Much of the work of the United States Senate is done in committees, or groups of about 15 Senators.
Each committee deals with a certain subject, such as farming or roads. In general, most laws start in a committee before they are voted on by the Senate. Also, when the Senate wants to ask the President or another important person questions, they usually do it in a committee.
As of 2017[update], there are 88 subsidiary bodies of the US Senate: 16 standing committees with 67 subcommittees, and five non-standing committees.
Committee | Chair | Ranking Member | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Subcommittee | ||||
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | |||
Commodities, Risk Management and Trade | John Boozman (R-AR) | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) | ||
Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources | Mike Braun (R-IN) | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | ||
Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | ||
Nutrition, Agricultural Research and Specialty Crops | Deb Fischer (R-NE) | Bob Casey (D-PA) | ||
Rural Development and Energy | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Tina Smith (D-MN) | ||
Appropriations | Richard Shelby (R-AL) | Patrick Leahy (D-VT) | ||
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies | John Hoeven (R-ND) | Jeff Merkley (D-OR) | ||
Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies | Jerry Moran (R-KS) | Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) | ||
Defense | Richard Shelby (R-AL) | Dick Durbin (D-IL) | ||
Energy and Water Development | Lamar Alexander (R-TN) | Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) | ||
Financial Services and General Government | John Kennedy (R-LA) | Chris Coons (D-DE) | ||
Homeland Security | Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) | Jon Tester (D-MT) | ||
Interior, Environment and Related Agencies | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) | Tom Udall (D-NM) | ||
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies | Roy Blunt (R-MO) | Patty Murray (D-WA) | ||
Legislative Branch | Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) | Chris Murphy (D-CT) | ||
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies | John Boozman (R-AR) | Brian Schatz (D-HI) | ||
State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | Patrick Leahy (D-VT) | ||
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies | Susan Collins (R-ME) | Jack Reed (D-RI) | ||
Armed Services | Jim Inhofe (R-OK) | Jack Reed (D-RI) | ||
Airland | Tom Cotton (R-AR) | Angus King (I-ME) | ||
Cybersecurity | Mike Rounds (R-SD) | Joe Manchin (D-WV) | ||
Emerging Threats and Capabilities | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Gary Peters (D-MI) | ||
Personnel | Thom Tillis (R-NC) | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | ||
Readiness and Management Support | Dan Sullivan (R-AK) | Tim Kaine (D-VA) | ||
Seapower | David Perdue (R-GA) | Mazie Hirono (D-HI) | ||
Strategic Forces | Deb Fischer (R-NE) | Martin Heinrich (D-NM) | ||
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs | Mike Crapo (R-ID) | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) | ||
Economic Policy | Tom Cotton (R-AR) | Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) | ||
Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection | Tim Scott (R-SC) | Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) | ||
Housing, Transportation and Community Development | David Perdue (R-GA) | Bob Menendez (D-NJ) | ||
National Security and International Trade and Finance | Ben Sasse (R-NE) | Mark Warner (D-VA) | ||
Securities, Insurance and Investment | Pat Toomey (R-PA) | Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) | ||
Budget | Mike Enzi (R-WY) | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | ||
Commerce, Science and Transportation | Roger Wicker (R-MS) | Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | ||
Aviation and Space | Ted Cruz (R-TX) | Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) | ||
Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet | John Thune (R-SD) | Brian Schatz (D-HI) | ||
Manufacturing, Trade and Consumer Protection | Jerry Moran (R-KS) | Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) | ||
Science, Oceans, Fisheries and Weather | Cory Gardner (R-CO) | Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) | ||
Security | Dan Sullivan (R-AK) | Ed Markey (D-MA) | ||
Transportation and Safety | Deb Fischer (R-NE) | Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) | ||
Energy and Natural Resources | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) | Joe Manchin (D-WV) | ||
Energy | Bill Cassidy (R-LA) | Martin Heinrich (D-NM) | ||
National Parks | Steve Daines (R-MT) | Angus King (I-ME) | ||
Public Lands, Forests and Mining | Mike Lee (R-UT) | Ron Wyden (D-OR) | ||
Water and Power | Martha McSally (R-AZ) | Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) | ||
Environment and Public Works | John Barrasso (R-WY) | Tom Carper (D-DE) | ||
Clean Air and Nuclear Safety | Mike Braun (R-IN) | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | ||
Fisheries, Water and Wildlife | Kevin Cramer (R-ND) | Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) | ||
Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight | Mike Rounds (R-SD) | Cory Booker (D-NJ) | ||
Transportation and Infrastructure | Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) | Ben Cardin (D-MD) | ||
Finance | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) | Ron Wyden (D-OR) | ||
Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure | Tim Scott (R-SC) | Michael Bennet (D-CO) | ||
Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth | Bill Cassidy (R-LA) | Maggie Hassan (D-NH) | ||
Health Care | Pat Toomey (R-PA) | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | ||
International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness | John Cornyn (R-TX) | Bob Casey (D-PA) | ||
Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy | Rob Portman (R-OH) | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) | ||
Taxation and IRS Oversight | John Thune (R-SD) | Mark Warner (D-VA) | ||
Foreign Relations | Jim Risch (R-ID) | Bob Menendez (D-NJ) | ||
Africa and Global Health Policy | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | Tim Kaine (D-VA) | ||
East Asia, the Pacific and International Cybersecurity Policy | Cory Gardner (R-CO) | Ed Markey (D-MA) | ||
Europe and Regional Security Cooperation | Ron Johnson (R-WI) | Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) | ||
Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions and International Economic, Energy and Environmental Policy | Todd Young (R-IN) | Jeff Merkley (D-OR) | ||
Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism | Mitt Romney (R-UT) | Chris Murphy (D-CT) | ||
State Department and USAID Management, International Operations and Bilateral International Development | VACANT (R) | Cory Booker (D-NJ) | ||
Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women's Issues | Marco Rubio (R-FL) | Ben Cardin (D-MD) | ||
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | Lamar Alexander (R-TN) | Patty Murray (D-WA) | ||
Children and Families | Rand Paul (R-KY) | Bob Casey (D-PA) | ||
Employment and Workplace Safety | Tim Scott (R-SC) | Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) | ||
Primary Health and Retirement Security | Mike Enzi (R-WY) | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | ||
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs | Ron Johnson (R-WI) | Gary Peters (D-MI) | ||
Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management | Rand Paul (R-KY) | Maggie Hassan (D-NH) | ||
Investigations (Permanent) | Rob Portman (R-OH) | Tom Carper (D-DE) | ||
Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management | James Lankford (R-OK) | Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) | ||
Judiciary | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) | ||
Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights | Mike Lee (R-UT) | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | ||
Border Security and Immigration | John Cornyn (R-TX) | Dick Durbin (D-IL) | ||
Constitution | Ted Cruz (R-TX) | Mazie Hirono (D-HI) | ||
Crime and Terrorism | Josh Hawley (R-MO) | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | ||
Intellectual Property | Thom Tillis (R-NC) | Chris Coons (D-DE) | ||
Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts | Ben Sasse (R-NE) | Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) | ||
Rules and Administration | Roy Blunt (R-MO) | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | ||
Small Business and Entrepreneurship | Marco Rubio (R-FL) | Ben Cardin (D-MD) | ||
Veterans' Affairs | Jerry Moran (R-KS) | Jon Tester (D-MT) |
There are five non-standing, select, or special committees. They are similar to standing committees.
Committee | Chair | Ranking Member | Refs |
---|---|---|---|
Aging (Special) | Susan Collins (R-ME) | Bob Casey (D-PA) | |
Ethics (Select) | James Lankford (R-OK) | Chris Coons (D-DE) | |
Indian Affairs (Permanent Select) | John Hoeven (R-ND) | Tom Udall (D-NM) | |
Intelligence (Select) | Richard Burr (R-NC) | Mark Warner (D-VA) | |
International Narcotics Control (Permanent Caucus) | John Cornyn (R-TX) | Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) |
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