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Party leaders of the United States Senate

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Majority Leader of the
United States Senate
Incumbent
Harry Reid (D)
since January 3, 2007
Inaugural holderCharles Curtis (R)
FormationMarch 4, 1925
Minority Leader of the
United States Senate
Incumbent
Mitch McConnell (R)
since January 3, 2007
Inaugural holderOscar Underwood (D)
FormationApril 27, 1920
Majority Whip of the
United States Senate
Democratic Whip
since January 3, 2007
StyleSenator
Inaugural holderJ. Hamilton Lewis
Formation1913
Minority Whip of the
United States Senate
Republican Whip
Incumbent
John Cornyn
since January 3, 2013
StyleSenator
Inaugural holderJames Wadsworth, Jr.
Formation1915

The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders are two United States Senators who are elected by the party conferences that hold the majority and the minority respectively. These leaders serve as the chief Senate spokespeople for their parties and manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate. By rule, the Presiding Officer gives the Majority Leader priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate. The Majority Leader customarily serves as the chief representative of his or her party in Senate, and sometimes even in all of Congress if the House of Representatives and thus the office of Speaker of the House is controlled by the opposition party.

The Assistant Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate (commonly called Senate Majority and Minority Whips) are the second-ranking members of the party leadership of the United States Senate. The main function of the Majority and Minority Whips is to gather votes on major issues. Because he or she is the second ranking member of the Senate, if there is no floor leader present, the whip may become acting floor leader. Before 1969, the official titles were Majority Whip and Minority Whip.

Many state senates are organized in the same way as the United States Senate.

Duties

Per 19 U.S.C. § 2191(c)(1), an implementing bill for a Fast track negotiating authority (Trade Promotion Authority) trade agreement submitted by the President is introduced (by request) in the House by the majority leader of the House and (by request) in the Senate by the majority leader of the Senate.

Current floor leaders

The Senate is currently composed of 53 Democrats, 45 Republicans, and 2 independents, both of whom caucus with the Democrats.

The current leaders are Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. The current Assistant Majority Leader is Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois. The current Assistant Minority Leader is Republican John Cornyn of Texas.

History

The Democrats began the practice of electing floor leaders in 1920 while they were in the minority. John Worth Kern (December 20, 1849 – August 17, 1917) was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana. While the title was not official, he is considered to be the first Senate Majority leader (and in turn, the first Senate Democratic Leader), while serving concurrently as Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. In 1925 the majority (at the time) Republicans also adopted this language when Charles Curtis became the first (official) Majority Leader[citation needed], although his immediate predecessor Henry Cabot Lodge is considered the first (unofficial) Majority Leader.

The Constitution designates the Vice President of the United States as President of the Senate. The Constitution also calls for a President pro tempore to serve as the leader of the body when the President of the Senate (the Vice President) is absent. In practice, neither the Vice President nor the President pro tempore—customarily the most senior (longest-serving) Senator in the majority party—actually presides over the Senate on a daily basis; that task is given to junior Senators of the majority party, in part so they may learn proper procedure. For these reasons, it is the Majority Leader who in practice manages the Senate.[citation needed]

List of party leaders

The Democratic Party first selected a leader in 1920. The Republican Party first formally designated a leader in 1925.

Cong
ress
Dates Democratic Whip Democratic Leader Majority Republican Leader Republican Whip
63 1913 – 1915 J. Hamilton Lewis None ← D Maj None None
64 1915 – ? 1915 James Wadsworth, Jr.
1915 ? – 1917 Charles Curtis
65 1917 – 1919
66 1920 – 1921 Peter Gerry Oscar Underwood R Maj → Henry Cabot Lodge (unofficial)
67 1921 – 1923
68 March 4, 1923 – November 9, 1924 Joseph Taylor Robinson
1925 Charles Curtis Wesley Jones
69 1925 – 1927
70 1927 – 1929
71 1929 – 1931 Morris Sheppard James E. Watson Simeon Fess
72 1931 – 1933
73 1933 – 1935 J. Hamilton Lewis ← D Maj Charles L. McNary Felix Hebert
74 1935 – 1937 None[1]
75 January 3, 1937 – July 14, 1937
July 22, 1937 – January 3, 1939 Alben W. Barkley
76 1939 Sherman Minton
1940 Warren Austin (acting)
77 1941 – 1943 Lister Hill Charles L. McNary
78 1943 – 1945 Wallace H. White Jr. (acting) Kenneth Wherry
79 1945 – 1947 Wallace H. White Jr.
80 1947 – 1949 Scott Lucas R Maj →
81 1949 – 1951 Francis Myers Scott W. Lucas ← D Maj Kenneth S. Wherry Leverett Saltonstall
82 1951 – 1952 Lyndon Johnson Ernest McFarland
1952 – 1953 Styles Bridges
83 January 3, 1953 – July 31, 1953 Earle Clements Lyndon B. Johnson R Maj → Robert A. Taft
August 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955 William F. Knowland
84 1955 – 1957 ← D Maj
85 1957 – 1959 Mike Mansfield Everett Dirksen
86 1959 – 1961 Everett M. Dirksen Thomas Kuchel
87 1961 – 1963 Hubert Humphrey Mike Mansfield
88 1963 – 1965
89 1965 – 1967 Russell Long
90 1967 – 1969
91 January 3, 1969 – September 7, 1969 Ted Kennedy Hugh Scott
September 24, 1969 – January 3, 1971 Hugh Scott Robert Griffin
92 1971 – 1973 Robert Byrd
93 1973 – 1975
94 1975 – 1977
95 1977 – 1979 Alan Cranston Robert Byrd Howard Baker Ted Stevens
96 1979 – 1981
97 1981 – 1983 R Maj →
98 1983 – 1985
99 1985 – 1987 Bob Dole Alan Simpson
100 1987 – 1989 ← D Maj
101 1989 – 1991 George Mitchell
102 1991 – 1993 Wendell Ford
103 1993 – 1995
104 January 3, 1995 – June 12, 1996 Tom Daschle R Maj → Trent Lott
June 12, 1996 – January 3, 1997 Trent Lott Don Nickles
105 1997 – 1999
106 1999 – 2001 Harry Reid
107 January 3 – 20, 2001 ← D Maj
January 20 – June 6, 2001 R Maj →
June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003[2] ← D Maj
108 2003 – 2005 R Maj → Bill Frist Mitch McConnell
109 2005 – 2007 Richard Durbin Harry Reid
110 January 3, 2007 – December 18, 2007 ← D Maj Mitch McConnell Trent Lott
December 19, 2007 – January 3, 2009 Jon Kyl
111 2009 – 2011
112 2011 – 2013
113 2013 – 2015 John Cornyn
Cong
ress
Dates Democratic Whip Democratic Leader Majority Republican Leader Republican Whip

See also

References

  1. ^ No Republican whips were appointed from 1935 to 1944 since only 17 Republicans were in the Senate following the landslide reelection of President Franklin Roosevelt in 1936. Accordingly, the minutes of the Republican Conference for the period state: "On motion of Senator Hastings, duly seconded and carried, it was agreed that no Assistant Leader or Whip be elected but that the chairman be authorized to appoint Senators from time to time to assist him in taking charge of the interests of the minority." A note attached to the conference minutes added: "The chairman of the conference, Senator McNary, apparently appointed Senator Austin of Vermont as assistant leader in 1943 and 1944, until the conference adopted Rules of Organization." Source: Party Whips, via Senate.gov
  2. ^ Democrats remained in control after November 25, 2002, despite a Republican majority resulting from Jim Talent's special election victory in Missouri. There was no reorganization as Senate was no longer in session. Party Division in the Senate, 1789-present, via Senate.gov