Senate Committees: Categories and Rules for
Committee Assignments
Judy Schneider
Specialist on the Congress
January 15, 2014
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
98-183

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Senate Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments

enate Rule XXV and party conference rules address committee assignments. Senate Rule
XXV, paragraphs 2 and 3 establish categories of committees, popularly referred to as “A,”
S“B,” and “C,” that condition assignment rules.
A COMMITTEES
B COMMITTEES
C COMMITTEES
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Budget
Select Ethics
Appropriations
Rules and Administration
Indian Affairs
Armed Services
Small Business and
Joint Taxation
Entrepreneurship
Banking, Housing and
(Joint Library and Joint Printing are
Urban Affairs
Veterans’ Affairs
not listed, but are treated as C
committees for assignment purposes)
Commerce, Science and Transportation
Special Aging
Energy and Natural Resources
Joint Economic Committee
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs
Judiciary
Select Intelligence
Number of Assignments: Senate Rule XXV, paragraph 4, places restrictions on committee
membership based on these categories.
• Each Senator shall serve on two committees, and no more than two, in
Class A.
• Each Senator may serve on one committee, but no more than one, in
Class B.
• Each Senator may serve on one or more committees in Class C.
Limitations on Assignments:
• Super “A” or “Big Four” Committees: Democratic Members are
prohibited from serving on more than one among the Committees on
Appropriations, Armed Services, and Finance pursuant to party rules.
Republican Members are prohibited from serving on more than one
among the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, Finance, and
Foreign Relations pursuant to party rules.
• Republican Members from the same state are prohibited from serving on
the same committee by Republican Conference rule. Democrats adhere
to the same prohibition, but by tradition.
• Intelligence Committee membership should include two Members each
from the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, Judiciary, and
Foreign Relations.
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Senate Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments

• Chair and ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee shall serve
as ex-officio non-voting members of the Intelligence Committee.
Exceptions to the rule restrictions, which are not uncommon, are called “waivers” or
“grandfathers” and are recommended by the pertinent party conference and then officially
authorized through Senate approval of a resolution affecting one or more Senators.
Limitations on Chairmanships: Republican Conference rules address limitations on committee
leadership positions for Republicans whether or not they are in the majority. Democratic
Conference rules may also address these limitations; however, their rules are not publicly
available.
• A chair/ranking Member of an “A” committee may not serve as chair or
ranking Member of any other committee, except the chair/ranking
Member of the Finance Committee may chair the Joint Committee on
Taxation.
• A chair/ranking Member of an “A” committee may not serve as
chair/ranking Member of any subcommittees. Appropriations
subcommittee chairmanships are exempt.
• A chair/ranking Member of a “non-A” committee may not serve as
chair/ranking Member of any other committee, except the chair/ranking
Member of the Rules and Administration Committee may chair the Joint
Printing or Joint Library Committee.
• A chair/ranking Member of a “non-A” committee, excluding the Ethics
Committee, may not serve as chair/ranking Member of more than one
subcommittee. Appropriations subcommittee chairmanships are not
exempt.
• The chair/vice chair of the Ethics Committee may serve on no more than
two standing subcommittees.
• A Senator may not serve as chair/ranking Member of more than two
subcommittees.
• A Senator shall not serve more than six years as chair of any standing
committee, effective January 1997, plus six years as ranking Member of
a committee. Once a Senator served six years chairing a committee, the
term would be over. However, if a Senator served six years as a ranking
minority Member, the Senator could serve as chair if the party controls
the chamber.
Limitations on Chair and Party Leader Assignments:
• A chair or party leader may not select an “A” committee on their third
round committee selection.

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Senate Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments

Author Contact Information

Judy Schneider

Specialist on the Congress
jschneider@crs.loc.gov, 7-8664


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