United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Last updated

Senate Rules and Administration Committee
Standing committee
Active
Seal of the United States Senate.svg
United States Senate
119th Congress
History
FormedDecember 9, 1874
Leadership
Chair Mitch McConnell (R)
Since January 3, 2025
Ranking member Alex Padilla (D)
Since January 3, 2025
Structure
Political partiesMajority (9)
  •   Republican (9)
Minority (8)
Jurisdiction
Policy areasBooks, manuscripts and monuments to the memory of individuals, Congressional office buildings, Congressional Record, Corrupt practices, Credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, Federal elections generally, Government Publishing Office, Meetings of the Congress and attendance of members, Presidential succession, Senate library, statuary and works of art in the Capitol, Smithsonian Institution, Standing Rules of the United States Senate, United States Botanic Garden
Oversight authority Architect of the Capitol, Congressional Research Service, FEC, EAC, GPO, Historian of the United States Senate, Library of Congress, Parliamentarian of the United States Senate, Secretary of the Senate, Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate, Smithsonian Institution, United States Botanic Gardens, United States Senate Curator, United States Senate Library
House counterpart
Website
https://www.rules.senate.gov/
Rules

    The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, also called the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, is responsible for the rules of the United States Senate, administration of congressional buildings, and with credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, including responsibility for contested elections. The committee is not as powerful as its House counterpart, the House Committee on Rules, as it does not set the terms of debate for individual legislative proposals, since the Senate has a tradition of open debate. Some members of the committee are also ex officio members of the Joint Committee on the Library and the Joint Committee on Printing.

    Contents

    History

    The Committee was first created as the Select Committee to Revise the Rules of the Senate on December 3, 1867. On December 9, 1874, it became a standing committee.

    On January 2, 1947, its name was changed to the Committee on Rules and Administration, and it took over the functions of the following committees:

    Jurisdiction

    In accordance of Rule XXV of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating primarily to the following subjects is referred to the Senate Rules Committee:

    1. Administration of the Senate Office Buildings and the Senate wing of the Capitol, including the assignment of office space;
    2. Congressional organization relative to rules and procedures, and Senate rules and regulations, including floor and gallery rules;
    3. Corrupt practices;
    4. Credentials and qualifications of Members of the Senate, contested elections, and acceptance of incompatible offices;
    5. Federal elections generally, including the election of the President, Vice President, and Members of the Congress;
    6. Nominations to fill a vacancy in the Vice Presidency;
    7. Government Printing Office, and the printing and correction of the Congressional Record, as well as those matters provided for under rule XI;
    8. Meetings of the Congress and attendance of Members;
    9. Payment of money out of the contingent fund of the Senate or creating a charge upon the same (except that any resolution relating to substantive matter within the jurisdiction of any other standing committee of the Senate shall be first referred to such committee);
    10. Presidential succession;
    11. Purchase of books and manuscripts and erection of monuments to the memory of individuals;
    12. Senate Library and statuary, art, and pictures in the Capitol and Senate Office Buildings;
    13. Services to the Senate, including the Senate restaurant; and,
    14. United States Capitol and congressional office buildings, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution (and the incorporation of similar institutions), and the Botanic Gardens. [1]

    The Senate Rules Committee is also charged:

    1. To make a continuing study of the organization and operation of the Congress of the United States and shall recommend improvements in such organization and operation with a view toward strengthening the Congress, simplifying its operations, improving its relationships with other branches of the United States Government, and enabling it better to meet its responsibilities under the Constitution of the United States;
    2. To identify any court proceeding or action which, in the opinion of the Committee, is of vital interest to the Congress as a constitutionally established institution of the Federal Government and call such proceeding or action to the attention of the Senate; and,
    3. To develop, implement, and update as necessary a strategic planning process and a strategic plan for the functional and technical infrastructure support of the Senate and provide oversight over plans developed by Senate officers and others in accordance with the strategic planning process. [2]

    Members, 119th Congress

    Majority [3] Minority [4]

    Committee leadership

    Former chairs and ranking members are listed below. [5] [6]

    Chairs

    Select Committee to Revise the Rules of the Senate, 1867–1874

    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Henry Anthony Republican Rhode Island 18671871
    Samuel Pomeroy Kansas 18711873
    Thomas Ferry Michigan 18731874

    Committee on Rules, 1874–1947

    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Thomas Ferry RepublicanMichigan18741877
    James Blaine Maine 18771879
    John Morgan Democratic Alabama 18791881
    William Frye RepublicanMaine18811887
    Nelson Aldrich Rhode Island18871893
    Joseph Blackburn Democratic Kentucky 18931895
    Nelson Aldrich RepublicanRhode Island18951899
    John Spooner Wisconsin 18991907
    Philander Knox Pennsylvania 19071909
    Murray Crane Massachusetts 19091913
    Lee Overman Democratic North Carolina 19131919
    Philander Knox RepublicanPennsylvania19191921 [a]
    Charles Curtis Kansas1921 [b] 1929
    George Moses New Hampshire 19291933
    Royal Copeland Democratic New York 19331936
    Matthew Neely West Virginia 19361941
    Harry Byrd Virginia 19411947

    Committee on Rules and Administration, 1947–present

    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Wayland Brooks Republican Illinois 19471949
    Carl Hayden Democratic Arizona 19491953
    William Jenner Republican Indiana 19531955
    Theodore Green DemocraticRhode Island19551957
    Thomas Hennings Missouri 19571960 [a]
    Mike Mansfield Montana 1960 [b] 1963
    Everett Jordan North Carolina19631973
    Howard Cannon Nevada 19731978
    Claiborne Pell Rhode Island19781981
    Charles Mathias Republican Maryland 19811987
    Wendell Ford DemocraticKentucky19871995
    Ted Stevens Republican Alaska 1995 [c]
    John Warner Virginia1995 [b] 1999
    Mitch McConnell Kentucky19992001
    Chris Dodd Democratic Connecticut 2001 [d]
    Mitch McConnell RepublicanKentucky2001 [d]
    Chris Dodd DemocraticConnecticut2001 [e] 2003
    Trent Lott Republican Mississippi 20032007
    Dianne Feinstein Democratic California 20072009
    Chuck Schumer New York20092015
    Roy Blunt RepublicanMissouri20152017
    Richard Shelby Alabama20172018 [f]
    Roy Blunt Missouri2018 [b] 2021
    Amy Klobuchar Democratic Minnesota 20212025
    Mitch McConnell RepublicanKentucky2025present

    Ranking Members

    Select Committee to Revise the Rules of the Senate, 1867–1874

    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Vacant18671871
    Thomas Bayard Democratic Delaware 18711873
    Augustus Merrimon North Carolina18731874

    Committee on Rules, 1874–1947

    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Augustus Merrimon DemocraticNorth Carolina18741879
    James Blaine RepublicanMaine18791881
    Wilkinson Call Democratic Florida 18811883
    Isham Harris Tennessee 18831893
    Nelson Aldrich RepublicanRhode Island18931895
    Joseph Blackburn DemocraticKentucky18951897
    Isham Harris Tennessee1897 [a]
    Arthur Gorman Maryland1897 [b] 1899
    Henry Teller Colorado 18991907
    Augustus Bacon Georgia 19071913
    Francis Warren Republican Wyoming 19131915
    Jacob Gallinger New Hampshire19151918 [a]
    Francis Warren Wyoming1918 [b] 1919
    Lee Overman DemocraticNorth Carolina19191930 [a]
    Pat Harrison Mississippi1930 [b] 1931
    Joseph Robinson Arkansas 19311933
    Frederick Hale RepublicanMaine19331941
    Arthur Vandenberg Michigan19411947

    Committee on Rules and Administration, 1947–present

    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Carl Hayden DemocraticArizona19471949
    Kenneth Wherry Republican Nebraska 19491951 [a]
    Henry Lodge Massachusetts1951 [b] 1953
    Carl Hayden DemocraticArizona19531955
    William Jenner RepublicanIndiana19551957
    Carl Curtis Nebraska19571971
    Winston Prouty Vermont 1971 [a]
    Ted Stevens Alaska1971 [b] 1972 [g]
    Marlow Cook Kentucky1972 [b] 1974 [h]
    Mark Hatfield Oregon 19751981
    Wendell Ford DemocraticKentucky19811987
    Ted Stevens RepublicanAlaska19871995
    Wendell Ford DemocraticKentucky19951999
    Chris Dodd Connecticut19992001
    Mitch McConnell RepublicanKentucky2001 [d]
    Chris Dodd DemocraticConnecticut2001 [d]
    Mitch McConnell RepublicanKentucky2001 [e] 2003
    Chris Dodd DemocraticConnecticut20032007
    Bob Bennett Republican Utah 20072011
    Lamar Alexander Tennessee20112013
    Pat Roberts Kansas20132015
    Chuck Schumer DemocraticNew York20152017
    Amy Klobuchar Minnesota20172021
    Roy Blunt RepublicanMissouri20212023
    Deb Fischer Nebraska20232025
    Alex Padilla DemocraticCalifornia2025present

    Historical committee rosters

    118th Congress

    Majority [10] Minority [11]

    117th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    116th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    115th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Source: "U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration". Senate rules committee website. Retrieved April 11, 2018.

    114th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Source: 2013  Congressional Record, Vol. 159, Page  S296 to 297

    Notes

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Died in office.
    2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Selected for position intra-term.
    3. ↑ Resigned from the position intra-term to take the chairmanship of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, amid turnover caused by Bob Packwood's resignation from the Senate. [7]
    4. 1 2 3 4 At the beginning of the 107th Congress in January 2001 the Senate was evenly divided. With a Democratic president and vice president still serving until January 20, the vice president was available to break ties, and the Democrats thus controlled the Senate for 17 days, from January 3 to January 20. On January 3 the Senate adopted S.Res. 7, designating Democratic senators as committee chairs to serve during this period and Republican chairs to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.
    5. 1 2 On June 6, 2001, the Democrats took control of the Senate after Jim Jeffords switched from the Republican Party to Independent and announced that he would caucus with the Democrats.
    6. ↑ Resigned from the position intra-term to take the chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee, after Thad Cochran resigned from the Senate. [8]
    7. ↑ Resigned from the committee intra-term to fill a seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. [9]
    8. ↑ Resigned from the Senate.
    9. 1 2 3 4 Angus King is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.

    References

    1. ↑ "Purpose and Jurisdiction | U.S. Senate Committee on Rules & Administration". Archived from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
    2. ↑ "Purpose and Jurisdiction | U.S. Senate Committee on Rules & Administration". Archived from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
    3. ↑ S.Res. 16 (119th Congress)
    4. ↑ S.Res. 17 (119th Congress)
    5. ↑ Riddick, Floyd; McPherson, Louise (August 2, 1979). "Senate Document No. 96-27 – History of the Committee on Rules and Administration" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 127–145.
    6. ↑ Nelson, Garrison; Mitchell, Mary; Bensen, Clark (1993). Committees in the U.S. Congress, 1947–1992. Vol. 1. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly. pp. 215–226.
    7. ↑ Eisman, Dale (September 13, 1995). "Warner Named Chairman of Rules Panel". The Virginian-Pilot. Washington, D.C.: Landmark Communications, Inc. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
    8. ↑ "Shelby Selected as Senate Appropriations Chairman". United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. Washington, D.C. April 10, 2018. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
    9. ↑ Nelson, Mitchell & Bensen 1993, p. 221.
    10. ↑ S.Res. 30 (118th Congress)
    11. ↑ S.Res. 31 (118th Congress)
    12. ↑ "Majority Leader Schumer Announces New Senate Democratic Committee Assignments". Senate Democrats. October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
    13. ↑ "Blunt to chair US Senate rules committee". Ksdk.com. January 9, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2015.

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