY
72nd-75th
1931-1939
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
MA
76th-79th
1939-1947
Charles Halleck
IN
80th
1947-1949
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
MA
81st-82nd
1949-1953
Charles Halleck
IN
83rd
1953-1955
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
MA
84th- 85th
1955-1959
Charles Halleck
IN
86th-88th
1959-1965
Gerald R. Ford
MI
89th-93rd
1965-Dec. 6, 1973a
John J. Rhodes
AZ
93rd-96th
Dec. 7, 1973-1981
Robert H. Michel
IL
97th-103rd
1981-1995
Richard K. Armey
TX
104th-107th
1995-2003
Tom DeLay
TX
108th-109th
2003-Sept. 28, 2005b
Roy Blunt
MO
109th
Sept. 28, 2005-Feb. 2, 2006c
John Boehner
OH
109th, 110th-
Feb. 2, 2006-
James R. Mann
nd
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the floor leader was also majority leader.
CRS-10
a. Resigned from the House on December 6, 1973, after having been confirmed by the Senate to
become Vice President to fill the post vacated by the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew.
b. Resigned from leader position on September 28, 2005.
c. Appointed acting Republican floor leader on September 28, 2005, to replace Tom DeLay
temporarily until the conference could hold new elections on February 2, 2006. He continued
serving as Republican Whip during this period.
Table 3. House Democratic Floor Leaders, 1899-2009
Floor Leader
James D. Richardson
State
Congress
Dates
TN
56th-57th
1899-1903
th
th
1903-1908
John Sharp Williams
MS
58 -60
James B. (Champ) Clark
MO
60th-61st
1908-1911
Oscar W. Underwood
AL
62nd-63rd
1911-1915
th
th
Claude Kitchin
NC
64 -65
1915-1919
James B. (Champ) Clark
MO
66th
1919-1921
Claude Kitchin
NC
67th
Finis J. Garrett
IN
th
68 -70
John N. Garner
TX
71st
1929-1931
Henry T. Rainey
IL
72nd
1931-1933
Joseph W. Byrns
TN
73rd
1933-1935
William B. Bankhead
AL
74
th
Sam T. Rayburn
TX
75th-76th
1937-Sept. 16, 1940b
John W. McCormack
MA
76th-79th
Sept. 16, 1940-1947c
Sam T. Rayburn
TX
80th
1947-1949
John W. McCormack
MA
st
81 -82
1949-1953
Sam T. Rayburn
TX
83rd
1953-1955
John W. McCormack
MA
84th-87th
1955-Jan. 10, 1962d
Carl Albert
OK
87th-91st
Jan. 10, 1962-1971e
Thomas Hale Boggs
LA
92nd
1971-1973f
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr.
MA
93rd-94th
1973-1977
James Wright
TX
95th-99th
1977-1987
1921-1923
th
1935-June 4, 1936a
nd
th
1923-1929
st
1987-June 6, 1989g
Thomas S. Foley
WA
100 -101
Richard A. Gephardt
MO
101st-103rd
104th-107th
June 14, 1989h-2003
Nancy Pelosi
CA
108th-109th
2003-2007
Steny H. Hoyer
MD
th
110 -
2007-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources.
CRS-11
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the floor leader was also majority leader.
a. Elected Speaker, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Speaker Joseph W. Byrns. Records
indicate that Representative John J. O’Connor of New York, chair of the House Rules
Committee, served as acting majority leader during the 14 remaining days of the 74th Congress.
O’Connor does not, however, appear to have been formally elected majority leader at that time
and therefore is not included in this list.
b. Elected Speaker following the death of Speaker William B. Bankhead.
c. Elected majority leader on September 16, 1940, to fill post made vacant by the election of Sam
Rayburn as Speaker.
d. Elected Speaker at the start of the 87th Congress, 2nd session, following the death of Sam Rayburn.
e. Elected majority leader at commencement of the 87th Congress, 2nd session, when Majority Leader
John McCormack was elected Speaker to succeed Speaker Rayburn.
f. Disappeared on a flight from Anchorage to Juneau, Alaska, October 16, 1972. Presumed dead
pursuant to House Resolution 1, 93rd Congress.
g. Elected Speaker on June 6, 1989, following Speaker James C. Wright’s resignation from that post
on the same date.
h. Elected majority leader on June 14, 1989, to fill the post made vacant by the election of Thomas
S. Foley to be Speaker on June 6, 1989.
Party Whip
Each House party caucus currently elects its own party whip at organizational
meetings as a new Congress begins. House Republicans (or a representative group
of their conference) have always elected their party whips; Democrats in the House
appointed a chief whip until 1986. Chief deputy whips are currently appointed by the
party’s chief whip; additional members to serve in the whip team are either similarly
appointed or, instead, elected by subsets of the caucus. The whip organization is
responsible for assessing the passage prospects for upcoming measures, mobilizing
member support for leadership priorities, informing the party rank-and-file regarding
legislative scheduling and initiatives, and informing the top party leadership
regarding the sentiment of the rank-and-file. For more information, see CRS Report
RS20499, House Leadership: Whip Organization, by Judy Schneider.
Table 4. House Democratic Whips, 1901-2009
Whip
Oscar W. Underwooda
James T. Lloyd
State
Congress
Dates
AL
56th
1901
MO
th
N/Ac
Thomas M. Bell
th
1901-1908b
61st-62nd
1909-1913
57 -60
63rd
GA
c
th
N/A
1913-1915
th
64 -65 , 66
th
1915-1921
William A. Oldfield
AR
67th-70th
1921-Nov. 19, 1928d
John McDuffie
AL
70th-71st
72nd
1928-1933
Arthur Greenwood
IN
73rd
1933-1935
Patrick J. Boland
th
Robert Ramspeck
PA
th
74 -77
1935-May 18, 1942e
GA
77th-79th
1942-Dec. 31, 1945f
CRS-12
Whip
State
Congress
Dates
AL
79th
1946-1947
John W. McCormack
MA
th
80
1947-1949
J. Percy Priest
TN
81st-82nd
1949-1953
John W. McCormacka
MA
83rd
1953-1955
th
John J. Sparkman
a
a
OK
th
84 -87
1955-1962
Thomas Hale Boggsa
LA
87th-91st
1962-1971
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr.a
MA
92nd
1971-1973
John J. McFall
rd
Carl Albert
CA
th
93 -94
1973-1977
John W. Brademas
IN
95th-96th
1977-1981
Thomas S. Foleya
WA
97th-99th
g
th
1981-1987
st
CA
100 -101
William H. Gray, III
PA
101st-102nd
June 14, 1989-Sept. 11, 1991h
David E. Bonior
MI
102nd-103rd
104th-107th
Sept. 11, 1991-Jan. 15, 2002i
Nancy Pelosia
CA
107th-108th
Jan. 15, 2002-2003j
Steny H. Hoyera
MD
108th -109th
2003-2007
James E. Clyburn
SC
110th-
2007-
Tony Coelho
1987-June 14, 1989
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Democratic whip was the majority whip.
a. Ascended (or re-ascended) to party floor leader.
b. Resigned from position as Democratic whip in 1908 at the conclusion of the 60th Congress.
c. For these periods, there is no official record — in the minutes of the Democratic Caucus or
elsewhere — of the name of the Democratic whip. Some scholars believe that Representative
Thomas Bell may have been the whip from 1909 to 1919; others believe the whip for that period
may have been Representative John Nance Garner. See Randall B. Ripley, “The Party Whip
Organizations in the United States House of Representatives,” American Political Science
Review, vol. 58, Sept., 1964, p. 504.
d. Died in office, November 19, 1928.
e. Died in office, May 18, 1942.
f. Resigned from the House of Representatives, December 31, 1945.
g. Representative Tony Coelho was the first elected Democratic whip.
h. Resigned from the House of Representatives, September 11, 1991.
i. Elected July 11, 1991, but did not assume the House Democratic whip post until his predecessor in
the position, William H. Gray, III, resigned from Congress on September 11, 1991.
j. Elected on October 10, 2001, but did not assume the position of House Democratic whip until
January 15, 2002, the date on which Bonior’s resignation as whip became effective.
CRS-13
Table 5. House Republican Whips, 1897-2009
Whip
James A. Tawney
State
Congress
Dates
MN
55th-58th
1897-1905
th
th
James E. Watson
IN
59 -60
1905-1909
John W. Dwight
NY
61st
62nd
1909-1913
Charles H. Burke
SD
63rd
th
1913-1915
th
1915-1919
Charles M. Hamilton
WY
64 -65
Harold Knutson
MN
66th-67th
1919-1923
Albert H. Vestal
IN
68th-71st
1923-1931
nd
Carl G. Bachmann
WV
72
1931-1933
Harry L. Englebright
CA
73rd-78th
1933-May 13, 1943a
Leslie C. Arends
IL
78th-79th
80th
81st-82nd
83rd
84th-93rd
1943-1975
Robert H. Michelb
IL
94th-96th
1975-1981
th
th
Trent Lott
MS
97 -100
Dick Cheney
WY
101st
1989-Mar. 17, 1989c
Newt Gingrich
GA
101st-103rd
Mar. 22, 1989-1995c
Tom DeLayb
TX
104th-107th
1995-2003
Roy D. Blunt
Eric Cantor
b
th
MO
108 -109
110th
VA
111th-
th
1981-1989
2003d-2009
2009-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Republican whip was the majority whip.
a. Died in office, May 13, 1943.
b. Ascended to party floor leader.
c. Elected House Republican whip on March 22, 1989, following Representative Dick Cheney’s
resignation from the House on March 17, 1989, to become Secretary of Defense.
d. Served concurrently as whip and acting Republican floor leader from September 28, 2005, to
February 2, 2006.
Conference or Caucus Chair
The Republican Conference and the Democratic Caucus are the organizations
of the members of the respective parties in the House. Each conference has an elected
chair, who presides over its meetings. Decisions made by the conference (and often
CRS-14
publicly promulgated by the chair) are generally regarded as the collective sentiment
of the respective House party contingent.
Table 6. House Republican Conference Chairs, 1863-2009
Chair
Justin S. Morrilla
State
Congress
Dates
VT
38th-39th
1863-1867
b
N/A
40
th
1867-1869
Robert C. Schenckc
Nathaniel P. Banksc
OH
MA
41st
1869-1871
Austin Blair
MI
42nd
1871-1873
Horace Maynard
TN
43rd
1873-1875
George W. McCrary
IA
44
th
1875-1877
Eugene Hale
ME
45th
1877-1879
William P. Frye
ME
46th
1879-1881
th
G.M. Robeson
NJ
47
1881-1883
Joseph G. Cannon
IL
48th-50th
1883-1889
T.J. Henderson
IL
51st
52nd-53rd
1889-1895
Charles H. Grosvenor
OH
54th-55th
1895-1899
Joseph G. Cannon
IL
56th-57th
1899-1903
William P. Hepburn
IA
58th-60th
1903-1909
st
F.D. Currier
NH
61
62nd
1909-1913
William S. Greene
MA
63rd-65th
1913-1919
Horace M. Towner
IA
66th-67th
1919-1923
Sydney Anderson
MN
68th
1923-1925
Willis C. Hawley
OR
th
69 -71
72nd
1925-1933
Robert Luce
MA
73rd
1933-1935
Frederick R. Lehlbach
NJ
74th
Roy Woodruff
MI
th
75 -79
80th
81st
Clifford Hope
KS
82nd
83rd
84th
1951-1957
Charles Hoeven
IA
85th-87th
1957-1963
Gerald R. Ford
MI
88th
1963-1965
WI
th
Melvin Laird
st
1935-1937
th
89 -90
th
1937-1951
1965-1969
CRS-15
Chair
John B. Anderson
State
Congress
Dates
IL
91st-95th
1969-1979
th
1979-1981
Samuel L. Devine
OH
96
Jack Kemp
NY
97th-99th
1981-June 4, 1987d
Dick Cheney
WY
100th
June 4, 1987-1989d
Jerry Lewis
CA
101st-102nd
1989-1993
Richard K. Armey
TX
103rd
1993-1995
John A. Boehner
OH
104th-105th
th
1995-1999
th
1999-2003
J.C. Watts
OK
106 -107
Deborah Pryce
OH
108th-109th
2003-2007
Adam Putnam
FL
110th
2007-2009
IN
th
Mike Pence
111 -
2009-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Republican Party was in the majority.
a. Representative Justin S. Morrill is the first officially designated Republican caucus chair. There
exists no clear evidence of formal chairs of Republican organizations in earlier Congresses.
b. Caucus minutes show three Members (Representatives Nathaniel Banks, Luke Poland, and Samuel
Hooper) chairing three separate meetings.
c. Caucus minutes show Representative Robert C. Schenck elected chair, but Representative Nathaniel
P. Banks chairing two early meetings, possibly in Schenck’s absence.
d. On June 4, 1987, Representative Dick Cheney was elected conference chair to succeed
Representative Jack Kemp, who resigned from the post.
Table 7. House Democratic Caucus Chairs, 1849-2009
Chair
James Thompson
State
Congress
Dates
PA
31st
1849-1851
32nd
1851-1853
N/Aa
Edson B. Olds
OH
33rd
1853-1855
George W. Jones
TN
34th
1855-1857
35th
1857-1859
36th
1859-1861
37th-40th
1861-1869
41st
1869-1871
42nd
1871-1873
N/Ab
George S. Houston
AL
N/Ac
William E. Niblackd
Samuel J. Randalld
N/Ae
IN
PA
CRS-16
Chair
State
Congress
Dates
William E. Niblack
IN
43rd
1873-1875
Lucius Q.C. Lamar
MS
44th
1875-1877
Hiester Clymer
PA
45th
1877-1879
John F. House
TN
46th
1879-1881
47th
1881-1883
N/Af
George W. Geddes
OH
48th
1883-1885
J. Randolph Tucker
VA
49th
1885-1887
Samuel S. Cox
NY
50th
1887-1889g
William S. Holman
IN
51st
52 -53rd
1889-1895
nd
David B. Culberson
TX
54th
1895-1897
James D. Richardson
TN
55th
1897-1899
James Hay
VA
56th-58th
1899-1905
Robert L. Henry
TX
59th
1905-1907
Henry D. Clayton
AL
60th-61st
1907-1911h
Albert S. Burleson
TX
62nd
1911-1913h
A. Mitchell Palmer
PA
63rd
1913-1915
E.W. Saunders
VA
64th-65th
1915-1919
Arthur G. Dewalt
PA
66th
1919-1921
Sam T. Rayburn
TX
67th
1921-1923
Henry T. Rainey
IL
68th
1923-1925
Charles D. Carter
OK
69th
1925-1927
Arthur Greenwood
IN
70th
1927-1929
David Kincheloe
KY
71st
1929-1930i
William W. Arnold
IL
72nd
1931-1933
Clarence F. Lea
CA
73rd
1933-1935
Edward T. Taylor
CO
74th
1935-1937
Robert L. Doughton
NC
75th
1937-1939
John W. McCormack
MA
76th
1939-Sept. 16, 1940j
Richard M. Duncan
MO
77th
1941-1943
CRS-17
Chair
State
Congress
Dates
Harry Sheppard
CA
78th
1943-1945
Jere Cooper
TN
79th
1945-1947
Aime Forand
RI
80th
1947-1949
Francis E. Walter
PA
81st
1949-1951
Jere Cooper
TN
82nd
1951-1953
Wilbur Mills
AR
83rd
1953-1955
John J. Rooney
NY
84th
1955-1957
Melvin Price
IL
85th-86th
1957-1961
Francis E. Walter
PA
87th-88th
1961-May 31, 1963k
Albert Thomas
TX
88th
1964-1965
Eugene Keogh
NY
89th
1965-1967
Dan Rostenkowski
IL
90th-91st
1967-1971
Olin Teague
TX
92nd-93rd
1971-1975
Philip Burton
CA
94th
1975-1977
Thomas S. Foley
WA
95th-96th
1977-1981
Gillis W. Long
LA
97th-98th
1981-1985
Richard Gephardt
MO
99th-100th
1985-1989
William H. Gray, III
PA
101st
Jan. 4-June 14, 1989l
Steny H. Hoyer
MD
101st-103rd
June 21, 1989-1995m
Vic Fazio
CA
104th-105th
1995-1999
Martin Frost
TX
106th-107th
1999-2003
Robert Menendez
NJ
108th-109th
2003-Dec. 16, 2005n
James E. Clyburn
SC
109th
Dec. 16, 2005n-2007
Rahm Emanuel
IL
110th
2007-2009
John B. Larson
CT
111th-
2009-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Democratic Party was in the majority.
a. No clear records remain for this Congress. In early practice, the caucus chair often offered the
various organizational resolutions at the beginning of a Congress (e.g., the nomination of his
party’s candidate for Speaker, or the motion to elect the Speaker); examination of these motions
CRS-18
can often help in a determination of who was caucus chair. However, several different
Democratic Members offered the organizing resolutions for the 31st Congress.
b. No clear data for this period exist.
c. No clear data for this period exist. Representative John Hickman nominated Representative F.P.
Blair as Speaker in 1861, but no records show whether Hickman was caucus chair.
d. Representative Samuel J. Randall nominated the party’s candidate for Speaker. Caucus records,
however, show both Representatives William B. Niblack and Randall as having served as chair
during the Congress. The caucus records specify no dates of service.
e. Representative Fernando Wood nominated the Democratic leadership slate in the House, but there
is no other evidence to show he was elected caucus chair.
f. Available data show that Representative John F. House offered the Democrats’ nomination for
Speaker in the 47th Congress. However, later data show Representative W.S. Rosecrans issuing
the next call for a Democratic Caucus meeting; there is no evidence to suggest that Rosecrans
was actually elected caucus chair.
g. Former Parliamentarian Clarence Cannon’s notes state that “[Representative Samuel J.] Cox died
during this Congress and [Representative James B.] McCreary evidently succeeded or acted for
him.” Representative Cox died on September 10, 1889, six months after the sine die
adjournment of the 50th Congress and the convening of the 51st Congress.
h. Caucus records are contradictory for this period. They show the election of Representative James
Hay as chair on January 19, 1911, but do not mention a resignation by incumbent chair Henry
P. Clayton, nor do they specify that Hay was elected chair for the new Congress. Later, they
show the election of Representative Albert S. Burleson on April 11, 1911.
i. Resigned from the House, October 5, 1930; there is no record of an election to fill the vacancy as
caucus chair.
j. Resigned following election as majority floor leader, September 16, 1940; records do not indicate
that a successor was chosen during the remainder of the Congress.
k. Died in office, May 31, 1963. Caucus chair post vacant until January 21, 1964.
l. Representative William H. Gray, III, vacated the caucus chair post when he was elected Democratic
whip on June 14, 1989.
m. Representative Steny H. Hoyer was elected caucus chair on June 21, 1989, following the June 14,
1989 election of Representative William H. Gray as Democratic whip.
n. Representative Robert Menendez resigned from the House on January 16, 2006, after being
apppointed to the Senate seat for New Jersey vacated by Jon Corzine when he was elected
governor. Representative Menendez had previously resigned from the caucus chair position,
to which Representative James E. Clyburn was elected on December 16, 2005.
CRS-19
Senate Positions:
Descriptions and Historical Tables
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Pursuant to Article 1, Section 3, of the U.S. Constitution, the President pro
tempore of the Senate is the chamber’s presiding officer in the absence of the
President of the Senate (the Vice President of the United States). The President pro
tempore is elected by the full Senate as the formal institutional leader, and in current
practice, is the longest serving member of the majority party.8 Until 1890, the Senate
elected a President pro tempore whenever the Vice President was not in attendance,
whether for a day, or permanently, as in the case of the Vice President’s death or
resignation. When the Vice President returned, the President pro tempore lost his
place. When the Vice President was again absent, the Senate again elected a
President pro tempore — in many cases the same Senator who had been chosen
before. By the standing order agreed to on March 12, 1890, the Senate declared that
the President pro tempore shall hold the office during “the pleasure of the Senate and
until another is elected, and shall execute the duties thereof during all future absences
of the Vice President until the Senate does otherwise order.”9
The Senate’s President pro tempore is, pursuant to statute, currently third in the
line of presidential succession (behind the Vice President and the Speaker of the
House). In the Succession Act of 1792, the position was initially designated to serve
in line after the Vice President.10 An 1886 act altered the succession line by replacing
congressional leaders with cabinet secretaries, but the President pro tempore post was
reinstated in the line (in the current position) in 1947.11
As presiding officer, the President pro tempore has the power to decide points
of order and enforce decorum on the floor. The President pro tempore has other
formal powers (e.g., appointing conferees; appointing certain Senate officers; and
serving on, or appointing others to, working groups, commissions and advisory
boards); however, because the direction of Senate business has fallen in modern
times to the majority leader, almost all of these powers are actually exercised by the
majority leader in practice.
As explained in the notes to Table 9 and Table 10 below, the Senate has also
had past occasion to select a Deputy President pro tempore and a Permanent Acting
President pro tempore. For more information on the President pro tempore (and the
8
Electing the longest-serving majority party Senator has generally been the practice since
1890, with some exceptions. The only exception since 1945 has been the election of
Senator Arthur Vandenberg in 1947.
9
U.S. Congress, Senate Journal, 50th Cong., 2nd sess., p. 165. See also “President Pro
Tempore of the Senate,” Congressional Record, vol. 21 (March 12, 1890), pp. 2144-2150.
10
1 Stat. 240.
11
24 Stat 1; 61 Stat. 380.
CRS-20
deputy and acting posts), consult CRS Report RL30960, The President Pro Tempore
of the Senate: History and Authority of the Office, by Christopher M. Davis.
Table 8. Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1789-2009
Name
John Langdon
Party
State
Congress
Date Elected
Pro-Admin
NH
1st
Apr. 6, 1789
nd
Richard Henry Lee
Anti-Admin
VA
2
Apr. 18, 1792
John Langdon
Pro-Admin
NH
2nd
Nov. 5, 1792
Mar. 1, 1793
Ralph Izard
Pro-Admin
SC
3rd
May 31, 1794
Anti-Admin
R(DR)a
VA
rd
3
4th
Feb. 20, 1795
Dec. 7, 1795
Samuel Livermore
F
NH
4th
May 6, 1796
William Bingham
F
PA
4th
Feb. 16, 1797
William Bradford
F
RI
5th
July 6, 1797
th
Nov. 22, 1797
Henry Tazewell
Jacob Read
F
SC
5
Theodore Sedgwick
F
MA
5th
June 27, 1798
John Laurance
F
NY
5th
Dec. 6, 1798
th
James Ross
F
PA
5
Mar. 1, 1799
Samuel Livermore
F
NH
6th
Dec. 22, 1799
Uriah Tracy
F
CT
6th
May 14, 1800
th
John E. Howard
F
MD
6
Nov. 21, 1800
James Hillhouse
F
CT
6th
Feb. 28, 1801
Abraham Baldwin
R
GA
7th
Dec. 7, 1801
VT
th
7
Dec. 14, 1802
Feb. 25, 1803
Mar. 2, 1803
Anti-Admin
KY
8th
Oct. 17, 1803
Jan. 23, 1804
Jesse Franklin
R(DR)a
NC
8th
Mar. 10, 1804
Joseph Anderson
R(DR)a
TN
8th
Jan. 15, 1805
Feb. 28, 1805
Mar. 2, 1805
Samuel Smith
R(DR)a
MD
9th
10th
Dec. 2, 1805
Mar. 18, 1806
Mar. 2, 1807
Apr. 16, 1808
Stephen R. Bradley
John Brown
R(DR)
a
Stephen R. Bradley
R(DR)a
VT
10th
Dec. 28, 1808
John Milledge
R(DR)a
GA
10th
Jan. 30, 1809
CRS-21
Name
Party
State
Congress
Date Elected
R(DR)a
PA
11th
June 26, 1809
John Gaillard
R(DR)
a
SC
11
th
Feb. 28, 1810
Apr. 17, 1810
John Pope
R(DR)a
KY
11th
Feb. 23, 1811
William H. Crawford
R(DR)a
GA
12th
Mar. 24, 1812
MA
th
13
Dec. 6, 1813
SC
13th
Apr. 18, 1814
Nov. 25, 1814b
[no election]
Mar. 6, 1817
Mar. 31, 1918
Andrew Gregg
a
Joseph B. Varnum
R(DR)
John Gaillard
R(DR)a
14th
15th
James Barbour
R(DR)a
VA
15th
16th
Feb. 15, 1819
[no election]
John Gaillard
R(DR)a
SC
16th
17th
Jan. 25, 1820
Feb. 1, 1822
Feb. 19, 1823
May 21, 1824
Mar. 9, 1825
18th
19th
CRR
J
Nathaniel Macon
J
NC
19th
May 20, 1826
Jan. 2, 1827
Mar. 2, 1827
Samuel Smith
J
MD
20th
21st
May 15, 1828
Mar. 13, 1829
May 29, 1830
Mar. 1, 1831
Littleton Tazewell
J
VA
22nd
July 9, 1832
Hugh L. White
J
TN
22nd
23rd
Dec. 3, 1832
[no election]
George Poindexter
AJ
MS
23rd
June 28, 1834
John Tyler
AJ
VA
23rd
Mar. 3, 1835
AL
th
27th
July 1, 1836
Jan. 28, 1837
Mar. 7, 1837
Oct. 13, 1837
July 2, 1838
Feb. 25, 1839
July 3, 1840
Mar. 3, 1841
Mar. 4, 1841
NJ
27th
Mar. 11, 1841
th
William R. King
J
24
25th
D
26th
Samuel Southard
W
Willie P. Mangum
W
NC
27
28th
May 31, 1842
[no election]
Ambrose H. Sevier
D
AR
29th
Dec. 27, 1845c
CRS-22
Name
David R. Atchison
Party
State
Congress
Date Elected
D
MO
29th
Aug. 8, 1846
Jan. 11, 1847
Mar. 3, 1847
Feb. 2, 1848
June 1, 1848
June 26, 1848
July 29, 1848
Dec. 26, 1848
Mar. 2, 1849
Mar. 5, 1849
Mar. 16, 1849
30th
31st
William R. King
D
AL
31st
32nd
May 6, 1850
July 11, 1850
[no election]
David R. Atchison
D
MO
32nd
33rd
Dec. 20, 1852
Mar. 4, 1853
Lewis Cass
D
MI
33rd
Dec. 4, 1854
rd
Jesse D. Bright
D
IN
33
34th
Dec. 5, 1854
June 11, 1856
Charles E. Stuart
D
MI
34th
June 9, 1856
James M. Mason
D
VA
34th
35th
Jan. 6, 1857
Mar. 4, 1857
Thomas J. Rusk
D
TX
35th
Mar. 14, 1857
Benjamin Fitzpatrick
D
AL
35th
Dec. 7, 1857
Mar. 29, 1858
June 14, 1858
Jan. 25, 1858
Mar. 9, 1859
Dec. 19, 1859
Feb. 20, 1860
36th
Jesse D. Bright
D
IN
36th
June 12, 1860
Benjamin Fitzpatrick
D
AL
36th
June 26, 1860
Solomon Foot
R
VT
36th
37th
Feb. 16, 1861
Mar. 23, 1861
July 18, 1861
Jan. 15, 1862
Mar. 31, 1862
June 19, 1862
Feb. 18, 1863
Mar. 4, 1863
Dec. 18, 1863
Feb. 23, 1864
Apr. 11, 1864
38th
Daniel Clark
R
NH
38th
Apr. 26, 1864
Feb. 9, 1865
CRS-23
Name
Lafayette S. Foster
Party
State
Congress
Date Elected
R
CT
39th
Mar. 7, 1865
th
Benjamin F. Wade
R
OH
39
40th
Mar. 2, 1867
[no election]
Henry B. Anthony
R
RI
41st
Mar. 23, 1869
Apr. 9, 1869
May 28, 1870
July 1, 1870
July 14, 1870
Mar. 10, 1871
Apr. 17, 1871
May 23, 1871
Dec. 21, 1871
Feb. 23, 1872
June 8, 1872
Dec. 4, 1872
Dec. 13, 1872
Dec. 20, 1872
Jan. 24, 1873
42nd
Matthew H. Carpenter
R
WI
43rd
Mar. 12, 1873
Mar. 26, 1873
Dec. 11, 1873
Dec. 23, 1874
Henry B. Anthony
R
RI
43rd
Jan. 25, 1875
Feb. 15, 1875
Thomas W. Ferry
R
MI
44th
Mar. 9, 1875
Mar. 19, 1875
Dec. 20, 1875
Mar. 5, 1877
Feb. 26, 1878
Apr. 17, 1878
Mar. 3, 1879
45th
Allen G. Thurman
D
OH
46th
Apr. 15, 1879
Apr. 7, 1880
May 6, 1880
Thomas F. Bayard, Sr.
D
DE
47th
Oct. 10, 1881
David Davis
I
IL
47th
Oct. 13, 1881
George F. Edmonds
R
VT
47th
48th
Mar. 3, 1883
Jan. 14, 1884
John Sherman
R
OH
49th
Dec. 7, 1885
John J. Ingalls
R
KS
49th
50th
51st
Feb. 25, 1887
[no election]
Mar. 7, 1889
Apr. 2, 1889
Feb. 28, 1890
Apr. 3, 1890d
Charles F. Manderson
R
NE
51st-53rd
Mar. 2, 1891
CRS-24
Name
Isham G. Harris
Party
State
Congress
Date Elected
D
TN
53rd
Mar. 22, 1893
rd
Matt W. Ransom
D
NC
53
Jan. 7, 1895
Isham G. Harris
D
TN
53rd
Jan. 10, 1895
William P. Frye
R
ME
54th-56th
57th-59th
60th-62nd
Feb. 7, 1896
Mar. 7, 1901
Dec. 5, 1907
Charles Curtis
R
KS
62nd
Dec. 4, 1911
Augustus O. Bacon
D
GA
62nd
Jan. 15, 1912
Jacob H. Gallinger
R
NH
62nd
Feb. 12, 1912
nd
Mar. 25, 1912
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr.
R
MA
62
Frank B. Brandegee
R
CT
62nd
May 25, 1912
James P. Clarke
D
AR
63rd
64th
Mar. 13, 1913
Dec. 6, 1915
Willard Saulsbury, Jr.
D
DE
64th-65th
Dec. 14, 1916
th
Albert B. Cummins
R
IA
66
67th-69th
May 19, 1919
Mar. 7, 1921
George H. Moses
R
NH
69th
70th-72nd
Mar. 6, 1925
Dec. 15, 1927
Key Pittman
D
NV
73rd
74th-76th
Mar. 9, 1933
Jan. 7, 1935
William H. King
D
UT
76th
Nov. 19, 1940
th
Pat Harrison
D
MS
77
Jan. 6, 1941
Carter Glass
D
VA
77th
78th
July 10, 1941
Jan. 5, 1943
Kenneth D. McKellar
D
TN
79th
Jan. 6, 1945
th
Arthur Vandenberg
R
MI
80
Jan. 4, 1947
Kenneth D. McKellar
D
TN
81st-82nd
Jan. 3, 1949
Styles Bridges
R
NH
83rd
Jan. 3, 1953
th
Walter F. George
D
GA
84
Jan. 5, 1955
Carl T. Hayden
D
AZ
85th-90th
Jan. 3, 1957
Richard B. Russell, Jr.
D
GA
91st-92nd
Jan. 3, 1969
92
nd
Jan. 22, 1971
Allen J. Ellender
D
LA
James O. Eastland
D
MS
92nd-95th
July 28, 1972
Warren G. Magnuson
D
WA
96th
Jan. 15, 1979
th
Dec. 4, 1980
Milton R. Young
R
ND
96
Strom Thurmond
R
SC
97th-99th
Jan. 5, 1981
John C. Stennis
D
MS
100th
Jan. 6, 1987
CRS-25
Name
Robert C. Byrd
Party
State
Congress
Date Elected
D
WV
101st-103rd
Jan. 3, 1989
th
th
Strom Thurmond
R
SC
104 -106
Jan. 4, 1995
Robert C. Byrd
D
WV
107th
Jan. 3, 2001e
Strom Thurmond
R
SC
107th
Jan. 3, 2001e
Robert C. Byrdf
D
WV
107th
June 6, 2001
Ted Stevens
R
AK
108th-109th
Jan. 7, 2003
Robert C. Byrd
D
WV
110th-
Jan. 4, 2007
Sources: The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, pp. 647-653. See the
“Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full citation
of all sources.
Notes: A key to party abbreviations can be found in the Appendix of this report. Note that several
Senators holding the President pro tempore position were members of (or identified with) different
political parties during their congressional careers. This table lists the party with which each
individual was affiliated at the time of his service as President pro tempore. In cases in which the
historical sources indicate a party “switch” in the midst of a calendar year (without a specific date),
it is presumed that the party switch coincided with the beginning of a new Congress.
a. Although the Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996 identifies these
Presidents pro tempore as Republicans, the party designation “Democratic Republicans” is more
widely used and familiar to readers. This designation, R(DR), should not be taken to refer to
the contemporary Republican Party, which did not emerge until the 1850s.
b. Senator John Gaillard was elected after the death of Vice President Elbridge Gerry on November
23, 1814, and continued to serve throughout the 14th Congress, as there was no Vice President.
c. There was no actual election. Senator Ambrose H. Sevier was “permitted to occupy the chair for
the day.” In their table of Presidents pro tempore, Gerald Gamm and Steven S. Smith do not
include Sevier’s service. See Gerald Gamm and Steven S. Smith, “Last Among Equals,” “Table
1: Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate,” p.13.
d. As noted above, in March 1890, the Senate adopted a resolution stating that Presidents pro tempore
would hold office continuously until the election of another President pro tempore, rather than
being elected only for the period in which the Vice President was absent. That system has
continued to the present.
e. When the 107th Congress convened on January 3, 2001, Republican George W. Bush had been
elected President. Richard B. Cheney, Vice President-elect, would not be sworn in until January
20, 2001. As a consequence, the Senate was evenly divided, 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans.
When Congress convened on January 3, 2001, Vice President Al Gore, a Democrat, remained
as President of the Senate, providing Senate Democrats with an effective majority of one. On
January 3, 2001, the Senate adopted S. Res. 3, which provided for the election of Senator Robert
C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, to serve as President pro tempore from January 3 until the
inauguration of President Bush and Vice President Cheney at noon on January 20, at which time
Senator Strom Thurmond, Republican of South Carolina, would assume the office of President
pro tempore. See “Election of the Honorable Robert C. Byrd as President Pro Tempore and
Election of the Honorable Strom Thurmond as President Pro Tempore,” Congressional Record,
vol. 147, January 3, 2001, p. 7.
f. Party control in the Senate shifted with the decision in May, 2001, of Senator Jim Jeffords to leave
the Republican party and to become an Independent, caucusing with Senate Democrats. On
June 6, the Senate agreed to S. Res. 100 electing Senator Byrd President pro tempore once
again.
CRS-26
The Senate has, on occasion, created special offices connected to the position
of President pro tempore. These two positions — detailed below — were created
for specific individuals under narrow circumstances and are not currently in use.
Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore. Pursuant to S. Res. 17 (95th Congress),
agreed to January 10, 1977, the Senate established (effective January 5, 1977) the
post of Deputy President pro tempore of the Senate to be held by “any Member of
the Senate who has held the Office of President of the United States or Vice
President of the United States.” Senator Hubert H. Humphrey was Deputy President
pro tempore until his death on January 13, 1978. In the 100th Congress, due to
concerns over the health of the President pro tempore, Senate John S. Stennis, the
Senate agreed on January 28, 1987, to S. Res. 90, authorizing the Senate to
designate a Senator to serve as Deputy President pro tempore during that Congress,
in addition to Senators who hold such office under the authority of S. Res. 17 (95th
Congress). Accordingly, on the same date the Senate agreed to S. Res. 91 (100th
Congress), designating Senator George H. Mitchell Deputy President pro tempore.
Table 9. Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate,
1977-2009
Deputy President
Pro Tempore
Party
State
Congress
Dates
Hubert H. Humphrey
D
MN
95th
Jan. 5, 1977-Jan. 13, 1978
George J. Mitchell
D
ME
100th
Jan. 28, 1987-Nov. 29, 1988a
a. Senator Mitchell served as Deputy President pro tempore until he was elected majority leader for
the 101st Congress on November 29, 1988.
Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore. This post was initially
established in 1963 after Senate Majority Leader Michael J. Mansfield became
concerned that the stamina of then-President pro tempore, Senator Carl T. Hayden,
would be overly taxed by presiding over the prolonged debate on civil rights
legislation. In response, the Senate adopted S. Res. 232 and S. Res. 238 (88th
Congress) making Senator Lee Metcalf Acting President pro tempore from
December 9, 1963, until the meeting of the second session of the 88th Congress.
Continuing concerns over the presiding officer’s responsibilities led the Senate, on
February 7, 1964, to authorize Senator Metcalf “to perform the duties of the Chair
as Acting President pro tempore until otherwise ordered by the Senate” via S. Res.
296 (88th Congress). Senator Metcalf held the post throughout his remaining 14
years in the Senate.
Table 10. Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore
of the Senate, 1964-2009
Permanent Acting
President Pro Tempore
Lee Metcalf
Party
D
State
Congress
Dates
MT
88th-95th
Feb. 7, 1964-Jan. 12, 1978
CRS-27
Party Floor Leader
Each Senate party conference selects its floor leader (also called majority leader
or minority leader, as appropriate) in a secret-ballot vote at its organizational
meeting prior to the beginning of a new Congress. While these positions developed
later than (and arose from) the post of conference chair, they now represent the top
post in each party. The majority leader is the lead spokesperson for the party in the
chamber and is also responsible for scheduling the legislative activity of the Senate.
By precedent established in 1937, the majority leader is afforded priority recognition
on the floor. The minority leader leads and speaks for the minority party and is
consulted by the majority leader in scheduling Senate floor activity; he also has
preferential floor recognition, after the majority leader. The rules of each party
conference assign additional responsibilities to each floor leader, as well. In current
practice, the floor leader for Senate Democrats also serves as the party’s conference
chair. (See next section for description of conference chair positions.)
Table 11. Senate Republican Floor Leaders, 1919-2009
Floor Leader
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr.
Charles Curtisa, e
a
State
a, b, c
Congress
Dates
MA
th
66 -68
1919-Nov. 9, 1924d
KS
68th-70th
Nov. 28, 1924-1929
th
IN
st
nd
71 -72
1929-1933
Charles L. McNary
OR
rd
73 -78
th
1933-Feb. 25, 1944f
Wallace H. White, Jr.
ME
79th
80th
1945-1949
Kenneth S. Wherry
NE
81st-82nd
1949-Nov. 29, 1951g
Styles Bridges
NH
82nd
1952-1953
Robert A. Taft
OH
rd
William F. Knowland
CA
83rd
84th-85th
Aug. 4, 1953-1959
Everett Dirksen
IL
86th-91st
1959-Sept. 7, 1969i
Hugh Scott
PA
91st-94th
Sept. 24, 1969-1977
James E. Watson
a
1953-July 31, 1953h
83
th
th
Howard H. Baker
TN
95 -96
97th-98th
1977-1985
Robert H. Dole
KS
99th
100th-103rd
104th
1985-June 11, 1996j
Trent Lott
MS
104th-106th
107th
June 12, 1996 - Dec. 20, 2002k
William H. Frist
TN
108th-109th
Dec. 23, 2002l-2007
Mitch McConnell
KY
110th-
2007-
Sources: The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p. 505, with some details
provided by Riddick, Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, pp. 1-11. See the “Source Notes
and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full citation of all sources.
CRS-28
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the floor leader was also majority leader for at
least half of the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a
controlling majority, party control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the
107thCongress is therefore treated as being under Democratic party control in these tables, where
applicable.
a. Indicates a leader who was also conference chair. Prior to 1945, the Republican conference chair
and floor leader positions were held by the same individual.
b. While Byrd’s volume provisionally lists Republican Conference Chair Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr, as
the first Republican floor leader in practice, some sources treat two previous conference chairs
as floor leaders in practice. For example, Riddick includes (in Table III, “Seniority of Majority
and Minority Leaders of the Senate,” p.11) conference chairs Senator Shelby M. Cullom as
majority leader from 1911-1913 and Senator Jacob H. Gallinger as minority leader from 1913
until his death on August 17, 1918.
c. Elected conference chair in the 65th Congress on August 24, 1918, to replace Senator Gallinger.
Senator Lodge was not officially a floor leader; he was simply reelected to the conference chair
post in 1919, and the party had not yet employed the designation floor leader. Scholarly
opinion is that his role in the 66th to 68th Congresses, for all intents and purposes, was that of
the floor leader, however. Byrd’s volume provisionally lists him as the first majority leader
(Table 4-6, p. 506); Riddick includes him in Table III, p.11. Also see Widenor, “Henry Cabot
Lodge: The Astute Parliamentarian,” for additional supporting details.
d. Died in office, November 9, 1924.
e. Senator Charles Curtis was elected conference chair on November 28, 1924, to replace Senator
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr., who died on November 9. On March 5, 1925, the Republican
conference also designated him as floor leader, the first Senator to hold the title.
f. Senator Charles L. McNary died on February 25, 1944. There is no reference in congressional
sources to the formal selection of a new Republican floor leader during the 78th Congress. In
his article summarizing “The Second Session of the Seventy-Eighth Congress (January 10December 18, 1944),” American Political Science Review, vol. 39, April 1945, pp. 317-336,
Floyd Riddick makes no mention of McNary’s death or the selection of a successor.
g. Died in office, November 29, 1951.
h. Died in office, July 31, 1953.
i. Died in office, September 7, 1969.
j. Resigned from Senate, June 11, 1996.
k. Elected June 12, 1996, to replace Senator Robert H. Dole, and resigned from majority leader post,
December 20, 2002.
l. Elected December 23, 2002, to replace Senator Trent Lott.
Table 12. Senate Democratic Floor Leaders
and Conference Chairs, 1893-2009
Floor Leader
State
Congress
Dates
MD
53rd
54th-55th
1893-1898
55th-56th
1898-1901
AL
57th
1901-1902
AR
th
57
Arthur P. Gorman
MD
th
58 -59
Joseph C.S. Blackburnf
KY
59th
June 9, 1906-1907g
Charles A. Culberson
TX
60th
1907-1909
Hernando D. Money
MS
61
st
1909-1911
Thomas S. Martinf
VA
62nd
1911-1913
Arthur P. Gormana, b
N/Ac
John T. Morganb
James K. Jones
b
d
1902-1903
th
1903-June 4, 1906e
CRS-29
Floor Leader
John Worth Kernf
State
Congress
Dates
IN
63rd-64th
1913-1917
Thomas S. Martin
VA
65
66th
1917-Nov. 12, 1919h
Oscar W. Underwoodf
AL
66th-67th
Apr. 27, 1920-1923i
Joseph T. Robinson
AR
68th-75th
73rd-75th
1923-July 14, 1937j
Alben W. Barkley
KY
75th-79th
80th
July 22, 1937-1949k
Scott W. Lucas
IL
81st
1949-1951
Ernest W. McFarland
AZ
82nd
1951-1953
Lyndon B. Johnson
TX
83rd
84th-86th
1953-1961
Mike Mansfield
MT
87th-94th
1961-1977
th
th
th
Robert C. Byrd
WV
95 -96
97th-99th
100th
1977-1989
George J. Mitchell
ME
101st-103rd
1989-1995
Tom Daschlel
SD
104th-106th
107th
108th
1995-2005
Harry Reid
NV
109th
110th-
2005-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources. The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p.
503. Some additional details are from Riddick’s Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, p. 111. Initially the Senate Democratic Caucus, the name was officially changed to the Democratic
Conference in 1925.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the floor leader was also majority leader for at
least half of the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a
controlling majority, party control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the 107th
Congress is therefore treated as being under Democratic party control in these tables, where
applicable.
a. Byrd’s identification of the first Democratic conference chair begins with Senator Gorman in the
58th Congress. Other sources, however, rely on unofficial records to give Gorman that title in
the 53rd Congress, with Senators Morgan and Jones identified as such in later Congresses (after
a period in which reliable sources do not exist); see, for example, Riddick, Majority and
Minority Leaders of the Senate, Table I, p. 7.
b. Riddick identifies Senator Gorman as the first Democratic conference chair in 1893, though Byrd
does not designate him as such until the 58th Congress. This is also the case with the
designations of Senators Morgan in 1901 and Jones in 1902.
c. No reliable records from the caucus exist for this period.
d. Senator Gorman’s designation as conference chair in the 58th Congress is the first that can be
confirmed from official caucus minutes.
e. Died June 4, 1906.
CRS-30
f. Secondary sources generally identify Senator Kern as the first Democratic floor leader in the
modern sense of the term. See, for example, Oleszek, “John Worth Kern,” p. 10. Others have
made a case for designating Senator Blackburn as the first, since he was referred to as the
Democrats’ “chosen official leader” in a congratulatory resolution. See Riddick, p. 3. Still
others consider Senator Martin an early floor leader; see Oleszek, “John Worth Kern,” note 13.
Senator Underwood is the first person to be officially called floor leader in minutes of the party
conference, so some sources (e.g., Byrd) treat him as the first Democratic floor leader.
g. Elected June 9, 1906.
h. Died November 12, 1919. An initial caucus vote to replace Senator Martin resulted in a tie
between Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock and Senator Underwood. Hitchcock briefly was acting
leader until Underwood was elected in April of 1920. See Riddick, p. 9, note 2.
i. Elected April 27, 1920.
j. Died July 14, 1937.
k. Elected July 22, 1937.
l. In the 107th Congress, Senator Daschle became majority leader on June 6, 2001, following a
change in party control of the Senate from Republican to Democratic.
Conference Chair
Each party has a conference organization consisting of all the elected Senators
from that party; it is the main body through which the party contingent at large
decides and communicates its legislative priorities. While each party’s conference
chair posts were the first formal party leadership positions in the Senate, eventually
floor leader positions were established as uppermost in each party’s leadership
hierarchy. Since 1945, Republicans have elected their conference chair separately
from other leadership posts, but the elected Democratic floor leader also serves as
chair of the Democratic Conference. (See Table 12 for the list of Democratic floor
leaders / conference chairs.)
Table 13. Senate Republican Conference Chairs, 1893-2009
Chair
State
Congress
Dates
John Shermana
OH
53rd
54th
1893-1897
William B. Allison
IA
55th-56th
1897-1901b
Eugene Hale
ME
57th
1901-1902
Orville Platt
CT
57th
1902-1903c
Eugene Hale
ME
58th
th
1903-1904
th
William B. Allison
IA
58 -59
1904-1906
Eugene Hale
ME
59th
1906-1907
William B. Allisond
IA
59th
1907-1908
Nelson W. Aldrich
RI
th
60
1908-1909
Eugene Hale
ME
60th-61st
1909-1910
Shelby M. Cullom
IL
61st-62nd
1910-1913
Jacob H. Gallinger
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr.
NH
e
MA
rd
th
1913-1918
65
66th-68th
1918-1924
63 -65
th
CRS-31
Chair
Charles Curtise
e
State
Congress
Dates
KS
68th-70th
1924-1929
st
nd
James E. Watson
IN
71 -72
1929-1932
Charles L. McNarye
OR
73rd-78th
1933-1944
Arthur H. Vandenberg
MI
79th
1945-1946
Eugene D. Millikin
th
CO
80 -82
83rd
84th
nd
1947-1956
Leverett Saltonstall
MA
85th-89th
1957-1966
Margaret Chase Smith
ME
90th-92nd
1967-1972
rd
1973-1974
Norris Cotton
NH
93
Carl T. Curtis
NE
94th-95th
1975-1978
Robert Packwood
OR
96th
1979-1980
James A. McClure
ID
97th-98th
1981-1984
th
John Chafee
RI
99
101st
1985-1990
Thad Cochran
MS
102nd-103rd
104th
1991-1996
Connie Mack
FL
105th-106th
1997-2000
th
Richard J. Santorum
PA
107
108th-109th
2001-2006
Jon L. Kyl
AZ
110th
2007-Dec. 6, 2007f
Lamar Alexander
TN
110th-
Dec. 6, 2007f-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources. The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p.
502. Additional detail is from Riddick, Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, pp. 7-9).
Records of the Republican Conference are extant only from 1911. Secondary sources (see Riddick,
pp. 7-9) provide information for years prior to 1893. Rothman, in his work, claims that Senator
Henry B. Anthony served as Republican caucus chair for an undetermined number of years beginning
in 1869 and that Senator George Franklin Edmunds served as chair from 1885 to 1891. See David
J. Rothman, Politics and Power: The United States Senate, 1869-1901, Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press, 1966, pp. 6, 28-30.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Republican party was in the majority for at
least half of the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a
controlling majority, party control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the 107th
Congress is therefore treated as being under Democratic party control in these tables, where
applicable. Except for those individuals who also served as floor leader (as designated in next note),
sources do not provide specific dates of conference chair service (e.g., when there was a death or
resignation and, as a result, a mid-session election was held). Therefore, this table provides only
years of service for each conference chair and gives no specific dates for transitions that occurred
within a session.
a. Riddick indicates that secondary sources confirm Sherman as the first Republican conference chair
(Table I, p.7); Byrd starts his list (Table 4-1, p.502) with Allison’s tenure in the 55th Congress,
but notes Sherman’s previous tenure in a footnote.
CRS-32
b. Byrd lists Senator Allison’s tenure in the position as 1897-1901, but Riddick maintains that
reliable records do not exist for 1898 to 1901.
c. Using unofficial sources, Riddick (Table I, p. 7) indicates that Senator George H. Hoar was briefly
conference chair in 1903. Byrd does not include him.
d. Using unofficial sources, Riddick (Table I, p. 7) indicates Senator Allison was chair; Byrd does
not include him.
e. Indicates individuals who were simultaneously identified as the floor leader. See Table 11 of this
report.
f. Senator John L. Kyl was elected party whip on December 6, 2007; Senator Lamar Alexander was
elected on that day to serve as conference chair.
Party Whip
Senate Democrats first selected a party whip in 1913; Republicans followed in
1915. Some accounts of these early selections imply that the individuals were
initially appointed, but other contemporary accounts refer to conference elections
for the posts. (Republicans first formally codified their conference procedures in
1944, making it clear that the whip post was elected by the conference.) Today,
each party conference elects a party whip, who is also known in the Senate as the
assistant majority leader or assistant minority leader, depending on the party.
Typically, deputy whips are also appointed to assist the whip operation. The whips
communicate leadership priorities to the party rank-and-file (and vice versa),
provide leaders an assessment of member support for (or opposition to) pending
legislative matters, and mobilize support for leadership-supported measures under
consideration. For more information, see CRS Report RS20887, Senate Leadership:
Whip Organization, by Judy Schneider.
Table 14. Senate Democratic Whips, 1913-2009
Whip
State
Congress
Dates
James Hamilton Lewisa
IL
63rd-65th
1913-1919
Peter G. Gerry
RI
66th-70th
1919-1929
Morris Sheppard
TX
71st-72nd
1929-1933
rd
th
James Hamilton Lewis
IL
73 -75
1933-1939
Sherman Minton
IN
76th
1939-1941
J. Lister Hill
AL
77th-79th
1941-1947
b
th
1947-1949
Scott W. Lucas
IL
80
Francis J. Myers
PA
81st
1949-1951
Lyndon B. Johnsonb
TX
82nd
1951-1953
Earle C. Clement
KY
rd
83
84th
1953-1957
Mike Mansfieldb
MT
85th-86th
1957-1961
Hubert H. Humphrey
MN
87th-88th
1961-1965
Russell B. Long
LA
89th-90th
1965-1969
Edward M. Kennedy
MA
91
st
1969-1971
CRS-33
Whip
Robert C. Byrdb
State
Congress
Dates
WV
92nd-94th
1971-1977
th
th
Alan Cranston
CA
95 -96
97th-99th
100th-101st
1977-1991
Wendell H. Ford
KY
102nd-103rd
104th-105th
1991-1999
Harry Reidb
NV
106th,
107th
108th
1999-2005
Richard Durbin
IL
109th
110th-
2005-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources. The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p.
509, with additional detail drawn from Oleszek, Majority and Minority Whips of the Senate.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Democratic whip was also the majority whip
for at least half of the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with
a controlling majority, party control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the
107thCongress is therefore treated as being under Democratic party control in these tables, where
applicable.
a. Senator James Hamilton Lewis became the first Democratic Party whip in 1913. In the
Congressional Record, Lewis himself referred to his “appointment,” but a press account the
next year said he was elected. See Oleszek, Majority and Minority Whips of the Senate, p. 4.
b. Indicates individuals who later advanced to floor leader.
Table 15. Senate Republican Whips, 1915-2009
Whip
James W. Wadsworth, Jr.a
Congress
Dates
NY
64th
1915
th
KS
th
64 -65
66th-68th
1915-1924
Wesley L. Jones
WA
68th-70th
1924-1929
Simeon D. Fess
OH
71st-72nd
1929-1933
Charles Curtis
b
State
Felix Hebert
RI
c
73
rd
th
74 -77
N/A
1933-1935
th
1936-1943
Kenneth S. Wherryb
NE
78th-79th
80th
1944-1949
Leverett Saltonstall
MA
81st-82nd
83rd
84th
1949-1957
Everett M. Dirksenb
IL
85th
1957-1959
Thomas H. Kuchel
CA
th
86 -90
th
1959-1969
CRS-34
Whip
State
Congress
Dates
PA
91st
1969
Robert P. Griffin
st
Hugh D. Scottb
MI
91 -94
th
1969-1977
Ted Stevens
AK
95th-96th
97th-98th
1977-1985
Alan K. Simpson
WY
99th
100th-103rd
1985-1995
Trent Lottb
MS
104th
1995-June 12, 1996d
Don Nickles
OK
104th-106th
107th
June 12, 1996-2003e
Mitch McConnellb
KY
108th-109th
2003-2007
th
Trent Lott
MS
110
2007-Dec. 6, 2007f
Jon L. Kyl
AZ
110th-
Dec. 6, 2007f-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description
and full citation of all sources. The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p.
509, with additional details provided by Oleszek, Majority and Minority Whips of the Senate.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Republican whip was also majority whip for
at least half of the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a
controlling majority, party control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the
107thCongress is treated as being under Democratic party control in these tables, where applicable.
a. Wadsworth was the first Republican whip, but served only one week before Senator Curtis was
named his successor. Some sources describe the selections as appointments, but clearly the
party eventually elected individuals to the post. The conference rules for such selection were
formally codified only in 1944, but the election practice seems to have been occurring prior
to this. See Oleszek, Majority and Minority Whips of the Senate, p. 5.
b. Indicates individuals who later advanced to floor leader.
c. Between 1936 and 1943, the Republican whip post was filled by informal, irregular appointment
by the Republican Leader.
d. Elected majority leader, June 12, 1996.
e. Elected to replace Senator Trent Lott as whip, June 12, 1996.
f. Senator Jon L. Kyl was elected to the position on December 6, 2007, replacing Senator Trent Lott,
who resigned from the Senate soon thereafter (on December 18, 2007).
CRS-35
Appendix: Political Party Abbreviations
Adams
Adams-Clay F
Adams-Clay R
AJ
Am
Anti-Admin
C
CRR
D
F
FL
FS
I
ID
IR
J
JR
L
LR
N
N/A
NR
OP
PO
PR
Pro-Admin
R
R(DR)a
RA
S
SR
U
UU
W
Adams
Adams-Clay Federalist
Adams-Clay Republican
Anti-Jackson
American (Know-Nothing)
Anti-Administration
Conservative
Crawford Republican
Democrat
Federalist
Farmer-Labor
Free Soil
Independent
Independent Democrat
Independent Republican
Jacksonian
Jacksonian Republican
Liberty
Liberal Republican
Nullifier
Party Unknown or No Party Affiliation
National Republican
Opposition
Populist
Progressive
Pro-Administration
Republican
Jeffersonian, Jeffersonian Republican, or
Democratic Republican
Readjuster
Silver
Silver Republican
Unionist
Unconditional Unionist
Whig
Source: This table is derived from Byrd, Historical Statistics, p. xvi.
a. While the Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996 identifies the party
affiliation of certain Representatives in early Congresses as Republicans, the designation
“Democratic Republican” is more familiar to readers. This designation, R(DR), should not be
taken to refer to the contemporary Republican Party, which did not emerge until the 1850s.
CRS-36
Source Notes and Bibliography
This report relies heavily on primary congressional sources and authoritative
documents such as the privately printed Biographical Directory of the American
Congress, 1774 to 1996, and a similar online adaptation, the Biographical Directory
of the United States Congress, 1774 to the Present. In addition, over the years,
individual Members of Congress, legislative aides, and scholars have gained limited
access to party conference journals. Reliable leadership lists have been compiled
from these sources. Where these have been published, they have been used as a
source in this report. This report also relies on secondary sources developed by
scholars. The Congressional Research Service made no attempt to gain access to
caucus or conference minutes in collecting data for this report.
Inevitably, conflicting interpretations occur in these data, even among sources
generally accepted as reliable. For example, there are disparities on the dates of
elections and tenure of Senate Presidents pro tempore between Byrd’s history, the
1911 Senate document, and Gamm and Smith’s research. The report attempts to
footnote these divergences where they occur.
Unless otherwise noted, the following sources were used to compile the tables
in this report:
Berdahl, Clarence. “Some Notes on Party Membership in Congress.” American
Political Science Review, vol. 43 (April 1949), pp. 309-332; (June 1949), pp.
492-508; and (August 1949), pp. 721-734.
Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996. Washington: CQ
Staff Directories Inc., 1997.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to the Present.
Available online at [http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp].
Byrd, Robert C. The Senate, 1789-1989. 4 vols., 100th Congress, 1st session. S.
Doc. 100-20. Washington: GPO, 1988-1993.
Cannon, Clarence. “Party History.” Remarks in the appendix, Congressional
Record, vol. 89 (January 22, 1941), pp. A383-A384.
Congressional Directory. Washington: GPO, various years.
Congressional Globe. Washington, 1833-1873.
Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report. Washington: Congressional Quarterly,
Inc., various dates.
Congressional Record. Washington: GPO, 1873-present.
CRS Report RL30960. The President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate: History and
Authority of the Office, by Christopher M. Davis.
CRS-37
Deschler, Lewis. Deschler-Brown Precedents of the United States House of
Representatives. 16 vols. Washington: GPO, 1977-2000.
Galloway, George B. “Leadership in the House of Representatives.” The Western
Political Quarterly, vol. 12, no. 2, (June 1959), pp. 417-441.
Gamm, Gerald and Steven S. Smith. “Last Among Equals: The Senate’s Presiding
Officer.” In Burdett A. Loomis, ed., Esteemed Colleagues: Civility and
Deliberation in the U.S. Senate, pp. 105-134. Washington: Brookings
Institution Press, 2000.
Martis, Kenneth C. The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States
Congress, 1789-1989. New York: Macmillan, 1989.
Oleszek, Walter J. Majority and Minority Whips in the Senate: History and
Development of the Party Whip System in the U.S. Senate. 99th Congress, 1st
session. S. Doc. 99-23. Washington: GPO, 1985.
——. “John Worth Kern: Portrait of Floor Leader.” In Richard A. Baker and Roger
H. Davidson, eds., First Among Equals: Outstanding Senate Leaders of the
Twentieth Century, pp. 7-37. Washington: CQ Press, 1991.
Ripley, Randall B. Party Leaders in the House of Representatives. Washington:
Brookings Institution Press, 1967.
——. “The Party Whip Organizations in the United States House of
Representatives.” American Political Science Review, vol. 58 (September
1964), pp. 561-576.
Rothman, David J. Politics and Power. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press,
1966.
U.S. Congress. Hinds’ and Cannon’s Precedents of the House of Representatives
of the United States. 11 vols. Washington: GPO, 1907-1908, 1935-1941.
——. House. Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1789present, various publishers.
——. Senate. Journal of the Senate of the United States, 1789-present, various
publishers.
——. Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate: History and Development of
the Offices of the Floor Leaders. Prepared by Floyd M. Riddick. 99th
Congress, 1st session. S. Doc. 99-3. Washington: GPO, 1985.
——. President of the Senate Pro Tempore. 62nd Congress, 2nd session. S.Doc. 62101. Washington: GPO, 1911.
Widenor, William C. “Henry Cabot Lodge: The Astute Parliamentarian,” In Richard
A. Baker and Roger H. Davidson, eds., First Among Equals: Outstanding
Senate Leaders of the Twentieth Century, pp. 38-62. Washington: CQ Press,
1991.A bibliography cites useful
references, especially in regard to sources for historical data, and an appendix explains the
abbreviations used to denote political parties.
This report will be updated as changes in House and Senate party leadership positions occur.
Congressional Research Service
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Contents
Introduction and Methodological Notes.......................................................................................1
Identifying House Leaders ....................................................................................................2
Identifying Senate Leaders ....................................................................................................3
Party Affiliation Designations ...............................................................................................3
Leadership Posts Excluded....................................................................................................4
House Positions: Descriptions and Historical Tables....................................................................4
Speaker of the House of Representatives ...............................................................................4
Party Floor Leader ................................................................................................................7
Party Whip............................................................................................................................9
Conference or Caucus Chair................................................................................................ 11
Senate Positions: Descriptions and Historical Tables ................................................................. 16
President Pro Tempore of the Senate ................................................................................... 16
Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore..................................................................................... 23
Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore...................................................................... 24
Party Floor Leader .............................................................................................................. 24
Conference Chair ................................................................................................................ 28
Party Whip.......................................................................................................................... 29
Source Notes and Bibliography ................................................................................................. 32
Tables
Table 1. Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1789-2010 ....................................................5
Table 2. House Republican Floor Leaders, 1899-2010 .................................................................7
Table 3. House Democratic Floor Leaders, 1899-2010.................................................................8
Table 4. House Democratic Whips, 1901-2010 ............................................................................9
Table 5. House Republican Whips, 1897-2010........................................................................... 11
Table 6. House Republican Conference Chairs, 1863-2010........................................................ 12
Table 7. House Democratic Caucus Chairs, 1849-2010.............................................................. 13
Table 8. Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1789-2010 ........................................................ 17
Table 9. Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1977-2010 ............................................ 24
Table 10. Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1964-2010 .......................... 24
Table 11. Senate Republican Floor Leaders, 1919-2010............................................................. 25
Table 12. Senate Democratic Floor Leaders and Conference Chairs, 1893-2010 ........................ 26
Table 13. Senate Republican Conference Chairs, 1893-2010...................................................... 28
Table 14. Senate Democratic Whips, 1913-2010........................................................................ 30
Table 15. Senate Republican Whips, 1915-2010 ........................................................................ 31
Congressional Research Service
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Appendixes
Appendix. Political Party Abbreviations .................................................................................... 34
Contacts
Author Contact Information ...................................................................................................... 35
Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................... 35
Congressional Research Service
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Introduction and Methodological Notes
Although party divisions sprang up almost from the First Congress, the formally structured party
leadership organizations now taken for granted are a relatively modern development.
Constitutionally specified leaders, namely the Speaker of the House and the President pro
tempore of the Senate, can be identified since the first Congress. Other leadership posts, however,
were not officially recognized until about the middle of the 19th century, and some are 20th
century creations. The following tables identify 15 different party leadership posts beginning with
the year when each is generally regarded to have been formally established.
The tables herein present data on service dates, party affiliation, and other information for the
following House and Senate party leadership posts:
House Positions
1. Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1789-2010
2. House Republican Floor Leaders, 1899-2010
3. House Democratic Floor Leaders, 1899-2010
4. House Democratic Whips, 1901-2010
5. House Republican Whips, 1897-2010
6. House Republican Conference Chairs, 1863-2010
7. House Democratic Caucus Chairs, 1849-2010
Senate Positions
8. Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1789-2010
9. Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1977-2010
10. Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1964-2010
11. Senate Republican Floor Leaders, 1919-2010
12. Senate Democratic Floor Leaders and Conference Chairs, 1893-2010
13. Senate Republican Conference Chairs, 1893-2010
14. Senate Democratic Whips, 1913-2010
15. Senate Republican Whips, 1915-2010
This information reflects the leadership elections and appointments for the first session of the
111th Congress, made in party organizational meetings held in November, 2008, at the end of the
110th Congress.
Congressional Research Service
1
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Included for each post are leaders’ names, party and state affiliations, and dates and Congresses of
service. For most Congresses, the report indicates years of service only, except in the tables for
the House Speaker and the Senate President pro tempore, both of which include specific dates of
service. When a Member died while holding a leadership office, however, the date of death is
included as the end-of-service date (except in Table 13). In cases where a leadership change
occurs during the course of a Congress, exact dates of service are indicated where possible. With
respect to length of service, the report includes all instances in which a Member held a particular
leadership post, regardless of whether the Member held the post for the entire Congress or only a
portion of it.
Official congressional documents (House Journal and Senate Journal, Congressional Record, and
predecessor publications) can be used to document the tenure of the constitutionally-specified
leaders (i.e., Speaker and President pro tempore). The actions of the party organizations in
choosing other leaders, such as floor leaders or caucus or conference chairs, frequently went
unacknowledged in these sources, however. In the frequent absence of party caucus records in the
latter half of the 19th century, scholars have had to rely on secondary sources, such as memoirs
and correspondence, for evidence of party leadership position-holding. The concluding portion of
this report, “Source Notes and Bibliography,” provides more information about sources and the
reliability of leadership lists.
Identifying House Leaders
The changing nature of congressional leadership provides additional challenges to identifying
leaders not constitutionally specified (e.g., floor leader).1 Even for party elected posts,
determining who held other positions can be problematic in earlier Congresses. For example,
identifying each party’s conference (or caucus) chair often requires reliance on incomplete
historical records of conference meetings or inferences made from informal practices (e.g., noting
which Member nominated his party’s candidate for Speaker, a motion that often fell to the
conference chair).
In the House, for example, it was the common practice of President Thomas Jefferson and his
immediate successors to designate a Member as their principal legislative spokesman. Often these
spokesmen held no other formal leadership position in the House, and Presidents frequently
designated new spokesmen, or even specialized spokesmen for individual measures, as their
terms progressed. As these and other “leaders” were not chosen by a congressional party group or
by a party leader such as the Speaker, these presidential designees have not been included here as
“party leaders.”
Most historians who study the 19th century House acknowledge that an informal “positional
leadership” system emerged possibly as early as the “War Hawk” Congress (1811-1813) under
Speaker Henry Clay. Under this system, the Speaker—who at the time designated the chairmen of
the standing committees—would name his principal lieutenant to be chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee. After the Appropriations Committee was split from the Ways and Means
Committee in 1865, the Speaker’s principal floor lieutenant received either of these chairs.
Sometimes, the Speaker chose a rival for the speakership to chair one of these committees in an
effort to resolve intra-party disputes.
1
See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and citation of
the multiple sources used in identifying leaders in the House of Representatives.
Congressional Research Service
2
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
It is somewhat inaccurate, however, to consider these early leaders to be majority leaders in the
modern sense, and they have not been included here. The position of chair of the Appropriations
or Ways and Means Committee inevitably made the incumbent a powerful congressional figure
because of the important legislation reported from these committees. These chairs were not,
however, chosen in a vote by the full party organization, as the majority or minority House
leaders are now. Furthermore, other leading congressional figures, such as the Republican leader
Thomas Brackett Reed, achieved their positions of influence within the House by service on other
committees, such as—in Reed’s case—the post-1880 Rules Committee.
Identifying Senate Leaders
The Senate developed an identifiable party leadership later than the House. The few existing
records of party conferences in the 19th century Senate are held in private collections. Memoirs
and other secondary sources reveal the identities of party conference or caucus chairs for some,
but not all, Congresses after about 1850; these posts, however, carried very little authority. It was
not uncommon for Senators to declare publicly that within the Senate parties there was no single
leader. 2 Instead, through the turn of the 20th century, individuals who led the Senate achieved their
position through recognized personal attributes, including persuasion and oratory skills, rather
than the current practice of election to most official leadership posts.
The development of Senate party floor leaders was one of slow evolution, like the House, but
they arose for the most part from the post of conference chair. Not until 1945 did Senate
Republicans specify that the conference chair and floor leader posts must be held by separate
Senators. Among Senate Democrats, the floor leader is also chair of the conference. In many
secondary sources, Senators are identified as “floor leaders” before existing party conference
records so identify them. In this report, footnotes to the tables attempt to clarify when a leader
was identified through official sources such as caucus minutes or through secondary sources.
Party Affiliation Designations
Another problem in identifying party leaders in early Congresses is the matter of party affiliation.
Secondary sources reporting on party leaders often relied upon the information compiled in early
editions of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. As the editors of the 1989
edition of the Biographical Directory noted:
The most serious source of error and confusion in previous editions [of the Biographical
Directory] [was] the designations of party affiliation. Many of the party labels added to the
editions of 1913 and 1928 were anachronistic, claiming for the two modern parties Senators
and Representatives elected to Congress before the [modern] Democratic or Republican
parties existed. Other entries ignored the frequent shifts in party affiliation during the
nineteenth century or omitted reference to short-lived and regional political parties and thus
failed to reflect the vigor and diversity of nineteenth-century politics.3
2
Woodrow Wilson, Congressional Government (Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1885), p. 223.
U.S. Congress, Senate, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774-1989: the Continental
Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and The Congress of the United States, from the First
through the One Hundredth Congresses, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 1989, inclusive, Bicentennial
edition, S.Doc. 100-34, 100th Cong., 2nd sess. (Washington: GPO, 1989), p. 3.
3
Congressional Research Service
3
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
The 1989 and 1997 editions of the Biographical Directory resolved these differences, and their
designations of party affiliations are principal sources for this report. The 1997 edition of the
Biographical Directory, in particular, included more complete notations where Members changed
their party affiliations while serving in Congress.4 The main source for early party affiliations of
Senator leaders, principally Presidents pro tempore, is volume four of Senator Robert C. Byrd’s
The Senate, 1789-1989. (Historical Statistics, 1789-1992).5 An Appendix explains the
abbreviations used to denote party affiliations in this report.
Leadership Posts Excluded
The tables in this report exclude some leadership posts in order to render manageable the amount
of data provided. Specifically, the Senate and House party conference secretaries, and the chairs
of party committees (e.g., steering committees, policy committees, committees on committees,
and campaign committees) are not presented here. Junior party whips are also not identified. At
least since the 1930s in the House, both parties have selected (or allowed the principal whip to
designate) subordinate whips. The lack of adequate records makes it almost impossible to identify
all deputy whips, regional whips, and zone whips who have been appointed in the last 70 years.
House Positions: Descriptions and Historical Tables
Speaker of the House of Representatives
The position of Speaker is constitutionally specified in Article 1, Section 2. The Speaker is the
only party leader who is chosen by a roll-call vote of the full House of Representatives, which
occurs after each party has nominated a candidate for the position when a new Congress
convenes. House rules give the Speaker various formal duties. These include, for example,
administering the oath of office to new Members, signing House-passed bills and resolutions,
presiding over the House (and making rulings on the presence of a quorum, points of order, etc.),
referring measures to committees, and naming the party’s slate of members for certain committee
positions. Each party conference cedes additional powers and responsibilities to a Speaker from
its own party, including influence over the makeup of certain standing committees. For more
information, consult CRS Report 97-780, The Speaker of the House: House Officer, Party Leader,
and Representative, by Valerie Heitshusen, and CRS Report RL30857, Speakers of the House:
Elections, 1913-2009, by Richard S. Beth and Valerie Heitshusen.
4
Biographical Directory of the American Congress 1774-1996 (Washington: CQ Staff Directories, Inc.,
1997), p. xi. This commercially published edition of the Biographical Directory is a continuation of earlier
editions that were published under public auspices. An online, updated, version is also available at
http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp.
5
Robert C. Byrd, The Senate, 1789-1989, 4 vols., S. Doc. 100-20, 100th Cong., 1st sess. (Washington: GPO,
1988-1993), vol. 4, Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. Hereafter cited as Byrd’s Historical Statistics. See
also, Gerald Gamm and Steven S. Smith, “Last Among Equals: The Senate’s Presiding Officer,” paper
presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Boston, MA, September 36, 1998.
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Table 1. Speakers of the House of Representatives, 1789-2010
Speaker
Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg
Jonathan Trumbull
Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg
Party
State
N/A
PA
1st
Apr. 1, 1789- Mar. 3, 1791
CT
2nd
Oct. 24, 1791- Mar. 3, 1793
PA
3rd
Dec. 2, 1793- Mar. 3, 1795
Dec. 7, 1795- Mar. 3, 1799
N/A
N/A
Congress
Dates
Jonathan Dayton
N/A
NJ
4th-5th
Theodore Sedgwick
N/A
MA
6th
Dec. 2, 1799- Mar. 3, 1801
Nathaniel Macon
N/A
NC
7th-9th
Dec. 7, 1801-Mar. 3, 1807
Joseph B. Varnum
N/A
MA
10th-11th
Oct. 26, 1807- Mar. 3, 1811
Henry Clay
R(DR)a
KY
12th-13th
Nov. 4, 1811- Jan. 19, 1814b
Langdon Cheeves
R(DR)a
SC
13th
Jan. 19, 1814- Mar. 3, 1815
Henry Clay
R(DR)a
KY
14th-16th
Dec. 4, 1815- Oct. 28, 1820c
John W. Taylor
R(DR)a
NY
16th
Nov. 15, 1820- Mar. 3, 1821
Philip Barbour
R(DR)a
VA
17th
Dec. 4, 1821- Mar. 3, 1823
Henry Clay
R(DR)a
KY
18th
Dec. 3, 1823- Mar. 6, 1825d
John W. Taylor
R(DR)a
NY
19th
Dec. 5, 1825- Mar. 3, 1827
Andrew Stevenson
N/A
VA
20th
Dec. 3, 1827- Mar. 3, 1829
Andrew Stevenson
J
VA
21st-23rd
Dec. 7, 1829- June 2, 1834e
N/A
TN
23rd
June 2, 1834- Mar. 3, 1835
J
TN
24th-25th
Dec. 7, 1835- Mar. 3, 1839
W
WA
26th
Dec. 16, 1839- Mar. 3, 1841
KY
27th
May 31, 1841- Mar. 3, 1843
VA
28th
Dec. 4, 1843- Mar. 3, 1845
Dec. 1, 1845- Mar. 3, 1847
John Bell
James K. Polk
Robert M.T. Hunter
John White
John W. Jones
W
D
John W. Davis
D
IN
29th
Robert C. Winthrop
W
MA
30th
Dec. 6, 1847- Mar. 3, 1849
Howell Cobb
D
GA
31st
Dec. 22, 1849- Mar. 3, 1851
Linn Boyd
D
KY
32nd-33rd
Dec. 1, 1851- Mar. 3, 1855
Amf
MA
34th
Feb. 2, 1856- Mar. 3, 1857
James L. Orr
D
SC
35th
Dec. 7, 1857- Mar. 3, 1859
William Pennington
R
NJ
36th
Feb. 1, 1860- Mar. 3, 1861
PA
37th
July 4, 1861- Mar. 3, 1863
Dec. 7, 1863- Mar. 3, 1869g
Nathaniel P. Banks
Galusha A. Grow
R
Schuyler Colfax
R
IN
38th-40th
Theodore Pomeroy
R
NY
40th
Mar. 3, 1869h
James G. Blaine
R
ME
41st-43rd
Mar. 4, 1869- Mar. 3, 1875
Michael C. Kerr
D
IN
44th
Dec. 6, 1875- Aug. 19, 1876i
Samuel J. Randall
D
PA
44th-46th
Dec. 4, 1876- Mar. 3, 1881
J. Warren Keifer
R
OH
47th
Dec. 5, 1881- Mar. 3, 1883
John G. Carlisle
D
KY
48th-50th
Dec. 3, 1883- Mar. 3, 1889
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Speaker
Thomas B. Reed
Charles F. Crisp
Party
State
R
ME
51st
Dec. 2, 1889- Mar. 3, 1891
GA
52nd-53rd
Dec. 7, 1891- Mar. 3, 1895
Dec. 2, 1895- Mar. 3, 1899
D
Congress
Dates
Thomas B. Reed
R
ME
54th-55th
David B. Henderson
R
IA
56th-57th
Dec. 4, 1899- Mar. 3, 1903
Joseph G. Cannon
R
IL
58th-61st
Nov. 9, 1903- Mar. 3, 1911
James B. (Champ) Clark
D
MO
62nd-65th
April 4, 1911- Mar. 3, 1919
Frederick H. Gillett
R
MA
66th-68th
May 19, 1919- Mar. 3, 1925
Nicholas Longworth
R
OH
69th-71st
Dec. 7, 1925- Mar. 3, 1931
John N. Garner
D
TX
72nd
Dec. 7, 1931- Mar. 3, 1933
Mar. 9, 1933- Aug. 19, 1934j
Henry T. Rainey
D
IL
73rd
Joseph W. Byrns
D
TN
74th
Jan. 3, 1935- June 4, 1936k
William B. Bankhead
D
AL
74th-76th
June 4, 1936- Sept. 15, 1940l
Sam T. Rayburn
D
TX
76th-79th
Sept. 16, 1940- Jan. 3, 1947m
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
R
MA
80th
Jan. 3, 1947- Jan. 3, 1949
Sam T. Rayburn
D
TX
81st-82nd
Jan. 3, 1949- Jan. 3, 1953
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
R
MA
83rd
Jan. 3, 1953- Jan. 3, 1955
Sam T. Rayburn
D
TX
84th-87th
Jan. 5, 1955- Nov. 16, 1961m
John W. McCormack
D
MA
87th-91st
Jan. 10, 1962- Jan. 3, 1971
OK
92nd-94th
Jan. 21, 1971- Jan. 3, 1977
MA
95th-99th
Jan. 4, 1977- Jan. 3, 1987
Jan. 6, 1987- June 6, 1989n
Carl Albert
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr.
D
D
James C. Wright, Jr.
D
TX
100th-101st
Thomas S. Foley
D
WA
101st-103rd
June 6, 1989- Jan. 3, 1995
Newt Gingrich
R
GA
104th-105th
Jan. 4, 1995- Jan. 3, 1999
J. Dennis Hastert
R
IL
106th-109th
Jan. 6, 1999- Jan. 3, 2007
Nancy Pelosi
D
CA
110th-
Jan. 4, 2007-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources.
Note: A key to all party abbreviations can be found in the Appendix of this report.
a.
Although the Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996 identifies these Speakers as
Republicans, the party designation “Democratic Republicans” is more widely used and familiar to readers.
This designation, R(DR), should not be taken to refer to the contemporary Republican Party, which did not
emerge until the 1850s.
b.
Resigned from the House of Representatives, January 19, 1814.
c.
Resigned the Speakership on October 28, 1820.
d.
Resigned from the House, March 6, 1825.
e.
Resigned from the House, June 2, 1834.
f.
Speaker Nathaniel P. Banks served in the House three separate times under three different party
designations. In the 34th Congress, he served as an American Party Member.
g.
Resigned from the House, March 3, 1869.
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
h.
Elected Speaker, March 3, 1869, and served one day.
i.
Died in office, August 19, 1876.
j.
Died in office, August 19, 1934.
k.
Died in office, June 4, 1936.
l.
Died in office, September 15, 1940.
m. Died in office, November 16, 1961.
n.
Resigned the Speakership, June 6, 1989; resigned from the House, June 30, 1989.
Party Floor Leader
At an organizational meeting prior to the beginning of a new Congress, each party conference (or
caucus) in the House selects its floor leader (also called majority leader or minority leader, as
appropriate) in a secret-ballot vote. The majority party floor leader works closely with the
Speaker and is largely responsible for the party’s daily legislative operations, in consultation with
other party leaders. Similarly, the minority party floor leader directs the party’s ongoing
legislative strategies and operations and typically serves as the spokesperson for the party in the
House. Each party assigns additional responsibilities to its respective floor leader. For more
information on the majority party floor leader position, see CRS Report RL30665, The Role of the
House Majority Leader: An Overview, by Walter J. Oleszek.
Table 2. House Republican Floor Leaders, 1899-2010
Floor Leader
Sereno E. Payne
State
Congress
Dates
NY
56th-61st
1899-1911
IL
62nd-65th
1911-1919
WY
66th-67th
1919-1923
Nicholas Longworth
OH
68th
1923-1925
John Q. Tilson
CT
69th-71st
1925-1931
Bertrand H. Snell
NY
72nd-75th
1931-1939
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
MA
76th-79th
1939-1947
Charles Halleck
IN
80th
1947-1949
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
MA
81st-82nd
1949-1953
Charles Halleck
IN
83rd
1953-1955
James R. Mann
Franklin W. Mondell
MA
84th-
85th
1955-1959
IN
86th-88th
1959-1965
Gerald R. Ford
MI
89th-93rd
1965-Dec. 6, 1973a
John J. Rhodes
AZ
93rd-96th
Dec. 7, 1973-1981
Robert H. Michel
IL
97th-103rd
1981-1995
Richard K. Armey
TX
104th-107th
1995-2003
Tom DeLay
TX
108th-109th
2003-Sept. 28, 2005b
Roy Blunt
MO
109th
Sept. 28, 2005-Feb. 2, 2006c
John Boehner
OH
109th, 110th-
Feb. 2, 2006-
Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
Charles Halleck
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the floor leader was also majority leader.
a.
Resigned from the House on December 6, 1973, after having been confirmed by the Senate to become Vice
President to fill the post vacated by the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew.
b.
Resigned from leader position on September 28, 2005.
c.
Appointed acting Republican floor leader on September 28, 2005, to replace Tom DeLay temporarily until
the conference could hold new elections on February 2, 2006. He continued serving as Republican Whip
during this period.
Table 3. House Democratic Floor Leaders, 1899-2010
Floor Leader
James D. Richardson
State
Congress
Dates
TN
56th-57th
1899-1903
John Sharp Williams
MS
58th-60th
1903-1908
James B. (Champ) Clark
MO
60th-61st
1908-1911
Oscar W. Underwood
AL
62nd-63rd
1911-1915
Claude Kitchin
NC
64th-65th
1915-1919
James B. (Champ) Clark
MO
66th
1919-1921
Claude Kitchin
NC
67th
1921-1923
Finis J. Garrett
IN
68th-70th
1923-1929
TX
71st
1929-1931
IL
72nd
1931-1933
Joseph W. Byrns
TN
73rd
1933-1935
William B. Bankhead
AL
74th
1935-June 4, 1936a
Sam T. Rayburn
TX
75th-76th
1937-Sept. 16, 1940b
John W. McCormack
MA
76th-79th
Sept. 16, 1940-1947c
Sam T. Rayburn
TX
80th
1947-1949
John W. McCormack
MA
81st-82nd
1949-1953
TX
83rd
1953-1955
John W. McCormack
MA
84th-87th
1955-Jan. 10, 1962d
Carl Albert
OK
87th-91st
Jan. 10, 1962-1971e
Thomas Hale Boggs
LA
92nd
1971-1973f
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr.
MA
93rd-94th
1973-1977
James Wright
TX
95th-99th
1977-1987
Thomas S. Foley
WA
100th-101st
1987-June 6, 1989g
Richard A. Gephardt
MO
101st-103rd
104th-107th
June 14, 1989h-2003
Nancy Pelosi
CA
108th-109th
2003-2007
Steny H. Hoyer
MD
110th-
2007-
John N. Garner
Henry T. Rainey
Sam T. Rayburn
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources.
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the floor leader was also majority leader.
a.
Elected Speaker, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Speaker Joseph W. Byrns. Records indicate that
Representative John J. O’Connor of New York, chair of the House Rules Committee, served as acting
majority leader during the 14 remaining days of the 74th Congress. O’Connor does not, however, appear to
have been formally elected majority leader at that time and therefore is not included in this list.
b.
Elected Speaker following the death of Speaker William B. Bankhead.
c.
Elected majority leader on September 16, 1940, to fill post made vacant by the election of Sam Rayburn as
Speaker.
d.
Elected Speaker at the start of the 87th Congress, 2nd session, following the death of Sam Rayburn.
e.
Elected majority leader at commencement of the 87th Congress, 2nd session, when Majority Leader John
McCormack was elected Speaker to succeed Speaker Rayburn.
f.
Disappeared on a flight from Anchorage to Juneau, Alaska, October 16, 1972. Presumed dead pursuant to
House Resolution 1, 93rd Congress.
g.
Elected Speaker on June 6, 1989, following Speaker James C. Wright’s resignation from that post on the
same date.
h.
Elected majority leader on June 14, 1989, to fill the post made vacant by the election of Thomas S. Foley to
be Speaker on June 6, 1989.
Party Whip
Each House party caucus currently elects its own party whip at organizational meetings as a new
Congress begins. House Republicans (or a representative group of their conference) have always
elected their party whips; Democrats in the House appointed a chief whip until 1986. Chief
deputy whips are currently appointed by the party’s chief whip; additional members to serve in
the whip team are either similarly appointed or, instead, elected by subsets of the caucus. The
whip organization is responsible for assessing the passage prospects for upcoming measures,
mobilizing member support for leadership priorities, informing the party rank-and-file regarding
legislative scheduling and initiatives, and informing the top party leadership regarding the
sentiment of the rank-and-file. For more information, see CRS Report RS20499, House
Leadership: Whip Organization, by Judy Schneider.
Table 4. House Democratic Whips, 1901-2010
Whip
Oscar W. Underwooda
James T. Lloyd
State
Dates
AL
56th
1901
MO
57th-60th
1901-1908b
61st-62nd
1909-1913
63rd
1913-1915
64th-65th, 66th
1915-1921
N/Ac
Thomas M. Bell
Congress
GA
N/Ac
William A. Oldfield
AR
67th-70th
1921-Nov. 19, 1928d
John McDuffie
AL
70th-71st, 72nd
1928-1933
Arthur Greenwood
IN
73rd
1933-1935
Patrick J. Boland
PA
74th-77th
1935-May 18, 1942e
Robert Ramspeck
GA
77th-79th
1942-Dec. 31, 1945f
John J. Sparkman
AL
79th
1946-1947
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Whip
State
John W. McCormacka
Congress
Dates
MA
80th
1947-1949
TN
81st-82nd
1949-1953
MA
83rd
1953-1955
Carl Alberta
OK
84th-87th
1955-1962
Thomas Hale Boggsa
LA
87th-91st
1962-1971
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr.a
MA
92nd
1971-1973
John J. McFall
CA
93rd-94th
1973-1977
John W. Brademas
IN
95th-96th
1977-1981
WA
97th-99th
1981-1987
CA
100th-101st
1987-June 14, 1989
William H. Gray, III
PA
101st-102nd
June 14, 1989-Sept. 11, 1991h
David E. Bonior
MI
102nd-103rd 104th-107th
Sept. 11, 1991-Jan. 15, 2002i
Nancy Pelosia
CA
107th-108th
Jan. 15, 2002-2003j
Steny H. Hoyera
MD
108th -109th
2003-2007
James E. Clyburn
SC
110th-
2007-
J. Percy Priest
John W.
McCormacka
Thomas S. Foleya
Tony
Coelhog
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Democratic whip was the majority whip.
a.
Ascended (or re-ascended) to party floor leader.
b.
Resigned from position as Democratic whip in 1908 at the conclusion of the 60th Congress.
c.
For these periods, there is no official record—in the minutes of the Democratic Caucus or elsewhere—of
the name of the Democratic whip. Some scholars believe that Representative Thomas Bell may have been
the whip from 1909 to 1919; others believe the whip for that period may have been Representative John
Nance Garner. See Randall B. Ripley, “The Party Whip Organizations in the United States House of
Representatives,” American Political Science Review, vol. 58, Sept., 1964, p. 504.
d.
Died in office, November 19, 1928.
e.
Died in office, May 18, 1942.
f.
Resigned from the House of Representatives, December 31, 1945.
g.
Representative Tony Coelho was the first elected Democratic whip.
h.
Resigned from the House of Representatives, September 11, 1991.
i.
Elected July 11, 1991, but did not assume the House Democratic whip post until his predecessor in the
position, William H. Gray, III, resigned from Congress on September 11, 1991.
j.
Elected on October 10, 2001, but did not assume the position of House Democratic whip until January 15,
2002, the date on which Bonior’s resignation as whip became effective.
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Table 5. House Republican Whips, 1897-2010
Whip
State
Congress
Dates
James A. Tawney
MN
55th-58th
1897-1905
James E. Watson
IN
59th-60th
1905-1909
John W. Dwight
NY
61st
62nd
1909-1913
Charles H. Burke
SD
63rd
1913-1915
Charles M. Hamilton
WY
64th-65th
1915-1919
Harold Knutson
MN
66th-67th
1919-1923
Albert H. Vestal
IN
68th-71st
1923-1931
Carl G. Bachmann
WV
72nd
1931-1933
Harry L. Englebright
CA
73rd-78th
1933-May 13, 1943a
Leslie C. Arends
IL
78th-79th
80th
81st-82nd
83rd
84th-93rd
1943-1975
Robert H. Michelb
IL
94th-96th
1975-1981
Trent Lott
MS
97th-100th
1981-1989
Dick Cheney
WY
101st
1989-Mar. 17, 1989c
Newt Gingrich
GA
101st-103rd
Mar. 22, 1989-1995c
Tom DeLayb
TX
104th-107th
1995-2003
MO
108th-109th
2003d-2009
111th-
2009-
Roy D.
Bluntb
Eric Cantor
VA
110th
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Republican whip was the majority whip.
a.
Died in office, May 13, 1943.
b.
Ascended to party floor leader.
c.
Elected House Republican whip on March 22, 1989, following Representative Dick Cheney’s resignation
from the House on March 17, 1989, to become Secretary of Defense.
d.
Served concurrently as whip and acting Republican floor leader from September 28, 2005, to February 2,
2006.
Conference or Caucus Chair
The Republican Conference and the Democratic Caucus are the organizations of the members of
the respective parties in the House. Each conference has an elected chair, who presides over its
meetings. Decisions made by the conference (and often publicly promulgated by the chair) are
generally regarded as the collective sentiment of the respective House party contingent.
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Table 6. House Republican Conference Chairs, 1863-2010
Chair
Justin S. Morrilla
State
VT
N/Ab
Congress
Dates
38th-39th
1863-1867
40th
1867-1869
1869-1871
Robert C.
Nathaniel P. Banksc
OH
MA
41st
Austin Blair
MI
42nd
1871-1873
TN
43rd
1873-1875
IA
44th
1875-1877
ME
45th
1877-1879
William P. Frye
ME
46th
1879-1881
G.M. Robeson
NJ
47th
1881-1883
Joseph G. Cannon
IL
48th-50th
1883-1889
T.J. Henderson
IL
51st
52nd-53rd
1889-1895
OH
54th-55th
1895-1899
Joseph G. Cannon
IL
56th-57th
1899-1903
William P. Hepburn
IA
58th-60th
1903-1909
F.D. Currier
NH
61st
62nd
1909-1913
William S. Greene
MA
63rd-65th
1913-1919
Horace M. Towner
IA
66th-67th
1919-1923
Schenckc
Horace Maynard
George W. McCrary
Eugene Hale
Charles H. Grosvenor
Sydney Anderson
MN
68th
1923-1925
Willis C. Hawley
OR
69th-71st
72nd
1925-1933
Robert Luce
MA
73rd
1933-1935
Frederick R. Lehlbach
NJ
74th
1935-1937
Roy Woodruff
MI
75th-79th
80th
81st
1937-1951
Clifford Hope
KS
82nd
83rd
1951-1957
84th
Charles Hoeven
Gerald R. Ford
Melvin Laird
John B. Anderson
IA
85th-87th
1957-1963
MI
88th
1963-1965
WI
89th-90th
1965-1969
IL
91st-95th
1969-1979
1979-1981
Samuel L. Devine
OH
96th
Jack Kemp
NY
97th-99th
1981-June 4, 1987d
Dick Cheney
WY
100th
June 4, 1987-1989d
Jerry Lewis
CA
101st-102nd
1989-1993
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Chair
Richard K. Armey
State
Congress
Dates
TX
103rd
1993-1995
OH
104th-105th
1995-1999
J.C. Watts
OK
106th-107th
1999-2003
Deborah Pryce
OH
108th-109th
2003-2007
Adam Putnam
FL
110th
2007-2009
Mike Pence
IN
111th-
2009-
John A. Boehner
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Republican Party was in the majority.
a.
Representative Justin S. Morrill is the first officially designated Republican caucus chair. There exists no clear
evidence of formal chairs of Republican organizations in earlier Congresses.
b.
Caucus minutes show three Members (Representatives Nathaniel Banks, Luke Poland, and Samuel Hooper)
chairing three separate meetings.
c.
Caucus minutes show Representative Robert C. Schenck elected chair, but Representative Nathaniel P.
Banks chairing two early meetings, possibly in Schenck’s absence.
d.
On June 4, 1987, Representative Dick Cheney was elected conference chair to succeed Representative Jack
Kemp, who resigned from the post.
Table 7. House Democratic Caucus Chairs, 1849-2010
Chair
James Thompson
State
PA
N/Aa
Congress
Dates
31st
1849-1851
32nd
1851-1853
Edson B. Olds
OH
33rd
1853-1855
George W. Jones
TN
34th
1855-1857
N/Ab
35th
1857-1859
George S. Houston
36th
1859-1861
37th-40th
1861-1869
41st
1869-1871
N/Ae
42nd
1871-1873
William E. Niblack
IN
43rd
1873-1875
Lucius Q.C. Lamar
MS
44th
1875-1877
Hiester Clymer
PA
45th
1877-1879
John F. House
TN
46th
1879-1881
47th
1881-1883
AL
N/Ac
Niblackd
William E.
Samuel J. Randalld
IN
PA
N/Af
George W. Geddes
OH
48th
1883-1885
J. Randolph Tucker
VA
49th
1885-1887
Samuel S. Cox
NY
50th
1887-1889g
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Chair
State
Congress
Dates
William S. Holman
IN
51st
52nd-53rd
1889-1895
David B. Culberson
TX
54th
1895-1897
James D. Richardson
TN
55th
1897-1899
James Hay
VA
56th-58th
1899-1905
TX
59th
1905-1907
Henry D. Clayton
AL
60th-61st
1907-1911h
Albert S. Burleson
TX
62nd
1911-1913h
A. Mitchell Palmer
PA
63rd
1913-1915
E.W. Saunders
VA
64th-65th
1915-1919
Arthur G. Dewalt
PA
66th
1919-1921
Sam T. Rayburn
TX
67th
1921-1923
Henry T. Rainey
IL
68th
1923-1925
OK
69th
1925-1927
IN
70th
1927-1929
David Kincheloe
KY
71st
1929-1930i
William W. Arnold
IL
72nd
1931-1933
Clarence F. Lea
CA
73rd
1933-1935
Edward T. Taylor
CO
74th
1935-1937
Robert L. Doughton
NC
75th
1937-1939
John W. McCormack
MA
76th
1939-Sept. 16, 1940j
Richard M. Duncan
MO
77th
1941-1943
Harry Sheppard
CA
78th
1943-1945
TN
79th
1945-1947
RI
80th
1947-1949
Francis E. Walter
PA
81st
1949-1951
Jere Cooper
TN
82nd
1951-1953
Wilbur Mills
AR
83rd
1953-1955
John J. Rooney
NY
84th
1955-1957
Robert L. Henry
Charles D. Carter
Arthur Greenwood
Jere Cooper
Aime Forand
Melvin Price
IL
85th-86th
1957-1961
Francis E. Walter
PA
87th-88th
1961-May 31, 1963k
Albert Thomas
TX
88th
1964-1965
NY
89th
1965-1967
IL
90th-91st
1967-1971
Olin Teague
TX
92nd-93rd
1971-1975
Philip Burton
CA
94th
1975-1977
Thomas S. Foley
WA
95th-96th
1977-1981
Eugene Keogh
Dan Rostenkowski
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Chair
State
Gillis W. Long
Congress
Dates
LA
97th-98th
1981-1985
MO
99th-100th
1985-1989
William H. Gray, III
PA
101st
Jan. 4-June 14, 1989l
Steny H. Hoyer
MD
101st-103rd
June 21, 1989-1995m
Vic Fazio
CA
104th-105th
1995-1999
Martin Frost
TX
106th-107th
1999-2003
Robert Menendez
NJ
108th-109th
2003-Dec. 16, 2005n
James E. Clyburn
SC
109th
Dec. 16, 2005n-2007
Rahm Emanuel
IL
110th
2007-2009
CT
111th-
2009-
Richard Gephardt
John B. Larson
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources.
Note: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Democratic Party was in the majority.
a.
No clear records remain for this Congress. In early practice, the caucus chair often offered the various
organizational resolutions at the beginning of a Congress (e.g., the nomination of his party’s candidate for
Speaker, or the motion to elect the Speaker); examination of these motions can often help in a
determination of who was caucus chair. However, several different Democratic Members offered the
organizing resolutions for the 31st Congress.
b.
No clear data for this period exist.
c.
No clear data for this period exist. Representative John Hickman nominated Representative F.P. Blair as
Speaker in 1861, but no records show whether Hickman was caucus chair.
d.
Representative Samuel J. Randall nominated the party’s candidate for Speaker. Caucus records, however,
show both Representatives William B. Niblack and Randall as having served as chair during the Congress.
The caucus records specify no dates of service.
e.
Representative Fernando Wood nominated the Democratic leadership slate in the House, but there is no
other evidence to show he was elected caucus chair.
f.
Available data show that Representative John F. House offered the Democrats’ nomination for Speaker in
the 47th Congress. However, later data show Representative W.S. Rosecrans issuing the next call for a
Democratic Caucus meeting; there is no evidence to suggest that Rosecrans was actually elected caucus
chair.
g.
Former Parliamentarian Clarence Cannon’s notes state that “[Representative Samuel J.] Cox died during
this Congress and [Representative James B.] McCreary evidently succeeded or acted for him.”
Representative Cox died on September 10, 1889, six months after the sine die adjournment of the 50th
Congress and the convening of the 51st Congress.
h.
Caucus records are contradictory for this period. They show the election of Representative James Hay as
chair on January 19, 1911, but do not mention a resignation by incumbent chair Henry P. Clayton, nor do
they specify that Hay was elected chair for the new Congress. Later, they show the election of
Representative Albert S. Burleson on April 11, 1911.
i.
Resigned from the House, October 5, 1930; there is no record of an election to fill the vacancy as caucus
chair.
j.
Resigned following election as majority floor leader, September 16, 1940; records do not indicate that a
successor was chosen during the remainder of the Congress.
k.
Died in office, May 31, 1963. Caucus chair post vacant until January 21, 1964.
l.
Representative William H. Gray, III, vacated the caucus chair post when he was elected Democratic whip on
June 14, 1989.
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
m. Representative Steny H. Hoyer was elected caucus chair on June 21, 1989, following the June 14, 1989
election of Representative William H. Gray as Democratic whip.
n.
Representative Robert Menendez resigned from the House on January 16, 2006, after being apppointed to
the Senate seat for New Jersey vacated by Jon Corzine when he was elected governor. Representative
Menendez had previously resigned from the caucus chair position, to which Representative James E.
Clyburn was elected on December 16, 2005.
Senate Positions: Descriptions and Historical Tables
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Pursuant to Article 1, Section 3, of the U.S. Constitution, the President pro tempore of the Senate
is the chamber’s presiding officer in the absence of the President of the Senate (the Vice President
of the United States). The President pro tempore is elected by the full Senate as the formal
institutional leader, and in current practice, is the longest serving member of the majority party.6
Until 1890, the Senate elected a President pro tempore whenever the Vice President was not in
attendance, whether for a day, or permanently, as in the case of the Vice President’s death or
resignation. When the Vice President returned, the President pro tempore lost his place. When the
Vice President was again absent, the Senate again elected a President pro tempore—in many
cases the same Senator who had been chosen before. By the standing order agreed to on March
12, 1890, the Senate declared that the President pro tempore shall hold the office during “the
pleasure of the Senate and until another is elected, and shall execute the duties thereof during all
future absences of the Vice President until the Senate does otherwise order.”7
The Senate’s President pro tempore is, pursuant to statute, currently third in the line of
presidential succession (behind the Vice President and the Speaker of the House). In the
Succession Act of 1792, the position was initially designated to serve in line after the Vice
President.8 An 1886 act altered the succession line by replacing congressional leaders with
cabinet secretaries, but the President pro tempore post was reinstated in the line (in the current
position) in 1947.9
As presiding officer, the President pro tempore has the power to decide points of order and
enforce decorum on the floor. The President pro tempore has other formal powers (e.g.,
appointing conferees; appointing certain Senate officers; and serving on, or appointing others to,
working groups, commissions and advisory boards); however, because the direction of Senate
business has fallen in modern times to the majority leader, almost all of these powers are actually
exercised by the majority leader in practice.
As explained in the notes to Table 9 and Table 10 below, the Senate has also had past occasion to select a
Deputy President pro tempore and a Permanent Acting President pro tempore. For more information on the
President pro tempore (and the deputy and acting posts), consult CRS Report RL30960, The President Pro
Tempore of the Senate: History and Authority of the Office, by Christopher M. Davis.
6
Electing the longest-serving majority party Senator has generally been the practice since 1890, with some
exceptions. The only exception since 1945 has been the election of Senator Arthur Vandenberg in 1947.
7
U.S. Congress, Senate Journal, 50th Cong., 2nd sess., p. 165. See also “President Pro
Tempore of the Senate,” Congressional Record, vol. 21 (March 12, 1890), pp. 2144-2150.
8
1 Stat. 240.
9
24 Stat 1; 61 Stat. 380.
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Table 8. Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1789-2010
Name
John Langdon
Richard Henry Lee
John Langdon
Party
Pro-Admin
Anti-Admin
Pro-Admin
State
Congress
Date Elected
NH
1st
Apr. 6, 1789
VA
2nd
Apr. 18, 1792
NH
2nd
Nov. 5, 1792
Mar. 1, 1793
Ralph Izard
Pro-Admin
SC
3rd
May 31, 1794
Henry Tazewell
Anti-Admin
VA
3rd
Feb. 20, 1795
4th
Dec. 7, 1795
R(DR)a
Samuel Livermore
F
NH
4th
May 6, 1796
William Bingham
F
PA
4th
Feb. 16, 1797
William Bradford
F
RI
5th
July 6, 1797
SC
5th
Nov. 22, 1797
MA
5th
June 27, 1798
Dec. 6, 1798
Jacob Read
Theodore Sedgwick
F
F
John Laurance
F
NY
5th
James Ross
F
PA
5th
Mar. 1, 1799
Samuel Livermore
F
NH
6th
Dec. 22, 1799
Uriah Tracy
F
CT
6th
May 14, 1800
John E. Howard
F
MD
6th
Nov. 21, 1800
James Hillhouse
F
CT
6th
Feb. 28, 1801
Abraham Baldwin
R
GA
7th
Dec. 7, 1801
Stephen R. Bradley
R(DR)a
VT
7th
Dec. 14, 1802
Feb. 25, 1803
Mar. 2, 1803
John Brown
Anti-Admin
KY
8th
Oct. 17, 1803
Jan. 23, 1804
Jesse Franklin
R(DR)a
NC
8th
Mar. 10, 1804
Joseph Anderson
R(DR)a
TN
8th
Jan. 15, 1805
Feb. 28, 1805
Mar. 2, 1805
Samuel Smith
R(DR)a
MD
9th
Dec. 2, 1805
10th
Mar. 18, 1806
Mar. 2, 1807
Apr. 16, 1808
Stephen R. Bradley
R(DR)a
VT
10th
Dec. 28, 1808
John Milledge
R(DR)a
GA
10th
Jan. 30, 1809
Andrew Gregg
R(DR)a
PA
11th
June 26, 1809
Congressional Research Service
17
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Name
Party
John Gaillard
R(DR)a
State
Congress
Date Elected
SC
11th
Feb. 28, 1810
John Pope
R(DR)a
KY
11th
Feb. 23, 1811
William H. Crawford
R(DR)a
GA
12th
Mar. 24, 1812
Joseph B. Varnum
R(DR)a
MA
13th
Dec. 6, 1813
John Gaillard
R(DR)a
SC
13th
Apr. 18, 1814
14th
Nov. 25, 1814b
15th
[no election]
Apr. 17, 1810
Mar. 6, 1817
Mar. 31, 1918
James Barbour
John Gaillard
R(DR)a
R(DR)a
VA
SC
CRR
J
Nathaniel Macon
J
15th
Feb. 15, 1819
16th
[no election]
16th
Jan. 25, 1820
17th
Feb. 1, 1822
18th
Feb. 19, 1823
19th
May 21, 1824
Mar. 9, 1825
NC
19th
May 20, 1826
Jan. 2, 1827
Mar. 2, 1827
Samuel Smith
J
MD
20th
May 15, 1828
21st
Mar. 13, 1829
May 29, 1830
Mar. 1, 1831
Littleton Tazewell
J
VA
22nd
July 9, 1832
Hugh L. White
J
TN
22nd
Dec. 3, 1832
23rd
[no election]
MS
23rd
June 28, 1834
VA
23rd
Mar. 3, 1835
AL
24th
July 1, 1836
25th
Jan. 28, 1837
26th
Mar. 7, 1837
27th
Oct. 13, 1837
George Poindexter
John Tyler
William R. King
AJ
AJ
J
D
July 2, 1838
Feb. 25, 1839
July 3, 1840
Mar. 3, 1841
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Name
Party
State
Congress
Date Elected
Mar. 4, 1841
Samuel Southard
Willie P. Mangum
W
W
NJ
27th
Mar. 11, 1841
NC
27th
May 31, 1842
28th
[no election]
Ambrose H. Sevier
D
AR
29th
Dec. 27, 1845c
David R. Atchison
D
MO
29th
Aug. 8, 1846
30th
Jan. 11, 1847
31st
Mar. 3, 1847
Feb. 2, 1848
June 1, 1848
June 26, 1848
July 29, 1848
Dec. 26, 1848
Mar. 2, 1849
Mar. 5, 1849
Mar. 16, 1849
William R. King
D
AL
31st
May 6, 1850
32nd
July 11, 1850
[no election]
David R. Atchison
D
MO
32nd
Dec. 20, 1852 Mar. 4, 1853
33rd
Lewis Cass
D
MI
33rd
Dec. 4, 1854
Jesse D. Bright
D
IN
33rd
Dec. 5, 1854
34th
June 11, 1856
Charles E. Stuart
D
MI
34th
June 9, 1856
James M. Mason
D
VA
34th
Jan. 6, 1857
35th
Mar. 4, 1857
TX
35th
Mar. 14, 1857
AL
35th
Dec. 7, 1857
36th
Mar. 29, 1858
Thomas J. Rusk
Benjamin Fitzpatrick
D
D
June 14, 1858
Jan. 25, 1858
Mar. 9, 1859
Dec. 19, 1859
Feb. 20, 1860
Jesse D. Bright
Benjamin Fitzpatrick
D
D
Congressional Research Service
IN
36th
June 12, 1860
AL
36th
June 26, 1860
19
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Name
Solomon Foot
Party
R
State
VT
Congress
Date Elected
36th
Feb. 16, 1861
37th
Mar. 23, 1861
38th
July 18, 1861
Jan. 15, 1862
Mar. 31, 1862
June 19, 1862
Feb. 18, 1863
Mar. 4, 1863
Dec. 18, 1863
Feb. 23, 1864
Apr. 11, 1864
Daniel Clark
R
NH
38th
Apr. 26, 1864
Feb. 9, 1865
Lafayette S. Foster
R
CT
39th
Mar. 7, 1865
Benjamin F. Wade
R
OH
39th
Mar. 2, 1867
40th
[no election]
41st
Mar. 23, 1869
42nd
Apr. 9, 1869
Henry B. Anthony
R
RI
May 28, 1870
July 1, 1870
July 14, 1870
Mar. 10, 1871
Apr. 17, 1871
May 23, 1871
Dec. 21, 1871
Feb. 23, 1872
June 8, 1872
Dec. 4, 1872
Dec. 13, 1872
Dec. 20, 1872
Jan. 24, 1873
Matthew H. Carpenter
R
WI
43rd
Mar. 12, 1873
Mar. 26, 1873
Dec. 11, 1873
Dec. 23, 1874
Henry B. Anthony
R
RI
43rd
Jan. 25, 1875
Feb. 15, 1875
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Name
Thomas W. Ferry
Party
R
State
MI
Congress
Date Elected
44th
Mar. 9, 1875
45th
Mar. 19, 1875
Dec. 20, 1875
Mar. 5, 1877
Feb. 26, 1878
Apr. 17, 1878
Mar. 3, 1879
Allen G. Thurman
D
OH
46th
Apr. 15, 1879
Apr. 7, 1880
May 6, 1880
Thomas F. Bayard, Sr.
D
DE
47th
Oct. 10, 1881
Oct. 13, 1881
David Davis
I
IL
47th
George F. Edmonds
R
VT
47th
Mar. 3, 1883
48th
Jan. 14, 1884
John Sherman
R
OH
49th
Dec. 7, 1885
John J. Ingalls
R
KS
49th
Feb. 25, 1887
50th
[no election]
51st
Mar. 7, 1889
Apr. 2, 1889
Feb. 28, 1890
Apr. 3, 1890d
Charles F. Manderson
R
NE
51st-53rd
Mar. 2, 1891
Isham G. Harris
D
TN
53rd
Mar. 22, 1893
Matt W. Ransom
D
NC
53rd
Jan. 7, 1895
Isham G. Harris
D
TN
53rd
Jan. 10, 1895
William P. Frye
R
ME
54th-56th
Feb. 7, 1896
57th-59th
Mar. 7, 1901
60th-62nd
Dec. 5, 1907
KS
62nd
Dec. 4, 1911
GA
62nd
Jan. 15, 1912
Feb. 12, 1912
Charles Curtis
Augustus O. Bacon
R
D
Jacob H. Gallinger
R
NH
62nd
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr.
R
MA
62nd
Mar. 25, 1912
Frank B. Brandegee
R
CT
62nd
May 25, 1912
James P. Clarke
D
AR
63rd
Mar. 13, 1913
64th
Dec. 6, 1915
DE
64th-65th
Dec. 14, 1916
IA
66th
May 19, 1919
Willard Saulsbury, Jr.
Albert B. Cummins
D
R
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Name
George H. Moses
Key Pittman
Party
R
D
State
NH
NV
Congress
Date Elected
67th-69th
Mar. 7, 1921
69th
Mar. 6, 1925
70th-72nd
Dec. 15, 1927
73rd
Mar. 9, 1933
74th-76th
Jan. 7, 1935
William H. King
D
UT
76th
Nov. 19, 1940
Pat Harrison
D
MS
77th
Jan. 6, 1941
Carter Glass
D
VA
77th
July 10, 1941
78th
Jan. 5, 1943
TN
79th
Jan. 6, 1945
MI
80th
Jan. 4, 1947
Jan. 3, 1949
Kenneth D. McKellar
Arthur Vandenberg
D
R
Kenneth D. McKellar
D
TN
81st-82nd
Styles Bridges
R
NH
83rd
Jan. 3, 1953
Walter F. George
D
GA
84th
Jan. 5, 1955
Carl T. Hayden
D
AZ
85th-90th
Jan. 3, 1957
Richard B. Russell, Jr.
D
GA
91st-92nd
Jan. 3, 1969
Allen J. Ellender
D
LA
92nd
Jan. 22, 1971
James O. Eastland
D
MS
92nd-95th
July 28, 1972
WA
96th
Jan. 15, 1979
ND
96th
Dec. 4, 1980
SC
97th-99th
Jan. 5, 1981
Jan. 6, 1987
Warren G. Magnuson
Milton R. Young
Strom Thurmond
D
R
R
John C. Stennis
D
MS
100th
Robert C. Byrd
D
WV
101st-103rd
Jan. 3, 1989
Strom Thurmond
R
SC
104th-106th
Jan. 4, 1995
Robert C. Byrd
D
WV
107th
Jan. 3, 2001e
Strom Thurmond
R
SC
107th
Jan. 3, 2001e
Robert C. Byrdf
D
WV
107th
June 6, 2001
Ted Stevens
R
AK
108th-109th
Jan. 7, 2003
110th-111th
Jan. 4, 2007g
111th-
June 28, 2010
Robert C. Byrd
D
WV
Daniel K. Inouye
D
HI
Sources: The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, pp. 647-653. See the “Source Notes and
Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full citation of all sources.
Notes: A key to party abbreviations can be found in the Appendix of this report. Note that several Senators
holding the President pro tempore position were members of (or identified with) different political parties
during their congressional careers. This table lists the party with which each individual was affiliated at the time
of his service as President pro tempore. In cases in which the historical sources indicate a party “switch” in the
midst of a calendar year (without a specific date), it is presumed that the party switch coincided with the
beginning of a new Congress.
a.
Although the Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996 identifies these Presidents pro
tempore as Republicans, the party designation “Democratic Republicans” is more widely used and familiar
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
to readers. This designation, R(DR), should not be taken to refer to the contemporary Republican Party,
which did not emerge until the 1850s.
b.
Senator John Gaillard was elected after the death of Vice President Elbridge Gerry on November 23, 1814,
and continued to serve throughout the 14th Congress, as there was no Vice President.
c.
There was no actual election. Senator Ambrose H. Sevier was “permitted to occupy the chair for the day.”
In their table of Presidents pro tempore, Gerald Gamm and Steven S. Smith do not include Sevier’s service.
See Gerald Gamm and Steven S. Smith, “Last Among Equals,” “Table 1: Presidents Pro Tempore of the
Senate,” p.13.
d.
As noted above, in March 1890, the Senate adopted a resolution stating that Presidents pro tempore would
hold office continuously until the election of another President pro tempore, rather than being elected only
for the period in which the Vice President was absent. That system has continued to the present.
e.
When the 107th Congress convened on January 3, 2001, Republican George W. Bush had been elected
President. Richard B. Cheney, Vice President-elect, would not be sworn in until January 20, 2001. As a
consequence, the Senate was evenly divided, 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans. When Congress convened
on January 3, 2001, Vice President Al Gore, a Democrat, remained as President of the Senate, providing
Senate Democrats with an effective majority of one. On January 3, 2001, the Senate adopted S.Res. 3, which
provided for the election of Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, to serve as President pro
tempore from January 3 until the inauguration of President Bush and Vice President Cheney at noon on
January 20, at which time Senator Strom Thurmond, Republican of South Carolina, would assume the office
of President pro tempore. See “Election of the Honorable Robert C. Byrd as President Pro Tempore and
Election of the Honorable Strom Thurmond as President Pro Tempore,” Congressional Record, vol. 147,
January 3, 2001, p. 7.
f.
Party control in the Senate shifted with the decision in May, 2001, of Senator Jim Jeffords to leave the
Republican party and to become an Independent, caucusing with Senate Democrats. On June 6, the Senate
agreed to S.Res. 100 electing Senator Byrd President pro tempore once again.
g.
Senator Robert C. Byrd died on June 28, 2010. That day, the Senate adopted S.Res. 567, electing Senator
Daniel K. Inouye President pro tempore.
The Senate has, on occasion, created special offices connected to the position of President pro
tempore. These two positions—detailed below—were created for specific individuals under
narrow circumstances and are not currently in use.
Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore
Pursuant to S.Res. 17 (95th Congress), agreed to January 10, 1977, the Senate established
(effective January 5, 1977) the post of Deputy President pro tempore of the Senate to be held by
“any Member of the Senate who has held the Office of President of the United States or Vice
President of the United States.” Senator Hubert H. Humphrey was Deputy President pro tempore
until his death on January 13, 1978. In the 100th Congress, due to concerns over the health of the
President pro tempore, Senate John S. Stennis, the Senate agreed on January 28, 1987, to S.Res.
90, authorizing the Senate to designate a Senator to serve as Deputy President pro tempore during
that Congress, in addition to Senators who hold such office under the authority of S.Res. 17 (95th
Congress). Accordingly, on the same date the Senate agreed to S.Res. 91 (100th Congress),
designating Senator George H. Mitchell Deputy President pro tempore.
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Table 9. Deputy Presidents Pro Tempore of the Senate, 1977-2010
Deputy President
Pro Tempore
Party
State
Congress
Hubert H. Humphrey
D
MN
95th
Jan. 5, 1977-Jan. 13, 1978
George J. Mitchell
D
ME
100th
Jan. 28, 1987-Nov. 29, 1988a
a.
Dates
Senator Mitchell served as Deputy President pro tempore until he was elected majority leader for the 101st
Congress on November 29, 1988.
Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore
This post was initially established in 1963 after Senate Majority Leader Michael J. Mansfield
became concerned that the stamina of then-President pro tempore, Senator Carl T. Hayden, would
be overly taxed by presiding over the prolonged debate on civil rights legislation. In response, the
Senate adopted S.Res. 232 and S.Res. 238 (88th Congress) making Senator Lee Metcalf Acting
President pro tempore from December 9, 1963, until the meeting of the second session of the 88th
Congress. Continuing concerns over the presiding officer’s responsibilities led the Senate, on
February 7, 1964, to authorize Senator Metcalf “to perform the duties of the Chair as Acting
President pro tempore until otherwise ordered by the Senate” via S.Res. 296 (88th Congress).
Senator Metcalf held the post throughout his remaining 14 years in the Senate.
Table 10. Permanent Acting President Pro Tempore
of the Senate, 1964-2010
Permanent Acting
President Pro Tempore
Lee Metcalf
Party
State
Congress
Dates
D
MT
88th-95th
Feb. 7, 1964-Jan. 12, 1978
Party Floor Leader
Each Senate party conference selects its floor leader (also called majority leader or minority
leader, as appropriate) in a secret-ballot vote at its organizational meeting prior to the beginning
of a new Congress. While these positions developed later than (and arose from) the post of
conference chair, they now represent the top post in each party. The majority leader is the lead
spokesperson for the party in the chamber and is also responsible for scheduling the legislative
activity of the Senate. By precedent established in 1937, the majority leader is afforded priority
recognition on the floor. The minority leader leads and speaks for the minority party and is
consulted by the majority leader in scheduling Senate floor activity; he also has preferential floor
recognition, after the majority leader. The rules of each party conference assign additional
responsibilities to each floor leader, as well. In current practice, the floor leader for Senate
Democrats also serves as the party’s conference chair. (See next section for description of
conference chair positions.)
Congressional Research Service
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Table 11. Senate Republican Floor Leaders, 1919-2010
Floor Leader
State
Congress
Dates
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr.a,b,c
MA
66th-68th
1919-Nov. 9, 1924d
Charles Curtisa,e
KS
68th-70th
Nov. 28, 1924-1929
James E. Watsona
IN
71st-72nd
1929-1933
Charles L. McNarya
OR
73rd-78th
1933-Feb. 25, 1944f
Wallace H. White, Jr.
ME
79th
80th
1945-1949
Kenneth S. Wherry
NE
81st-82nd
1949-Nov. 29, 1951g
Styles Bridges
NH
82nd
1952-1953
Robert A. Taft
OH
83rd
1953-July 31, 1953h
William F. Knowland
CA
83rd
84th-85th
Aug. 4, 1953-1959
Everett Dirksen
IL
86th-91st
1959-Sept. 7, 1969i
Hugh Scott
PA
91st-94th
Sept. 24, 1969-1977
Howard H. Baker
TN
95th-96th
97th-98th
1977-1985
Robert H. Dole
KS
99th
100th-103rd
104th
1985-June 11, 1996j
Trent Lott
MS
104th-106th
107th
June 12, 1996 - Dec. 20, 2002k
William H. Frist
TN
108th-109th
Dec. 23, 200l-2007
Mitch McConnell
KY
110th-
2007-
Sources: The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p. 505, with some details provided by
Riddick, Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, pp. 1-11. See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at
the end of this report for a description and full citation of all sources.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the floor leader was also majority leader for at least half of
the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a controlling majority, party
control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the 107thCongress is therefore treated as being
under Democratic party control in these tables, where applicable.
a.
Indicates a leader who was also conference chair. Prior to 1945, the Republican conference chair and floor
leader positions were held by the same individual.
b.
While Byrd’s volume provisionally lists Republican Conference Chair Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr, as the first
Republican floor leader in practice, some sources treat two previous conference chairs as floor leaders in
practice. For example, Riddick includes (in Table III, “Seniority of Majority and Minority Leaders of the
Senate,” p.11) conference chairs Senator Shelby M. Cullom as majority leader from 1911-1913 and Senator
Jacob H. Gallinger as minority leader from 1913 until his death on August 17, 1918.
c.
Elected conference chair in the 65th Congress on August 24, 1918, to replace Senator Gallinger. Senator
Lodge was not officially a floor leader; he was simply reelected to the conference chair post in 1919, and
the party had not yet employed the designation floor leader. Scholarly opinion is that his role in the 66th to
68th Congresses, for all intents and purposes, was that of the floor leader, however. Byrd’s volume
provisionally lists him as the first majority leader (Table 4-6, p. 506); Riddick includes him in Table III, p.11.
Also see Widenor, “Henry Cabot Lodge: The Astute Parliamentarian,” for additional supporting details.
d.
Died in office, November 9, 1924.
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
e.
Senator Charles Curtis was elected conference chair on November 28, 1924, to replace Senator Henry
Cabot Lodge, Sr., who died on November 9. On March 5, 1925, the Republican conference also designated
him as floor leader, the first Senator to hold the title.
f.
Senator Charles L. McNary died on February 25, 1944. There is no reference in congressional sources to
the formal selection of a new Republican floor leader during the 78th Congress. In his article summarizing
“The Second Session of the Seventy-Eighth Congress (January 10-December 18, 1944),” American Political
Science Review, vol. 39, April 1945, pp. 317-336, Floyd Riddick makes no mention of McNary’s death or the
selection of a successor.
g.
Died in office, November 29, 1951.
h.
Died in office, July 31, 1953.
i.
Died in office, September 7, 1969.
j.
Resigned from Senate, June 11, 1996.
k.
Elected June 12, 1996, to replace Senator Robert H. Dole, and resigned from majority leader post,
December 20, 2002.
l.
Elected December 23, 2002, to replace Senator Trent Lott.
Table 12. Senate Democratic Floor Leaders and Conference Chairs, 1893-2010
Floor Leader
State
Congress
Dates
53rd
54th-55th
1893-1898
55th-56th
1898-1901
AL
57th
1901-1902
AR
57th
1902-1903
Arthur P. Gormand
MD
58th-59th
1903-June 4, 1906e
Joseph C.S. Blackburnf
KY
59th
June 9, 1906-1907g
Charles A. Culberson
TX
60th
1907-1909
Hernando D. Money
MS
61st
1909-1911
Thomas S. Martinf
VA
62nd
1911-1913
IN
63rd-64th
1913-1917
VA
65th
1917-Nov. 12, 1919h
Arthur P. Gormana,b
MD
N/Ac
John T.
Morganb
James K.
Jonesb
John Worth
Kernf
Thomas S. Martin
66th
Oscar W. Underwoodf
AL
66th-67th
Apr. 27, 1920-1923i
Joseph T. Robinson
AR
68th-75th
73rd-75th
1923-July 14, 1937j
Alben W. Barkley
KY
75th-79th
80th
July 22, 1937-1949k
Scott W. Lucas
IL
81st
1949-1951
Ernest W. McFarland
AZ
82nd
1951-1953
Lyndon B. Johnson
TX
83rd
1953-1961
Mike Mansfield
MT
87th-94th
1961-1977
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Floor Leader
State
Congress
Dates
Robert C. Byrd
WV
95th-96th
97th-99th
100th
1977-1989
George J. Mitchell
ME
101st-103rd
1989-1995
Tom Daschlel
SD
104th-106th
107th
108th
1995-2005
Harry Reid
NV
109th
110th-
2005-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources. The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p. 503. Some additional
details are from Riddick’s Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, p. 1-11. Initially the Senate Democratic
Caucus, the name was officially changed to the Democratic Conference in 1925.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the floor leader was also majority leader for at least half of
the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a controlling majority, party
control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the 107th Congress is therefore treated as being
under Democratic party control in these tables, where applicable.
a.
Byrd’s identification of the first Democratic conference chair begins with Senator Gorman in the 58th
Congress. Other sources, however, rely on unofficial records to give Gorman that title in the 53rd
Congress, with Senators Morgan and Jones identified as such in later Congresses (after a period in which
reliable sources do not exist); see, for example, Riddick, Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, Table I,
p. 7.
b.
Riddick identifies Senator Gorman as the first Democratic conference chair in 1893, though Byrd does not
designate him as such until the 58th Congress. This is also the case with the designations of Senators Morgan
in 1901 and Jones in 1902.
c.
No reliable records from the caucus exist for this period.
d.
Senator Gorman’s designation as conference chair in the 58th Congress is the first that can be confirmed
from official caucus minutes.
e.
Died June 4, 1906.
f.
Secondary sources generally identify Senator Kern as the first Democratic floor leader in the modern sense
of the term. See, for example, Oleszek, “John Worth Kern,” p. 10. Others have made a case for designating
Senator Blackburn as the first, since he was referred to as the Democrats’ “chosen official leader” in a
congratulatory resolution. See Riddick, p. 3. Still others consider Senator Martin an early floor leader; see
Oleszek, “John Worth Kern,” note 13. Senator Underwood is the first person to be officially called floor
leader in minutes of the party conference, so some sources (e.g., Byrd) treat him as the first Democratic
floor leader.
g.
Elected June 9, 1906.
h.
Died November 12, 1919. An initial caucus vote to replace Senator Martin resulted in a tie between
Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock and Senator Underwood. Hitchcock briefly was acting leader until
Underwood was elected in April of 1920. See Riddick, p. 9, note 2
i.
Elected April 27, 1920.
j.
Died July 14, 1937.
k.
Elected July 22, 1937.
l.
In the 107th Congress, Senator Daschle became majority leader on June 6, 2001, following a change in party
control of the Senate from Republican to Democratic.
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Conference Chair
Each party has a conference organization consisting of all the elected Senators from that party; it
is the main body through which the party contingent at large decides and communicates its
legislative priorities. While each party’s conference chair posts were the first formal party
leadership positions in the Senate, eventually floor leader positions were established as uppermost
in each party’s leadership hierarchy. Since 1945, Republicans have elected their conference chair
separately from other leadership posts, but the elected Democratic floor leader also serves as
chair of the Democratic Conference. (See Table 12 for the list of Democratic floor leaders /
conference chairs.)
Table 13. Senate Republican Conference Chairs, 1893-2010
Chair
John Shermana
State
OH
Congress
Dates
53rd
54th
1893-1897
William B. Allison
IA
55th-56th
1897-1901b
Eugene Hale
ME
57th
1901-1902
Orville Platt
CT
57th
1902-1903c
Eugene Hale
ME
58th
1903-1904
William B. Allison
IA
58th-59th
1904-1906
ME
59th
1906-1907
IA
59th
1907-1908
RI
60th
1908-1909
Eugene Hale
ME
60th-61st
1909-1910
Shelby M. Cullom
IL
61st-62nd
1910-1913
Jacob H. Gallinger
NH
63rd-65th
1913-1918
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr.e
MA
65th
66th-68th
1918-1924
Charles Curtise
KS
68th-70th
1924-1929
James E. Watsone
IN
71st-72nd
1929-1932
Charles L. McNarye
OR
73rd-78th
1933-1944
Arthur H. Vandenberg
MI
79th
1945-1946
Eugene D. Millikin
CO
80th-82nd
83rd
84th
1947-1956
Leverett Saltonstall
MA
85th-89th
1957-1966
Margaret Chase Smith
ME
90th-92nd
1967-1972
Norris Cotton
NH
93rd
1973-1974
Carl T. Curtis
NE
94th-95th
1975-1978
Robert Packwood
OR
96th
1979-1980
James A. McClure
ID
97th-98th
1981-1984
John Chafee
RI
99th
1985-1990
Eugene Hale
William B.
Allisond
Nelson W. Aldrich
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Chair
State
Congress
Dates
101st
Thad Cochran
MS
102nd-103rd
104th
1991-1996
Connie Mack
FL
105th-106th
1997-2000
Richard J. Santorum
PA
107th
2001-2006
Jon L. Kyl
AZ
110th
2007-Dec. 6, 2007f
Lamar Alexander
TN
110th-
Dec. 6, 2007f-
108th-109th
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources. The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p. 502. Additional detail is
from Riddick, Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, pp. 7-9). Records of the Republican Conference are
extant only from 1911. Secondary sources (see Riddick, pp. 7-9) provide information for years prior to 1893.
Rothman, in his work, claims that Senator Henry B. Anthony served as Republican caucus chair for an
undetermined number of years beginning in 1869 and that Senator George Franklin Edmunds served as chair
from 1885 to 1891. See David J. Rothman, Politics and Power: The United States Senate, 1869-1901, Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press, 1966, pp. 6, 28-30.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Republican party was in the majority for at least half of
the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a controlling majority, party
control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the 107th Congress is therefore treated as being
under Democratic party control in these tables, where applicable. Except for those individuals who also served
as floor leader (as designated in next note), sources do not provide specific dates of conference chair service
(e.g., when there was a death or resignation and, as a result, a mid-session election was held). Therefore, this
table provides only years of service for each conference chair and gives no specific dates for transitions that
occurred within a session.
a.
Riddick indicates that secondary sources confirm Sherman as the first Republican conference chair (Table I,
p.7); Byrd starts his list (Table 4-1, p.502) with Allison’s tenure in the 55th Congress, but notes Sherman’s
previous tenure in a footnote.
b.
Byrd lists Senator Allison’s tenure in the position as 1897-1901, but Riddick maintains that reliable records
do not exist for 1898 to 1901.
c.
Using unofficial sources, Riddick (Table I, p. 7) indicates that Senator George H. Hoar was briefly
conference chair in 1903. Byrd does not include him.
d.
Using unofficial sources, Riddick (Table I, p. 7) indicates Senator Allison was chair; Byrd does not include
him.
e.
Indicates individuals who were simultaneously identified as the floor leader. See Table 11 of this report.
f.
Senator John L. Kyl was elected party whip on December 6, 2007; Senator Lamar Alexander was elected on
that day to serve as conference chair.
Party Whip
Senate Democrats first selected a party whip in 1913; Republicans followed in 1915. Some
accounts of these early selections imply that the individuals were initially appointed, but other
contemporary accounts refer to conference elections for the posts. (Republicans first formally
codified their conference procedures in 1944, making it clear that the whip post was elected by
the conference.) Today, each party conference elects a party whip, who is also known in the
Senate as the assistant majority leader or assistant minority leader, depending on the party.
Typically, deputy whips are also appointed to assist the whip operation. The whips communicate
leadership priorities to the party rank-and-file (and vice versa), provide leaders an assessment of
member support for (or opposition to) pending legislative matters, and mobilize support for
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
leadership-supported measures under consideration. For more information, see CRS Report
RS20887, Senate Leadership: Whip Organization, by Judy Schneider.
Table 14. Senate Democratic Whips, 1913-2010
Whip
State
Congress
Dates
James Hamilton Lewisa
IL
63rd-65th
1913-1919
Peter G. Gerry
RI
66th-70th
1919-1929
TX
71st-72nd
1929-1933
IL
73rd-75th
1933-1939
IN
76th
1939-1941
J. Lister Hill
AL
77th-79th
1941-1947
Scott W. Lucasb
IL
80th
1947-1949
Francis J. Myers
PA
81st
1949-1951
Lyndon B. Johnsonb
TX
82nd
1951-1953
Earle C. Clement
KY
83rd
84th
1953-1957
Mike Mansfieldb
MT
85th-86th
1957-1961
Hubert H. Humphrey
MN
87th-88th
1961-1965
Russell B. Long
LA
89th-90th
1965-1969
Edward M. Kennedy
MA
91st
1969-1971
Robert C. Byrdb
WV
92nd-94th
1971-1977
Alan Cranston
CA
95th-96th
1977-1991
Wendell H. Ford
KY
102nd-103rd
104th-105th
1991-1999
Harry Reidb
NV
106th,
107th
108th
1999-2005
IL
109th
110th-
2005-
Morris Sheppard
James Hamilton Lewis
Sherman Minton
Richard Durbin
97th-99th
100th-101st
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources. The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p. 509, with additional detail
drawn from Oleszek, Majority and Minority Whips of the Senate.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Democratic whip was also the majority whip for at least
half of the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a controlling majority,
party control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the 107thCongress is therefore treated as
being under Democratic party control in these tables, where applicable.
a.
Senator James Hamilton Lewis became the first Democratic Party whip in 1913. In the Congressional Record,
Lewis himself referred to his “appointment,” but a press account the next year said he was elected. See
Oleszek, Majority and Minority Whips of the Senate, p. 4.
b.
Indicates individuals who later advanced to floor leader.
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Table 15. Senate Republican Whips, 1915-2010
Whip
James W. Wadsworth, Jr.a
State
Congress
Dates
NY
64th
1915
KS
64th-65th
1915-1924
Wesley L. Jones
WA
68th-70th
1924-1929
Simeon D. Fess
OH
71st-72nd
1929-1933
73rd
1933-1935
74th-77th
1936-1943
78th-79th
1944-1949
81st-82nd
83rd
84th
1949-1957
85th
1957-1959
Charles
Curtisb
Felix Hebert
RI
N/Ac
Kenneth S.
Wherryb
NE
66th-68th
80th
Leverett Saltonstall
MA
Everett M. Dirksenb
IL
Thomas H. Kuchel
CA
86th-90th
1959-1969
Hugh D. Scottb
PA
91st
1969
Robert P. Griffin
MI
91st-94th
1969-1977
Ted Stevens
AK
95th-96th
97th-98th
1977-1985
Alan K. Simpson
WY
99th
100th-103rd
1985-1995
Trent Lottb
MS
104th
1995-June 12, 1996d
Don Nickles
OK
104th-106th
107th
June 12, 1996-2003e
Mitch McConnellb
KY
108th-109th
2003-2007
Trent Lott
MS
110th
2007-Dec. 6, 2007f
Jon L. Kyl
AZ
110th-
Dec. 6, 2007f-
Sources: See the “Source Notes and Bibliography” section at the end of this report for a description and full
citation of all sources. The principal source for this table is Byrd’s Historical Statistics, p. 509, with additional
details provided by Oleszek, Majority and Minority Whips of the Senate.
Notes: Bolded entries indicate Congresses in which the Republican whip was also majority whip for at least half
of the Congress. For example, while the Republicans began the 107th Congress with a controlling majority, party
control switched to the Democrats in June of the first session; the 107thCongress is treated as being under
Democratic party control in these tables, where applicable.
a.
Wadsworth was the first Republican whip, but served only one week before Senator Curtis was named his
successor. Some sources describe the selections as appointments, but clearly the party eventually elected
individuals to the post. The conference rules for such selection were formally codified only in 1944, but the
election practice seems to have been occurring prior to this. See Oleszek, Majority and Minority Whips of the
Senate, p. 5.
b.
Indicates individuals who later advanced to floor leader.
c.
Between 1936 and 1943, the Republican whip post was filled by informal, irregular appointment by the
Republican Leader.
d.
Elected majority leader, June 12, 1996.
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
e.
Elected to replace Senator Trent Lott as whip, June 12, 1996.
f.
Senator Jon L. Kyl was elected to the position on December 6, 2007, replacing Senator Trent Lott, who
resigned from the Senate soon thereafter (on December 18, 2007).
Source Notes and Bibliography
This report relies heavily on primary congressional sources and authoritative documents such as
the privately printed Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774 to 1996, and a
similar online adaptation, the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to the
Present. In addition, over the years, individual Members of Congress, legislative aides, and
scholars have gained limited access to party conference journals. Reliable leadership lists have
been compiled from these sources. Where these have been published, they have been used as a
source in this report. This report also relies on secondary sources developed by scholars. The
Congressional Research Service made no attempt to gain access to caucus or conference minutes
in collecting data for this report.
Inevitably, conflicting interpretations occur in these data, even among sources generally accepted
as reliable. For example, there are disparities on the dates of elections and tenure of Senate
Presidents pro tempore between Byrd’s history, the 1911 Senate document, and Gamm and
Smith’s research. The report attempts to footnote these divergences where they occur.
Unless otherwise noted, the following sources were used to compile the tables in this report:
Berdahl, Clarence. “Some Notes on Party Membership in Congress.” American Political Science
Review, vol. 43 (April 1949), pp. 309-332; (June 1949), pp. 492-508; and (August 1949), pp. 721734.
Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996. Washington: CQ Staff Directories
Inc., 1997.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to the Present. Available online at
http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp.
Byrd, Robert C. The Senate, 1789-1989. 4 vols., 100th Congress, 1st session. S. Doc. 100-20.
Washington: GPO, 1988-1993.
Cannon, Clarence. “Party History.” Remarks in the appendix, Congressional Record, vol. 89
(January 22, 1941), pp. A383-A384.
Congressional Directory. Washington: GPO, various years.
Congressional Globe. Washington, 1833-1873.
Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report. Washington: Congressional Quarterly, Inc., various
dates.
Congressional Record. Washington: GPO, 1873-present.
CRS Report RL30960, The President Pro Tempore of the Senate: History and Authority of the
Office, by Christopher M. Davis.
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
Deschler, Lewis. Deschler-Brown Precedents of the United States House of Representatives. 16
vols. Washington: GPO, 1977-2000.
Galloway, George B. “Leadership in the House of Representatives.” The Western Political
Quarterly, vol. 12, no. 2, (June 1959), pp. 417-441.
Gamm, Gerald and Steven S. Smith. “Last Among Equals: The Senate’s Presiding Officer.” In
Burdett A. Loomis, ed., Esteemed Colleagues: Civility and Deliberation in the U.S. Senate, pp.
105-134. Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2000.
Martis, Kenneth C. The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 17891989. New York: Macmillan, 1989.
Oleszek, Walter J. Majority and Minority Whips in the Senate: History and Development of the
Party Whip System in the U.S. Senate. 99th Congress, 1st session. S. Doc. 99-23. Washington:
GPO, 1985.
——. “John Worth Kern: Portrait of Floor Leader.” In Richard A. Baker and Roger H. Davidson,
eds., First Among Equals: Outstanding Senate Leaders of the Twentieth Century, pp. 7-37.
Washington: CQ Press, 1991.
Ripley, Randall B. Party Leaders in the House of Representatives. Washington: Brookings
Institution Press, 1967.
——. “The Party Whip Organizations in the United States House of Representatives.” American
Political Science Review, vol. 58 (September 1964), pp. 561-576.
Rothman, David J. Politics and Power. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1966.
U.S. Congress. Hinds’ and Cannon’s Precedents of the House of Representatives of the United
States. 11 vols. Washington: GPO, 1907-1908, 1935-1941.
——. House. Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1789-present, various
publishers.
——. Senate. Journal of the Senate of the United States, 1789-present, various publishers.
——. Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate: History and Development of the Offices of
the Floor Leaders. Prepared by Floyd M. Riddick. 99th Congress, 1st session. S. Doc. 99-3.
Washington: GPO, 1985.
——. President of the Senate Pro Tempore. 62nd Congress, 2nd session. S.Doc. 62-101.
Washington: GPO, 1911.
Widenor, William C. “Henry Cabot Lodge: The Astute Parliamentarian,” In Richard A. Baker and
Roger H. Davidson, eds., First Among Equals: Outstanding Senate Leaders of the Twentieth
Century, pp. 38-62. Washington: CQ Press, 1991.
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Appendix. Political Party Abbreviations
Adams
Adams
Adams-Clay F
Adams-Clay Federalist
Adams-Clay R
Adams-Clay Republican
AJ
Anti-Jackson
Am
American (Know-Nothing)
Anti-Admin
Anti-Administration
C
Conservative
CRR
Crawford Republican
D
Democrat
F
Federalist
FL
Farmer-Labor
FS
Free Soil
I
Independent
ID
Independent Democrat
IR
Independent Republican
J
Jacksonian
JR
Jacksonian Republican
L
Liberty
LR
Liberal Republican
N
Nullifier
N/A
Party Unknown or No Party Affiliation
NR
National Republican
OP
Opposition
PO
Populist
PR
Progressive
Pro-Admin
Pro-Administration
R
Republican
R(DR)a
Jeffersonian, Jeffersonian Republican, or Democratic Republican
RA
Readjuster
S
Silver
SR
Silver Republican
U
Unionist
UU
Unconditional Unionist
W
Whig
Source: This table is derived from Byrd, Historical Statistics, p. xvi.
a.
While the Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996 identifies the party affiliation of certain
Representatives in early Congresses as Republicans, the designation “Democratic Republican” is more
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2010
familiar to readers. This designation, R(DR), should not be taken to refer to the contemporary Republican
Party, which did not emerge until the 1850s.
Author Contact Information
Valerie Heitshusen
Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process
vheitshusen@crs.loc.gov, 7-8635
Acknowledgments
This report was originally written and updated by Paul S. Rundquist and Richard C. Sachs, former
Specialists in American National Government at CRS, and Faye M. Bullock, former Technical Information
Specialist at CRS. The listed author has updated and expanded this report and is available to respond to
inquiries on the subject
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