United States Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee

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The United States Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee (DSOC) is a committee of the United States Senate dedicated to fostering dialogue between Senate Democrats and community leaders across the United States. The Steering Committee hosts several meetings each year with advocates, activists, policy experts, and elected officials to help the structuring of the Democrats' agenda in the United States Senate. [1] Some of these meetings also happen annually such as with U.S. Jewish groups to discuss the U.S. Israel relations and the Jewish community in the United States. [2]

Contents

Members, 119th Congress

Roster
SenatorState
Amy Klobuchar, Steering & Policy Chair Minnesota
Jeanne Shaheen, Steering & Policy Vice Chair New Hampshire
Bernie Sanders, Outreach Chair Vermont
Catherine Cortez Masto, Outreach Vice Chair Nevada
Chuck Schumer New York
Dick Durbin Illinois
Kirsten Gillibrand New York
Chris Coons Delaware
Brian Schatz Hawaii
Tammy Baldwin Wisconsin
Chris Murphy Connecticut
Vacant [a] TBA
Vacant [b] TBA
Vacant [c] TBA

Historical Committee Rosters

118th Congress

Roster [3]
SenatorState
Amy Klobuchar, Steering Chair Minnesota
Jeanne Shaheen, Steering Vice Chair New Hampshire
Bernie Sanders, Outreach Chair Vermont
Catherine Cortez Masto, Outreach Vice Chair Nevada
Chuck Schumer New York
Dick Durbin Illinois
Kirsten Gillibrand New York
Chris Coons Delaware
Bob Casey, Jr. Pennsylvania
Jon Tester Montana
Brian Schatz Hawaii
Tammy Baldwin Wisconsin
Chris Murphy Connecticut
Robert Menendez, Chair of Hispanic Task Force
(until August 20, 2024)		 New Jersey

117th Congress

Roster [4]
SenatorState
Amy Klobuchar, Steering Chair Minnesota
Jeanne Shaheen, Steering Vice Chair New Hampshire
Bernie Sanders, Outreach Chair Vermont
Catherine Cortez Masto, Outreach Vice Chair Nevada
Chuck Schumer New York
Dick Durbin Illinois
Patrick Leahy Vermont
Kirsten Gillibrand New York
Chris Coons Delaware
Bob Casey, Jr. Pennsylvania
Jon Tester Montana
Brian Schatz Hawaii
Tammy Baldwin Wisconsin
Chris Murphy Connecticut
Robert Menendez, Chair of Hispanic Task Force New Jersey

116th Congress

After Bill Nelson lost his 2018 reelection bid, [5] he left the committee and his position was left unfilled.

Roster [6]
SenatorState
Amy Klobuchar, Chair Minnesota
Jeanne Shaheen, Vice Chair New Hampshire
Chuck Schumer New York
Dick Durbin Illinois
Patrick Leahy Vermont
Kirsten Gillibrand New York
Chris Coons Delaware
Bob Casey, Jr. Pennsylvania
Jon Tester Montana
Brian Schatz Hawaii
Tammy Baldwin Wisconsin
Robert Menendez, Chair of Hispanic Task Force New Jersey

115th Congress

Roster [7]
SenatorState
Amy Klobuchar, Steering Chair Minnesota
Bernie Sanders, Outreach Chair Vermont
Jeanne Shaheen, Vice Chair New Hampshire
Chuck Schumer New York
Dick Durbin Illinois
Patrick Leahy Vermont
Kirsten Gillibrand New York
Chris Coons, Chair of Business Outreach Delaware
Bill Nelson Florida
Bob Casey, Jr. Pennsylvania
Jon Tester Montana
Brian Schatz Hawaii
Tammy Baldwin Wisconsin
Bob Menendez, Chair of Hispanic Task Force New Jersey

Leadership

Chairpersons

Leadership
TermSenatorState
108th Hillary Clinton New York
109th Hillary ClintonNew York
110th Debbie Stabenow Michigan
111th Debbie StabenowMichigan
112th Mark Begich Alaska
113th Mark BegichAlaska
114th Amy Klobuchar Minnesota
SteeringOutreach
TermSenatorStateSenatorState
115th Amy KlobucharMinnesota Bernie Sanders Vermont
116th Amy KlobucharMinnesotaBernie SandersVermont
117th Amy KlobucharMinnesotaBernie Sanders [8] Vermont
118th Amy KlobucharMinnesotaBernie SandersVermont
119th Amy Klobuchar [d] MinnesotaBernie SandersVermont

Vice Chairpersons

Leadership
TermSenatorState
112th Daniel Akaka Hawaii
113th Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire
114th Jeanne ShaheenNew Hampshire
SteeringOutreach
TermSenatorStateSenatorState
115th Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire Position not established until 2021 at the start of the 117th Congress.
116th Jeanne ShaheenNew Hampshire
117th Jeanne ShaheenNew Hampshire Catherine Cortez Masto Nevada
118th Jeanne ShaheenNew HampshireCatherine Cortez MastoNevada
119th Jeanne Shaheen [e] New HampshireCatherine Cortez MastoNevada

History

In November 2008, following that year's presidential election, the committee, whose responsibilities include proposing chairmanships and committee assignments to be ratified by the Democratic caucus, considered stripping Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman of his Chairmanship of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs after he endorsed Republican senator John McCain in his 2008 presidential campaign. Many within the caucus expressed disappointment over his fervent support for McCain and his questioning of then-Democratic senator Barack Obama's qualifications to run for the position. [9] Ultimately, the caucus voted 42–13 to allow Lieberman to retain his chairmanship while sanctioning him to be removed from the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. [10]

In November 2016, after Democrat Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 United States presidential election, then-Senate Democratic Leader-elect Chuck Schumer announced Bernie Sanders would fill the newly established position of Outreach Chair in the committee. Sanders came to prominence during the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries and his appointment was seen as a broader acknowledgment of his role in galvanizing the electorate. This made Sanders the first independent to hold a leadership position within the Democratic Party. [8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Formerly Bob Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania who lost reelection bid in 2024.
  2. ↑ Formerly Jon Tester of Montana who lost reelection bid in 2024.
  3. ↑ Formerly Bob Menendez who resigned in 2024 after bribery charge conviction.
  4. ↑ As Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee
  5. ↑ As Vice Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee

References

  1. ↑ "Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee | Senate Democratic Leadership". www.democrats.senate.gov. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  2. ↑ Rod, Marc (December 1, 2022). "Senate Democrats discuss U.S.-Israel ties, domestic antisemitism with Jewish leaders". Jewish Insider. Archived from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee". Senate Democrats. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee". Senate Democrats. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  5. ↑ Merica, Dan; Krieg, Gregory (November 19, 2018). "Bill Nelson concedes Florida Senate race to Rick Scott". CNN . Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee". Senate Democrats. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Democratic Steering & Outreach Committee". Senate Democrats. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Gaudiano, Nicole (November 17, 2016). "Senate Democrats tap Bernie Sanders to lead outreach". USA Today . Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  9. ↑ Herszenhorn, David (November 7, 2008). "Among Democrats' Leadership Questions - What to Do With Lieberman?". The New York Times . Archived from the original on June 12, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2008.
  10. ↑ Welna, David (November 19, 2008). "Lieberman Gets To Keep Committee Chairmanship". NPR . Retrieved March 6, 2021.
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