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Updated March 28, 2023
Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper: A Primer
The Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper (Sergeant at Arms)
Immediate Past Sergeants at Arms
is an elected officer of the Senate and is the chamber’s
Table 1 lists the 12 individuals who have served as
primary law enforcement and protocol official, responsible
Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper since 1991, and the date
for the protection, security, decorum, and other
they were first elected.
administrative aspects of the Senate floor, Senate wing of
the Capitol, Senate office buildings, and adjacent grounds.
Table 1. Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper,
The office was initially established during the First
1991-2023
Congress, when the Senate elected James Mathers as Senate
Doorkeeper. The Senate Sergeant at Arms performs duties
First
according to law, Senate rules, and custom.
Congresses
Name
Elected
102nd (1991-92) to
Martha Pope
1/3/1991
103rd (1993-94)
Resolved, That the Doorkeeper of the Senate be, and
103rd (1993-94)
Robert Laurent Benoit
4/15/1994
he is hereby, invested with the authority of Sergeant-
at-Arms, to hold said office during the pleasure of the
104th (1995-96)
Howard Greene
1/4/1995
Senate, whose duty it shall be to execute the
commands of the senate, from time to time, and all
104th (1995-96) to
Gregory Casey
9/6/1996
such process as shall be directed to him by the
105th (1997-98)
President of the Senate.
105th (1997-98) to
James Ziglar
11/9/1998
107th (2001-02)
-Annals of Congress, February 5, 1798, pp. 497-498.
107th (2001-02) to
Alfonso Lenhardt
9/4/2001
108th (2003-04)
Selection Process
108th (2003-04) to
Wil iam Pickle
3/17/2003
The Senate elects the Sergeant at Arms, who serves until
109th (2005-06)
the Senate chooses a successor. The Senate typically
considers a Senate Resolution (S.Res.) to elect a Sergeant at
110th (2007-08) to
Terrance Gainer
1/4/2007
Arms. Typically, the Senate agrees to the resolution by
113th (2013-14)
unanimous consent (UC). For example, the current Sergeant
113th (2013-14)
Andrew Wil ison
5/5/2014
at Arms, Karen Gibson, was elected in the 117th Congress
(S.Res. 127) on March 22, 2021.
114th (2015-16) to
Frank Larkin
1/6/2015
115th (2017-18)
Acting Sergeant at Arms Appointment
Should the Sergeant at Arms die, resign, or become
115th (2017-18) to
Michael Stengera
4/16/2018
disabled, the Deputy Sergeant at Arms “shall act” as
117th (2021-22)
Sergeant at Arms “in carrying out the duties and
117th (2021-22) to
Karen Gibson
3/22/2021
responsibilities of that office in all matters until such time
118th (2023-24)
as a new Sergeant at Arms ... shall have been elected and
qualified or such disability shall have been ended” (2
Source: U.S. Congress, Senate Historical Office, at
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/
U.S.C. §6593).
sergeant_at_arms.htm.
117th Congress
Note:
a. Michael Stenger resigned on January 7, 2021. Jennifer
On January 7, 2021, Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger
Hemingway, Deputy Sergeant at Arms, served as acting Sergeant
resigned following the events of January 6, 2021, at the
of Arms from January 7, 2021, to March 22, 2021.
U.S. Capitol during the joint session of Congress to certify
and count the 2020 presidential election electoral votes.
Duties and Responsibilities
Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. §6593, Deputy Sergeant at Arms
The duties and responsibilities of the Sergeant at Arms have
Jennifer Hemingway began serving as acting Sergeant at
developed over time and can be located in law, rules,
Arms. On March 22, 2021, the Senate elected Karen Gibson
custom, and precedent.
as the Sergeant at Arms (S.Res. 127). For the 118th
Congress (2023-2024), Ms. Gibson continues to serve as
Additionally, the Senate Committee on Rules and
the Sergeant at Arms.
Administration and the Senate Committee on
Appropriations define other duties of the Sergeant at Arms.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper: A Primer
The Senate Rules and Administration Committee provides
places on the inaugural platform, and to any other place the
oversight to the Sergeant at Arms.
Senate travels as a body.
Generally, the duties and responsibilities of Sergeant at
By custom, the Sergeant at Arms is custodian of the Senate
Arms and Doorkeeper can be divided into three broad
gavel.
categories: law enforcement and security, protocol, and
administration. Each category reflects the basic
The Sergeant at Arms is also responsible for protocol
responsibility to ensure safe and effective operation of the
following the death of a Senator. These responsibilities
Senate.
include, among other responsibilities, the enforcement of a
provision in the Standing Orders of the Senate, which
Law Enforcement and Security
prohibits flowers in the Senate except on the day reserved
As the Senate’s chief law enforcement officer, the Sergeant
for eulogies to a deceased Senator (Standing Orders of the
at Arms is responsible for security and law enforcement in
Senate, §64).
the Senate wing of the Capitol and the Senate Office
Buildings (2 U.S.C. §6617; Rules for the Regulation of the
Administrative
Senate Wing of the U.S. Capitol and Senate Office
As an executive officer of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms
Buildings, Rule I). Further, during a “live” quorum call, the
is responsible for specified administrative services both to
Sergeant at Arms also has the authority to compel the
the Senate as a whole and to Senators individually. These
attendance of absent Senators (Standing Rules of the
include functions such as the operation of the Senate
Senate, Rule VI).
appointment desk; Senate parking services; and acquiring
home state office space for Senators (2 U.S.C. §6317).
The Sergeant at Arms works in concert with the House
Sergeant at Arms and the Architect of the Capitol. In
Organization
addition to their other duties, these three officials comprise
As described in the Senate Appropriations Committee
the Capitol Police Board, with the U.S. Capitol Police Chief
majority print, the Sergeant at Arms has four principal
serving as an ex-officio member (2 U.S.C. §1901 note). The
organizational units. They are as follows:
Senate Sergeant at Arms also serves with the Secretary of
the Senate, the Clerk of the House, the House Sergeant at
Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness. This office
Arms, and the Architect of the Capitol on the Congressional
“prepares the Senate to respond to a full spectrum of
Accessibility Services Board (2 U.S.C. §2172). This board
emergencies that may disrupt normal business operations.”
oversees the Office of Congressional Accessibility
The office includes life safety programs, intelligence,
Services, which provides and coordinates accessibility
security, and continuity of operations policies and
services for individuals with disabilities in the U.S. Capitol
programs.
complex.
Capitol Operations. This office “is responsible for many of
Together with the Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant at
the services provided within the Capitol building that
Arms develops and maintains a continuity-of-operations
support the day-to-day operation of the Senate,” including
plan that enables the Senate to conduct business and access
chamber operations, official business visitor processing,
data at offsite locations, and oversees the office of security
credentialing news media, and operating the Senate
and emergency preparedness, which serves as the Senate’s
Recording Studio.
emergency planning and response team.
Operations Division. This office furnishes and maintains
Protocol
the Senate side of the Capitol Building and “provides an
The Sergeant at Arms serves as the Senate’s chief of
array of services to the Senate community to include
protocol. In this role, the Sergeant at Arms performs
identification, transportation, parking, and photographic
ceremonial functions that generally have developed through
services; printing, publishing, graphic design, and framing
custom and precedent. For example, the Sergeant at Arms
services; and USPS mail screening, and mailing and
package delivery services.”
greets and escorts the U.S. President, heads of state, and
other official Senate guests while attending functions in
Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). This office
the Capitol; and
“builds, operates, and supports the Senate’s information
infrastructure,” including information security,
assists in arrangements for inaugurations and the
telecommunications, helpdesks, data networks, web
planning of funerals of Senators who die while in office.
services and hosting, system development, and office
equipment.
Additionally, the Sergeant at Arms’ office assists with the
leading of Senators from the Senate side of the Capitol to
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
the House chamber for joint sessions of Congress, to their
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Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper: A Primer
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