The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics is a select committee of the United States Senate charged with dealing with matters related to senatorial ethics. It is also commonly referred to as the Senate Ethics Committee. Senate rules require the Ethics Committee to be evenly divided between the Democrats and the Republicans, no matter who controls the Senate, although the chairman always comes from the majority party. The leading committee member of the minority party is referred to as Vice Chairman rather than the more common Ranking Member.
The Senate Select Committee on Standards and Conduct was first convened in the 89th Congress (1965–66) and later replaced by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics in the 95th Congress (1977–78).
Pursuant to Senate Rule 25, the committee is limited to six members, and is equally divided between Democrats and Republicans. This effectively means that either party can veto any action taken by the committee. [1]
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List of chairs of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics
Chair | Party | State | Term |
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John C. Stennis | D | Mississippi | 1965–1975 |
Howard Cannon | D | Nevada | 1975–1977 |
Adlai Stevenson III | D | Illinois | 1977–1980 |
Howell Heflin | D | Alabama | 1980–1981 |
Malcolm Wallop | R | Wyoming | 1981–1983 |
Ted Stevens | R | Alaska | 1983–1985 |
Warren Rudman | R | New Hampshire | 1985–1987 |
Howell Heflin | D | Alabama | 1987–1992 |
Terry Sanford | D | North Carolina | 1992–1993 |
Richard Bryan | D | Nevada | 1993–1995 |
Mitch McConnell | R | Kentucky | 1995–1997 |
Bob Smith | R | New Hampshire | 1997–1999 |
Pat Roberts | R | Kansas | 1999–2001 (ended January 3) |
Vacant | — | — | 2001 (January 3–20) |
Pat Roberts | R | Kansas | 2001 (January 20 – June 6) |
Harry Reid | D | Nevada | 2001–2003 (started June 6, 2001) |
George Voinovich | R | Ohio | 2003–2007 |
Barbara Boxer | D | California | 2007–2015 |
Johnny Isakson | R | Georgia | 2015–2019 |
James Lankford | R | Oklahoma | 2019–2021 |
Chris Coons | D | Delaware | 2021–present |
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Source: 2011 Congressional Record, Vol. 157, Page S557
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Source: 2011 Congressional Record, Vol. 157, Page S557
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Source: 2013 Congressional Record, Vol. 159, Page S296
Members of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, 115th Congress [2]
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