Order Code RL30743
Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Committee Assignment Process
in the U.S. Senate:
Democratic and Republican
Party Procedures
Updated January 23, 2003
Judy Schneider
Specialist on the Congress
Government and Finance Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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Committee Assignment Process in the U.S. Senate:
Democratic and Republican Party Procedures
Summary
Because of the importance of committee work, Senators consider desirable
committee assignments a priority. The key to securing favorable committee slots is
often said to be targeting committee seats that match the legislator’s skills, expertise,
and policy concerns.
After general elections are over, one of the first orders of business for Senate
leaders is setting the sizes and ratios of committees. Although the size of each
standing committee is set in Senate rules, changes in these sizes often result from
inter-party negotiations before each new Congress. Senate party leaders also
negotiate the party ratios on standing committees. Determinations of sizes and ratios
usually are made before the process of assigning Senators to committees.
Once sizes and ratios of standing committees are determined, a panel for each
party nominates colleagues for committee assignments. Senate Republicans
primarily use a Committee on Committees for this purpose, although the Republican
leader nominates Senators for assignment to some standing committees. Senate
Democrats use a Steering and Coordination Committee to nominate Democrats for
assignment to all standing committees. The processes these panels use are distinct.
Republicans rely on a seniority formula to make nominations, while Democrats make
nominations on a seat-by-seat basis, considering a variety of factors.
The processes also have many common features. After the general election,
each panel solicits preferences for committee assignment from party colleagues, then
matches these preferences with vacancies on standing committees. Senate rules,
along with party rules and practices, guide the work of the Committee on Committees
and the Steering and Coordination Committee. Senate rules, for instance, divide the
standing and other Senate committees into three groups, the so-called “A” “B” and
“C” categories. Senators must serve on two “A” committees and may serve on one
“B” committee, and any number of “C” committees. Exceptions to these restrictions
are sometimes approved by the Senate. Both parties place further limitations, for
example, by generally prohibiting two Senators from the same party and state from
serving on the same committee.
The nominations of each of these panels require the approval of the pertinent
full party conference and ultimately the Senate. Approval at both stages usually is
granted easily, because of the debate and decision-making earlier in the process.
Specific rules regarding Senate membership on and appointments to non-
standing committees vary from committee to committee, but party leaders usually are
included in the process.
For more information on Senate and party rules governing assignment
limitations, see CRS Report 98-912, Senate Rules and Practices on Committee,
Subcommittee, and Chairmanship Assignment Limitations, as of November 4, 2000.

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Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Overview of Assignment Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Types of Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Coverage of Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Committee Ratios and Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chamber Categories and Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Republicans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The Nomination Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Republican Conference and Full Chamber Approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Vacancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Democrats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Nomination Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Democratic Conference and Full Chamber Approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Vacancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Non-Standing Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
This report is based on a CRS Report originally prepared by Carol Hardy Vincent.

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Committee Assignment Process in the U.S.
Senate: Democratic and Republican Party
Procedures
Introduction
Overview of Assignment Process
Committee sizes and ratios are determined before Senators are assigned to
committees. Although the size of each committee is set in Senate rules, changes to
these rules often result from interparty negotiations before each Congress. Senate
party leaders also negotiate the party ratio of each committee during the discussions
of committee size.

Senate rules call for the election of Senators to standing committees by the
entire membership of the chamber. Senate Rule XXIV, paragraph 1 states: “In the
appointment of the standing committees, or to fill vacancies thereon, the Senate,
unless otherwise ordered, shall by resolution appoint the chairman of each such
committee and the other members thereof.”1 These elections are based on
nominations made by the parties, but Senators do not officially take seats on
committees until they are elected by the entire Senate.
While Senate rules are fairly clear regarding how nominations are to be
approved, they do not address how the nominations of Senators to committees are to
be made. In practice, each party vests its conference with the authority to make
nominations to standing committees. Senate Republicans primarily use a Committee
on Committees for this purpose, although the Republican leader nominates Senators
for assignment to some standing committees. Senate Democrats use a Steering and
Coordination Committee to nominate Democrats for assignment to all standing
committees. The processes these two panels use are distinct, but the nominations of
each panel require the approval of the full party conference and, ultimately, the
Senate. Senate approval of the committee nominations of its parties usually is pro
forma because the Senate respects the work of each party.
It has been customary for third-party and independent Senators to caucus with
one of the major parties. At least for committee assignment purposes, such a Senator
is considered a member of that conference and receives his or her committee
assignments from that conference through its regular processes.
1 U.S. Congress, Senate, Standing Rules of the Senate, revised to April 27, 2000; S. Doc.
106-15, 106th Congress, 2nd sess. (Washington: GPO, 1999), p. 18.

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Types of Committees
As used in this report, the term “standing committees” refers to the permanent
panels identified in Senate rules. The rules also list the jurisdiction of each
committee. Within their jurisdictions, the standing committees consider bills and
issues, recommend measures for consideration by the Senate, and conduct oversight
of agencies, programs, and activities. Most standing committees recommend
authorized levels of funds for government operations and for new and existing
programs within their jurisdiction.
The term “non-standing committee” is used here to describe joint committees,
and select, special, and other Senate committees. Congress currently has four joint
committees that are permanent and that conduct studies or perform housekeeping
tasks rather than consider legislation. Members of both chambers serve on them.
The assignment of Senators to conference committees (temporary joint committees
formed to resolve differences in House- and Senate-passed versions of a measure) is
not addressed by this report.
On occasion, the Senate has created select, special, and other committees.
Sometimes such panels are created for a short time to complete a specific task, as in
the case of the Special Committee to Investigate Whitewater Development
Corporation and Related Matters. The committee was created on May 17, 1995, and
expired on June 17, 1996.
Select, special, and other committees have sometimes existed for many years.
Some, like the Special Committee on Aging, conduct studies and investigations.
Others, such as the Select Committee on Intelligence, have legislative jurisdiction,
meaning they consider measures and recommend them for action by the Senate.
Coverage of Report
This report focuses primarily on how Senators are elected to standing
committees. It first relates how standing committee sizes and ratios are set. It then
identifies the classification of committees the Senate uses for assignment purposes,
and the chamber limitations on committee service. It next describes the procedures
that each party uses to recommend Senators for assignment to standing committees,
and how the full chamber approves these recommendations. Finally, it summarizes
the processes used to appoint Senators to non-standing committees.
The report does not address how committee chairs and ranking minority
members are selected, or how subcommittee members and leaders are chosen.
Committee Ratios and Sizes
Following general elections, one of the first orders of business for leaders of
both parties in the Senate is the setting of standing committee ratios and sizes.
Committee ratios and sizes usually are set simultaneously because of their

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interrelationship. These determinations usually are made before assigning Senators
to standing committees because the party organizations that make committee
assignments need to know the numbers of seats available to each party on each
committee. The determination of ratios and sizes sometimes is made with an
awareness of Senators’ specific desires for seats on particular panels.
The ratio of Republicans to Democrats on each standing committee usually is
determined at early organization meetings held in the interval between the general
election and the beginning of a Congress. Since the rules of the chamber do not
contain provisions regarding committee ratios generally, the majority party possesses
the potential to set them unilaterally. In practice, however, ratios generally are set
after negotiation between leaders of the two parties. Committee ratios usually
parallel the overall party ratio in the Senate, with each party occupying a percentage
of seats on all committees consistent with the percentage of seats it has in the Senate.
Senate Rule XXV sets out the number of Senators allowed on each committee.
However, these committee sizes typically are amended at the beginning of a Congress
through Senate approval of one or more resolutions. Under Senate rules, the majority
and minority leaders may agree to adjust temporarily the size of one or more standing
committees, by up to two members, to accord the majority party a majority of the
membership of every standing committee (a “working majority”). In many cases,
however, amendments to committee sizes are made to accommodate the interests and
needs of Senators in serving on committees. These amendments, and therefore
committee sizes, are usually the product of consultation between the party leaders.

The sizes of standing committees normally differ. In the 107th Congress, the
Senate standing committees ranged from 15 to 29 members, with an average of
approximately 19 Senators. Committees with broader jurisdictions generally are
larger than those whose jurisdiction is more narrowly defined. Committees
considered more prestigious or otherwise sought-after also tend to be larger. The
Senate Select Committee on Ethics has an equal party ratio pursuant to the resolution
which created the panel.
Chamber Categories and Limitations
The rules of the Senate divide its standing and other committees into categories
for purposes of assigning all Senators to committees. In particular, Rule XXV,
paragraphs 2 and 3 establish the categories of committees, popularly called the “A,”
“B,” and “C” committees. The “A” and “B” categories, which contain the 16
standing committees (as well as three others), are as follows:2
2 Paragraph 2 lists the “A” committees; paragraphs 3(a) and 3(b) list the “B” committees;
and paragraph 3(c) lists the “C” committees. See Standing Rules of the Senate, p. 27.
The three non-standing committees in the “B” category are the Special Committee on
Aging, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Joint Economic Committee. For a
discussion of the assignment of Senators to these and other non-standing committees, see
(continued...)

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“A” COMMITTEES
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Energy and Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Governmental Affairs
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Judiciary
“B” COMMITTEES
Budget
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans’ Affairs
Special Committee on Aging
Select Committee on Intelligence
Joint Economic Committee
The “C” category comprises three non-standing committees: the Select
Committee on Ethics, the Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Joint Committee on
Taxation.3 The Joint Committee on the Library and the Joint Committee on Printing
are not listed in any category, but are treated as “C” committees for assignment
purposes.
Rule XXV, paragraph 4 places restrictions on Senators’ committee membership
based on these categories. The restrictions are intended to treat Senators equitably
in the assignment process. Essentially, each Senator is limited to service on two of
the “A” committees, and one of the “B” committees. Service on “C” committees is
unrestricted.4
Exceptions to the restrictions are recommended by the pertinent party
conference and then officially authorized through Senate approval of a resolution
affecting one or more Senators. Sometimes these exceptions are authorized to accord
the majority party a working majority on a committee, whereas at other times
exceptions are made to accommodate the preferences and needs of individual
Senators.
2 (...continued)
the last section of this report entitled “Non-standing Committees.”
3 The Committee on Indian Affairs is not a standing committee, although the Senate dropped
the term “select” from its title in 1993.
4 For more on Senate rules governing assignment limitations in the 106th Congress, see:
CRS Report 98-912, Senate Rules and Practices on Committee, Subcommittee, and
Chairmanship Assignment Limitations, as of November 4, 2000, by Judy Schneider.

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Republicans
Overview
The committee assignment process used by Senate Republicans involves three
steps. First, the Committee on Committees and the Republican leader nominate
Republican Senators for committee assignments. Second, these recommendations
are submitted for approval to the Republican Conference, the organization of all
Republican Senators. Third, the recommendations are incorporated into one or more
Senate resolutions and approved by the full Senate.
The Nomination Process

The chair and other members of the Committee on Committees are appointed
by the chair of the Republican Conference, subject to confirmation by the Republican
Conference. The size of the Committee on Committees fluctuates from Congress to
Congress. In recent Congresses, it consisted of nine members, including the majority
leader, who served on the committee ex-officio and did not chair the panel. The
Committee on Committees is relatively small, in part because it relies on a seniority
formula in assigning both returning and newly elected Republican Senators. The
formula makes the assignment process somewhat automatic; the absence of
significant debate and voting thus requires comparatively few members.

Under Republican Conference rules, the Committee on Committees nominates
Republicans for assignment to all category “A” committees, as well as to the
Committee on Rules and Administration. According to Conference Rule V,
nominations for assignment to other committees are made by the Republican leader
(unless otherwise specified by law). In practice, the Republican leader also has
nominated members to serve on the Committee on Rules and Administration.
Following a general election, all Republican Senators are asked to submit their
committee assignment preferences to the Committee on Committees. The committee
prefers that these requests be listed in order of priority. It is considered useful for
new Republican Senators to consult with party leaders and the chairs (or ranking
members) of desired committees to assess the likelihood of receiving a desired
assignment. Under the seniority system used by Senate Republicans, for example,
a freshman is likely to have more success if his or her first choice is not a committee
seat desired by an incumbent or a “more senior” freshman. Informing party and
committee leaders of one’s committee preferences also acts to alert them to one’s
substantive policy interests.
In December or January following the general election, the Committee on
Committees first meets to nominate Senators to committees. Senate Rule XXV, as
described above, sets out the rules and restrictions that guide the committee in
distributing standing committee seats. The Republican Conference has established
additional rules and guidelines that govern the procedures of the Committee on
Committees. One such rule generally prohibits any Republican from serving on more
than one of the "Super A," or “big four” category “A,” committees: Appropriations,

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Armed Services, Finance, and Foreign Relations.5 Conference rules also generally
prohibit two Republican Senators from the same state from serving on the same
panel.6
Republicans usually nominate Senators to “A” committees before filling
vacancies on other committees. The seniority formula used by the Committee on
Committees in making assignment nominations is as follows. First, in order of
seniority in the chamber, each incumbent chooses two committee assignments;
incumbents may decide to retain current committee seats or choose among existing
vacancies. However, a Senator who has served on a committee and lost a seat due
to a change in the party ratio has priority over any and all Senators to claim the first
vacancy on the committee. While such instances have been rare, they have occurred
when party control of the Senate has changed.
Second, each newly elected Senator chooses seats in order of seniority, based
on previous service in the Senate; previous service in the U.S. House of
Representatives and length of service in the House; and previous service as a state
governor.7 Ties in seniority of freshmen are broken by draw. In addition, every
newly elected Senator receives one assignment before any newly elected Senator
receives a second assignment.
Conference rules provide a guideline governing the time frame for Senators to
choose among assignment options presented by the Committee on Committees. If
a Senator is presented with selection options before noon on a given day, the Senator
should notify the Committee on Committees of his or her decision by the close of
business on that day. If a Senator is presented with selection options after noon on
a particular day, then a decision should be made by noon on the next business day.
This provision is designed to expedite the assignment process by preventing Senators
from engaging in lengthy deliberation that could delay the assignment of Senators
with less seniority.
Rank on each committee generally is determined by length of continuous service
on the committee. If a Senator leaves a committee and returns in a subsequent
Congress, the Senator likely would lose his or her previous seniority. However, the
chair (or ranking member) of a committee need not be the Member with the longest
committee service.8
5 Senate Republican Conference. History, Rules & Precedents of the Senate Republican
Conference, revised June 2002, 107th Congress. (Washington: Republican Conference, June
2002), Rule V(G). (Hereinafter cited as Republican Conference Rules.) However, a Senator
serving on more than one such committee before the organization of the 92nd Congress
(1971) may continue to do so.
6 Republican Conference Rules, Supplement.
7 Republican Conference Rules, Rule V(H).
8 Under Republican Conference rules, at the beginning of each Congress, the Republican
members of each committee choose their chair or ranking member. Conference
confirmation is then sought by a separate, secret written ballot.

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While nominations for assignment to “non-A” committees (except, officially,
Rules and Administration) are at the discretion of the Republican leader, the leader
generally follows the seniority formula used by the Committee on Committees.
Moreover, the leader usually works in close cooperation with the chair and other
members of the Committee on Committees.
Through this system, the assignment process is relatively consensus-oriented
and automatic, and formal votes on nominees usually are not necessary. In assigning
freshmen, the Committee on Committees does not consider the multiple factors relied
upon by the Senate Democrats’ party organization (discussed below); instead, the
most important factor appears to be Senators’ requests. Personal efforts to compete
for committee seats appear to be minimal (though not unknown) as compared with
Senate Democrats.
Republican Conference and Full Chamber Approval

When the Committee on Committees and the Republican leader have finished
their work, they submit their recommendations for assignment to the Republican
Conference. For each committee, a slate of committee members in order of proposed
seniority is presented for consideration. Voting by recorded written ballot, as
specified by conference rules, ordinarily is not necessary. The conference usually
adopts the recommendations by unanimous consent, presumably because they are
based largely on seniority.
Once accepted by the Republican Conference, the assignment recommendations
are packaged into one or more Senate resolutions that are submitted to the full Senate
for approval, usually by the Republican leader. Because the resolutions are
privileged, they can be brought up at any time. These resolutions are amendable and
any Senator may demand a separate vote on the appointment of the chair or on the
other members of a standing committee. However, the resolutions usually are
adopted without incident.9 Nominations rarely are challenged on the floor because
it is in the parties where decisions are made; by custom, neither party has challenged
the nominations of the other party. Indeed, the routine character of the Senate’s
approval of nominations highlights the importance of the nomination process.
9 There are two techniques that Senators might use to change committee assignments. First,
they might offer an amendment to the resolution that strikes and inserts Senators’ names
from the committee roster. Second, they might offer a motion to amend the rules of the
Senate, and expand the size of a standing committee. Such a motion to amend the rules
requires a notice in writing of one legislative day (i.e., the motion cannot be brought up after
the notice until an adjournment of the Senate.) If the change is adopted, then Senators can
amend the resolution containing assignment nominations to insert the preferred names. Both
of these techniques were used occasionally in earlier times. The “strike-and-insert” method
was used in both 1919 and 1925, while the expansion of a committee followed by the
addition of a Senator, occurred in 1953. In the absence of an exemption, however, current
rules limiting Senators’ assignments prevent the assignment resolution from being amended
to insert the name of a Senator who already holds the maximum number of committee posts.
For specific information on these events, see U.S. Congress. Senate, Senate Procedure, by
Floyd Riddick, S.Doc. 101-28, 101st Congress, 2nd sess. (Washington: GPO, 1990), pp. 395-
396.

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Vacancies
In filling vacancies that occur on standing committees after their initial
organization, Senate Republicans follow the same procedure used for each new
Congress. Committee vacancies may occur during the course of a Congress because
party leaders decide to change a committee’s size or party ratio, or because Members
die, change parties, or resign from the Senate. A new Senator replacing a late or
former Senator may be chosen to fill the vacated committee seats. However, if the
new Senator is of the opposite party from the departed Senator, adjustments in sizes
and ratios often are needed to make slots for the new Senator. Moreover, incumbents
also might seek to compete for the newly open committee seats, especially if they
occur on one of the more prestigious panels, such as the Appropriations Committee
or the Finance Committee. When an incumbent is chosen to fill a committee
vacancy, that Senator often gives up an existing assignment to comply with party or
chamber assignment limitations (although a waiver might be granted). This may
cause a chain reaction involving a series of shifts of committee assignments.
Democrats
Overview
There are three steps in the nomination and assignment process for Senate
Democrats. The first is for the Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee to
make nominations for committee assignments. The second consists of approval of
the nominations by the Democratic Conference, which comprises all Democrats in
the Senate. The final step is for the assignment rosters to be incorporated into one
or more Senate resolutions and considered and approved by the full Senate. Senate
Democrats do not have written rules governing this assignment process, as do Senate
Republicans.
The Nomination Process
The size of the Steering and Coordination Committee is set by the Democratic
Conference. The Democratic leader serves on the committee and appoints its
members, subject to ratification by the conference. Steering and Coordination
Committee members (except party leaders) may not serve simultaneously on the
Democratic Policy Committee. Instead of chairing the panel, in the past few
Congresses the Democratic leader has named another Senator as chair. In appointing
Senators to vacancies, the Democratic leader attempts to achieve regional balance on
the committee under a system that divides the country into four regions. The Steering
and Coordination Committee continues from Congress to Congress, appointing
Democratic Senators to vacancies as they arise.

In the 107th Congress, the Steering and Coordination Committee had 18
members, including the Democratic leader, the Democratic whip, the chief deputy
Democratic whip, and a deputy Democratic whip. While it is not composed
exclusively of the most senior Democrats, the Steering and Coordination Committee
includes many committee ranking members.

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Once elected to the Senate, it is customary for new Democratic Senators to
communicate committee preferences to the Steering and Coordination Committee.
While the Democratic leader and the Steering and Coordination Committee chair
generally solicit committee preferences from new Senators, incumbents desiring to
switch committees usually initiate contact. Democrats are encouraged to submit their
requests for assignment as early as possible. A Senator who delays risks the potential
of not securing primary or even secondary requests. While the Steering and
Coordination Committee does not require Senators to rank order their assignment
preferences, many have done so in the past to give the committee alternatives if it is
unable to grant initial requests.
It appears to be important for Senators-elect, in formulating their preferences,
to consult with party leaders, Steering and Coordination Committee members, and
the chairs (or ranking members) of preferred committees. This consultation acts both
to notify senior Senators of a freshman’s substantive interests and to inform the
freshman Senator of the likelihood that he or she will be assigned to preferred
committees.
The Steering and Coordination Committee organizes, and begins the process of
making committee assignments, in December or January following the general
election. Unlike its Senate Republican counterpart, the committee nominates
Senators for assignment to every standing committee. Given that most returning
Senators choose to retain their assignments from the previous Congress, most of the
committee’s work involves matching freshman Democrats with vacancies created by
retirement or electoral defeat, as well as by adjustments in committee sizes and ratios.
In making nominations for committee assignments, the Steering and
Coordination Committee is bound by the categories of committees and the limitations
on committee assignments contained in Senate Rule XXV, discussed earlier. Within
the confines of these restrictions, the Democratic Conference has formulated
additional restrictions for its own members. One such restriction generally limits
each Senator to service on no more than one of the "Super A," or “big four” “A,”
committees: Appropriations, Armed Services, Finance, and Foreign Relations.
Senate Democrats also have an informal practice of prohibiting two Democratic
Senators from the same state from serving on the same committee.
In addition to these chamber and party restrictions, the Steering and
Coordination Committee considers many factors. These include Senators’
preferences, state demographics, length of time since the state was last represented
on the committee, perceived willingness to support the party, policy views, and
personal and occupational backgrounds. Personal intervention, by the requesting
Senator or another Senator, is sometimes helpful.
The Steering and Coordination Committee usually fills vacancies on “A”
committees before slots on other panels. Because the Steering and Coordination
Committee does not rely on a seniority formula in assigning Senators, its process is
relatively less automatic than that of Senate Republicans. For Democrats, there are
no rules guaranteeing priority in assignment to incumbents switching committees, or
governing the seniority of freshmen in choosing assignments. However, a Senator

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who served on a committee but lost the seat due to a change in the party ratio
generally receives priority in assignment to a vacancy on that committee.
Nominations for assignment are made on a seat-by-seat basis, and Steering and
Coordination members usually make nominations by consensus. However, if
significant competition exists for a particular seat, then secret balloting usually is
conducted and the majority-vote winner is granted the nomination. Senators who do
not win election to their most preferred committee seat are protected by the “Johnson
Rule,” providing that all Democrats are appointed to one “A” committee before any
Senator receives a second assignment.10
Rank on each committee generally is determined by length of continuous service
on the committee. If a Senator leaves a committee and returns to it in a subsequent
Congress, the Senator likely would lose his or her previous seniority. However, the
ranking member (or chair) need not be the Member with the longest committee
service. The committee rankings of Senators assigned to a committee at the same
time generally are determined by their seniority in their party in the Senate. When
an incumbent and a freshman are assigned to a committee at the same time, the
incumbent ordinarily ranks higher than the freshman. Similarly, when elected, each
freshman is given a seniority ranking among Senate Democrats, and his or her rank
on committees is based on this overall chamber ranking.

Democratic Conference and Full Chamber Approval
Once all veteran and freshman Democratic Senators have been recommended
for assignment, the roster is forwarded to the Senate Democratic Conference. While
separate votes are possible, the conference usually ratifies the entire slate of
assignments by unanimous consent.
After ratification, the assignment recommendations are packaged into one or
more Senate resolutions and submitted on the Senate floor for adoption. The
resolutions usually are submitted by the Democratic leader, and they can be brought
up at any time because they are privileged. The resolutions also are amendable, and
any Senator may demand a separate vote on the appointment of any member.11
However, the resolutions containing the committee rosters usually pass without
debate, by voice vote. It is in the party where significant debate and decision-making
already has occurred regarding committee assignments.
Vacancies
In filling vacancies that occur on standing committees after their initial
organization, Senate Democrats follow the same procedure used for each new
Congress. Committee vacancies may occur during the course of a Congress because
party leaders decide to change a committee’s size or party ratio, or because Members
10 The rule is so-called because it was established in 1953 by then Democratic Leader
Lyndon B. Johnson.
11 See footnote number 9.

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die, change parties, or resign from the Senate. A new Senator replacing a late or
former Senator may be chosen to fill the vacated committee seats. However, if the
new Senator is of the opposite party from the departed Senator, adjustments in sizes
and ratios often are needed to make slots for the new Senator. Moreover, incumbents
also might seek to compete for the newly open committee seats, especially if they
occur on one of the more prestigious panels, such as the Appropriations Committee
or the Finance Committee. When an incumbent is chosen to fill a committee
vacancy, that Senator often gives up an existing assignment to comply with party or
chamber assignment limitations (although a waiver might be granted.) This may
cause a chain reaction involving a series of shifts of committee assignments.
Non-Standing Committees
Non-standing committees are divided between the so-called category “B”
committees and category “C” committees. The Special Committee on Aging, the
Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Joint Economic Committee, along with
four standing committees, are included in the “B” category of committees. Under
Senate rules, no Senator may serve on more than one “B” committee, whether
standing or non-standing. The Select Committee on Ethics, the Committee on Indian
Affairs, and the Joint Committees on Taxation, the Library, and Printing essentially
are treated as “C” committees, although Joint Library and Joint Printing are not
explicitly listed as such in Senate rules. The “C” committees are exempt from the
assignment limitations in Senate rules, so a Senator may serve on any number of
them without regard to his or her other assignments.
Specific rules regarding Senate membership on and appointments to non-
standing committees often are contained in the legislation creating these panels.
Thus, the procedures vary from committee to committee. A review of the legislation
establishing the non-standing committees, and the appointment practices that have
evolved, reveal that party leaders are usually included in the process.
The members of the Select Committee on Ethics and the Special Committee on
Aging are elected by the Senate by resolution, essentially in the same manner as the
standing committees. The Ethics Committee is the only Senate committee with an
equal party ratio, consisting of three Senators from each party.12 Republican
members of both committees are chosen by the Republican leader and confirmed by
the Republican Conference before election by the full Senate. Democratic members
of the Ethics Committee are selected initially by the Democratic leader. In contrast,
Democrats on the Aging Committee are nominated by the Steering and Coordination
Committee and confirmed by the Democratic Conference before election by the full
Senate.
The President pro tempore appoints Senators to the Select Committee on
Intelligence; majority-party Senators are appointed on the recommendation of the
12 U.S. Congress, Senate, Senate Manual, S. Doc. 106-1, 106th Congress, 1st sess.,
(Washington: GPO, 2000, Hereinafter referred to as Senate Manual. Sec. 79

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majority leader, and minority-party Senators on the recommendation of the minority
leader. The President pro tempore appoints Senators to this committee from the
Appropriations, Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Judiciary Committees, as
well as from the Senate “at large.” The majority and minority leaders also serve on
the committee as ex-officio, non-voting members. The resolution creating the
Intelligence Committee provides for a rotation of membership; no Senator may serve
on the committee for more than eight years of continuous service. To the extent
practicable, one-third of the Senators appointed to the committee at the outset of each
Congress should be Senators who did not serve on it in the preceding Congress.13 At
the beginning of each Congress, the appointments to the Intelligence Committee are
announced on the Senate floor.
The majority and minority leaders recommend Senators for appointment to the
Committee on Indian Affairs, but the members are officially appointed by the
President of the Senate (the Vice President of the United States).14 Appointments to
the Committee on Indian Affairs are announced to the Senate from the chair.
Ten Senators, six from the majority party and four from the minority party, are
appointed to the Joint Economic Committee by the President of the Senate. The
Senate membership of the Joint Committee on Taxation consists of five Senators
from the Committee on Finance, three from the majority and two from the minority,
chosen by the Finance Committee.15 Appointments to both joint committees are
announced to the Senate from the chair.
The Senate participants on the Joint Committee on the Library and the Joint
Committee on Printing are selected by the Committee on Rules and Administration
from among the committee’s members. The chair and four other members of the
Rules Committee are to serve on each joint committee.16 However, in some
Congresses, the House and Senate have agreed to a concurrent resolution allowing
another member of the Senate Rules Committee to serve on the Joint Committee on
the Library in place of the Rules Committee’s chair. The membership of the Joint
Committee on Printing typically includes not only the chair but also the ranking
minority member of the Senate Rules Committee. Members of both joint committees
are elected by the Senate by resolution.
13 The resolution creating the committee calls for 15 members, with one majority and one
minority party Senator from each of the Appropriations, Armed Services, Foreign Relations,
and Judiciary Committees, and seven “at large” members–four from the majority and three
from the minority. However, Senate rules for the 108th Congress set the size at 17. See
Senate Manual, Section 79.13.
14 Senate Manual, Section 79.17.
15 Senate Manual, Section 447.1 (Economic) and 476.2 (Taxation)
16 Senate Manual. Section 318 (Library) and 600 (Printing).

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