Committee Assignment Process in the U.S. Senate: Democratic and Republic Party Procedures

^Pr^ep^ar^{ed f}^o^r^M^e^m^b^ers^an^d^Com^mⁱ^t^t^ees^of^C^ong^r^e^ss

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 Outreach 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 Outreach 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 98-183, Senate Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments.

Introduc tion ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Overview of Assignment Process..............................................................................................1
Types of Committees.................................................................................................................1
Coverage of Report...................................................................................................................2
Committee Ratios and Sizes............................................................................................................2
Chamber Categories and Limitations..............................................................................................3
Republicans ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Overvi ew ....................................................................................................................... ............ 4
The Nomination Process...........................................................................................................4
Republican Conference and Full Chamber Approval................................................................6
Vacanci es ...................................................................................................................... ............. 7
Democrats ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Overvi ew ....................................................................................................................... ............ 7
The Nomination Process...........................................................................................................7
Democratic Conference and Full Chamber Approval...............................................................9
Vacanci es ...................................................................................................................... ............. 9
Non-Standing Committees............................................................................................................10
Author Contact Information...........................................................................................................11

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 ¹
appoint the chairman of each such committee and the other members thereof.” 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 Outreach 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.
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

¹^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^Se^na^te^,^S^t^a^ndi^ng^Rule^s^of^the^Se^nate^,^r^e^vⁱ^s^e^{d to A}^p^r^{il 2}⁷^,²⁰^00;^S.D^o^c^.¹^06-^15,¹⁰⁶^th^Cong^.,²^nd^sess.
⁽^W^a^s^hing^{ton: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁹⁹⁾^{, p}^.¹⁸^.

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.
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.

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 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 109^th Congress, the Senate standing
committees ranged from 13 to 28 members. 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.

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” ²
categories, are as follows:
“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
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Judiciary
Select Committee on Intelligence
“B” COMMITTEES
Budget
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans’ Affairs
Special Committee on Aging
Joint Economic Committee

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^se^c^{tion of}^{this re}^port^eⁿ^title^{d “}^N^oⁿ^-Staⁿ^d^ing^C^o^m^m^itte^e^s^.”

The “C” category comprises three non-standing committees: the Select Committee on Ethics, the ³
Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Joint Committee on Taxation. 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.
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.

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 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.

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^titleⁱⁿ¹⁹⁹³^.

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, Armed ⁴
Services, Finance, and Foreign Relations. Conference rules also generally prohibit two ⁵
Republican Senators from the same state from serving on the same panel.
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 ⁶
House; and previous service as a state governor. 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.
The Republican Leader has the authority to appoint half of all vacancies on each “A” committee.
If there is an odd number of vacancies, the Leader can appoint half plus one of all vacancies.
Effective in the 108^th Congress, all Republican Members are offered two “A” committee slots in
order of seniority. Each Member can retain only one “B” committee assignment from the
previous Congress. Following this process, the Republican Leader makes any remaining “A”
committee assignments.

⁴^S^eⁿ^a^t^e^Rep^u^b^lⁱ^can^C^oⁿ^f^eren^ce.^Hi^st^o^r^y,^R^u^l^e^{s &}^P^r^e^ced^en^t^s^o^f^t^h^{e S}^eⁿ^a^t^{e R}^e^p^u^b^lⁱ^c^an^Con^f^eren^ce,^r^e^vⁱ^s^e^d^N^o^v^.^17,
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^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽¹⁹⁷¹⁾^m^a^y^c^ontinue^to^{do s}^o^.
⁵^R^e^p^u^b^lⁱ^c^an^Con^f^eren^{ce R}^u^l^e^s^{, S}^upp^le^m^e^nt.
⁶^R^e^p^u^b^lⁱ^c^an^Con^f^eren^{ce R}^u^l^e^s^{, R}^u^le^V⁽^H⁾^.

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 ⁷
committee need not be the Member with the longest committee service.
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.
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 ⁸
resolutions usually are adopted without incident. Nominations rarely are challenged on the floor

⁷^Un^d^e^{r Rep}^u^b^l^ican^Coⁿ^f^eren^{ce ru}^{les, at th}^{e b}^e^gⁱⁿⁿⁱⁿ^g^o^f^each^Coⁿ^g^{ress, th}^{e Rep}^u^b^lican^m^e^m^b^{ers o}^f^each^co^mm^itte^e
^c^hoos^e^t^h^eⁱ^{r c}^h^aⁱ^r^{or ra}^nk^ing^m^e^m^b^e^r^{. Conf}^e^r^eⁿ^c^e^c^onf^ir^m^a^{tion is}^theⁿ^s^oug^ht^by^a^s^e^pa^ra^te^{, s}^e^c^r^e^t^w^r^itte^{n ba}^llot.
⁸^T^h^{ere are t}^w^o^t^echⁿⁱ^qu^{es t}^h^at^S^eⁿ^a^t^o^{rs m}ⁱ^gh^t^u^s^{e t}^o^c^h^an^{ge co}^mmi^t^t^{ee assi}^gn^m^eⁿ^t^s.^Fⁱ^rst^,^t^h^ey^mⁱ^g^h^t^o^f^f^e^{r an}
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^the^rule^{s re}^q^u^ire^s^aⁿ^o^tic^eⁱⁿ^w^r^iting^of^one^le^gⁱ^sla^tiv^e^da^y^(i.e^{., the}^m^o^{tion c}^aⁿⁿ^o^t^be^br^oug^ht^up^a^f^te^r^theⁿ^o^tic^e^uⁿ^til
^an^ad^j^o^u^rⁿ^m^en^t^o^f^t^h^{e S}^eⁿ^a^t^e^.⁾^If^t^h^{e ch}^an^{ge i}^s^ad^op^t^e^d,^t^h^eⁿ^S^eⁿ^a^t^o^{rs can}^am^en^d^t^h^{e reso}^l^u^tⁱ^oⁿ^con^t^aiⁿⁱⁿ^g^assi^gn^m^eⁿ^t
ⁿ^o^mⁱⁿ^atⁱ^oⁿ^s^t^oⁱⁿ^sert^t^h^{e p}^r^ef^erre^dⁿ^a^m^e^s.^Bo^t^h^o^f^t^h^{ese t}^echⁿⁱ^qu^{es w}^e^r^e^u^s^ed^o^ccasi^oⁿ^a^l^l^yⁱⁿ^earlⁱ^e^{r t}ⁱ^m^es.^T^h^e
⁽^c^onti^nue^d.^..)

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.
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.

There are three steps in the nomination and assignment process for Senate Democrats. The first is
for the Democratic Steering and Outreach 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 size of the Steering and Outreach 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 Outreach 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

^(...c^on^tin^ue^d)
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^a^s^sⁱ^gⁿ^m^e^nts^pr^e^v^eⁿ^{t the}^a^s^sⁱ^gⁿ^m^e^{nt r}^e^s^o^l^u^tio^{n f}^r^om^be^ing^a^m^e^nde^d^{to i}ⁿ^s^e^r^t^the^na^m^e^of^a^Se^na^tor^w^{ho a}^l^r^e^a^d^y^holds
^t^h^{e m}^a^xi^m^u^mⁿ^u^m^b^e^{r o}^f^co^mmⁱ^t^t^{ee p}^o^s^t^s^.^F^o^{r sp}^eci^fⁱ^{c i}ⁿ^f^o^rm^atⁱ^oⁿ^oⁿ^t^h^{ese even}^t^s^,^{see U.}^S^.^Con^g^ress,^S^eⁿ^a^t^e^,^Seⁿ^a^te^st^nd
^Pr^oc^e^dur^e^{, by}^Floy^{d R}ⁱ^dd^ic^k^,^S.^D^o^c^.¹^01-^28,¹⁰¹^Co^ng^.,²^s^e^s^s^{. (}^W^a^s^hing^{ton: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁹⁰⁾^,^pp^{. 3}^95-³⁹^6.

a system that divides the country into four regions. The Steering and Outreach Committee
continues from Congress to Congress, appointing Democratic Senators to vacancies as they arise.
In the 109^th Congress, the Steering and Outreach 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 Outreach Committee includes many committee ranking members.
Once elected to the Senate, it is customary for new Democratic Senators to communicate
committee preferences to the Steering and Outreach Committee. While the Democratic leader and
the Steering and Outreach 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
Outreach 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 Outreach 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 Outreach Committee organizes, and begins the process of making committee
assignments, in November or December 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 Outreach 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 Outreach 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 Outreach Committee usually fills vacancies on “A” committees before slots on
other panels. Because the Steering and Outreach 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
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 Outreach
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” ⁹
committee before any Senator receives a second assignment.
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.
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. 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.
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 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

⁹^T^h^{e ru}^l^eⁱ^s^so^-cal^l^e^d^b^ecau^{se i}^t^w^a^{s est}^a^b^lⁱ^s^h^e^dⁱⁿ¹⁹⁵³^b^y^t^h^en^De^m^o^cratⁱ^c^L^e^ad^{er L}^y^{ndon B}^.^J^o^hⁿ^s^on.

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 are divided between the so-called category “B” committees and
category “C” committees. The Special Committee on Aging 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 ¹⁰
Senators from each party. 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
Outreach Committee and confirmed by the Democratic Conference before election by the full
Senate.
Majority-party Senators are appointed to the Select Committee on Intelligence on the
recommendation of the majority leader, and minority-party Senators on the recommendation of
the minority leader. Senators are appointed 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, as well as the chair and ranking member of the Armed Services
Committee serve on the committee as ex-officio, non-voting members. The resolution creating the
Intelligence Committee provided for a rotation of membership; no Senator could 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 ¹¹
did not serve on it in the preceding Congress. S.Res. 445, adopted October 9, 2004, ended the
eight-year limitation on the Intelligence Committee.

¹⁰^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^Se^na^te^,^Se^nate^M^anu^al^,^S.D^o^c^.¹^06-^1,¹⁰⁶^th^Cong^.,¹^st^{sess. (W}^ashⁱⁿ^g^toⁿ^:^G^P^O,²⁰⁰⁰^{). Herein}^af^ter
^referred^to^as^S^e^na^t^e^Ma^nu^al^{, Se}^c^.⁷⁹^.
¹¹^T^h^e^re^solutio^{n c}^r^e^a^ting^t^h^e^c^o^m^m^itte^e^c^a^lle^{d f}^o^{r 15 m}^e^m^b^e^r^s,^w^{ith o}ⁿ^e^m^a^jority^a^{nd one}^mⁱ^nority^pa^rty^Se^na^{tor f}^r^o^m
^each^o^f^th^{e A}^p^p^r^o^p^r^iati^oⁿ^s^,^A^r^m^e^d^Serv^{ices, Fo}^reigⁿ^Re^latioⁿ^s^{, an}^d^Ju^dⁱ^ciary^Co^mm^{ittees, an}^d^sev^eⁿ^{“at larg}^e”
⁽^c^onti^nue^d.^..)

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 ¹²
President of the United States). 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 ¹³
majority and two from the minority, chosen by the Finance Committee. 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 ¹⁴
committee. 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.
^Ju^dy^S^c^hn^ei^der
^Specialis^{t on}^t^h^{e C}^oⁿ^g^r^es^s
^j^s^chⁿ^eⁱ^d^er@^c^rs^.l^oc.^g^ov^{, 7-}⁸⁶⁶⁴

^(...c^on^tin^ue^d)
^m^e^m^b^e^r^s^—^f^our^f^r^om^the^m^a^jorⁱ^t^y^a^{nd t}^h^r^e^e^f^r^om^the^mⁱ^nor^ity^{. H}^o^w^e^v^e^r^,^Se^na^te^r^u^le^s^f^o^r^the¹⁰⁸^th^Coⁿ^g^{ress set th}^e
^si^{ze at}¹⁷^.^S^ee^Se^na^te^M^aⁿ^ual^,^S^e^c.⁷⁹^.¹³^.^S^.^Res.⁴⁴⁵^redu^ced^t^h^{e co}^mmⁱ^t^t^{ee si}^z^e^t^o¹⁵^m^e^m^b^ers.
¹²^Se^na^te^M^aⁿ^ual^,^S^ec.⁷⁹^.¹⁷^.
¹³^Se^na^te^M^aⁿ^ual^,^Se^c^.⁴⁴⁷^.^{1 (}^E^c^oⁿ^o^mⁱ^c⁾^a^{nd 47}^6.2⁽^T^a^x^a^tion)^.
¹⁴^Se^na^te^M^aⁿ^ual^,^{Sec. 3}¹⁸^(L^ib^rary⁾^an^d⁶⁰⁰⁽^P^rin^tin^g⁾^.