# United States Senate Committee on Armed Services

The Committee on Armed Services, sometimes abbreviated SASC for Senate Armed Services Committee, is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy (as pertaining to national security), benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System, and other matters related to defense policy. The Armed Services Committee was created as a result of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 following the U.S. victory in World War II. The bill merged the responsibilities of the Committee on Naval Affairs, established in 1816, and the Committee on Military Affairs, also established in 1816.
Considered one of the most powerful Senate committees, its broad mandate allowed it to report some of the most extensive and revolutionary legislation during the Cold War years, including the National Security Act of 1947. The committee tends to take a more bipartisan approach than other committees, as many of its members formerly served in the military or have major defense interests located in the states they represent. The committee's regular legislative product is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has been passed by Congress and signed into law annually since 1962.
The current chair is Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and the ranking member is Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

## Jurisdiction

According to the Standing Rules of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects are referred to the Armed Services Committee:
* Aeronautical and space activities pertaining to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems or military operations.
* Common defense.
* Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force, generally.
* Maintenance and operation of the Panama Canal, including administration, sanitation, and government of the Canal Zone.
* Military research and development.
* National security aspects of nuclear energy.
* Naval petroleum reserves, except those in Alaska.
* Pay, promotion, retirement, and other benefits and privileges of members of the Armed Forces, including overseas education of civilian and military dependents.
* Selective service system.
* Strategic and critical materials necessary for the common defense.

## Members, 119th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Roger Wicker, Mississippi, Chair Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Dan Sullivan, Alaska Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Rick Scott, Florida Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Ted Budd, North Carolina Eric Schmitt, Missouri Jim Banks, Indiana Tim Sheehy, Montana | Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona Elissa Slotkin, Michigan |

## Subcommittees

| Subcommittee Name | Chair | Ranking Member |
| Airland | Kevin Cramer (R-ND) | Mark Kelly (D-AZ) |
| Cybersecurity | Mike Rounds (R-SD) | Jacky Rosen (D-NV) |
| Emerging Threats and Capabilities | Joni Ernst (R-IA) | Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) |
| Personnel | Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) | Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) |
| Readiness and Management Support | Dan Sullivan (R-AK) | Mazie Hirono (D-HI) |
| Seapower | Rick Scott (R-FL) | Tim Kaine (D-VA) |
| Strategic Forces | Deb Fischer (R-NE) | Angus King (I-ME) |

## Chairs
### Committee on Military Affairs, 1816–1947

| Chair | Party | State | Years |
| John Williams | Democratic-Republican | Tennessee | 1816–1817 |
| George M. Troup | Democratic-Republican | Georgia | 1817–1818 |
| John Williams | Democratic-Republican | Tennessee | 1818–1823 |
| Andrew Jackson | Jackson Republican | Tennessee | 1823–1825 |
| William Henry Harrison | Adams | Ohio | 1825–1828 |
| Thomas H. Benton | Jacksonian/Democratic | Missouri | 1828–1841 |
| William Preston | Whig | South Carolina | 1841–1842 |
| John J. Crittenden | Whig | Kentucky | 1842–1845 |
| Thomas H. Benton | Democratic | Missouri | 1845–1849 |
| Jefferson Davis | Democratic | Mississippi | 1849–1851 |
| James Shields | Democratic | Illinois | 1851–1855 |
| John Weller | Democratic | California | 1855–1857 |
| Jefferson Davis | Democratic | Mississippi | 1857–1861 |
| Robert Ward Johnson | Democratic | Arkansas | 1861 |
| Henry Wilson | Republican | Massachusetts | 1861–1872 |
| John A. Logan | Republican | Illinois | 1872–1877 |
| George E. Spencer | Republican | Alabama | 1877–1879 |
| Theodore Randolph | Democratic | New Jersey | 1879–1881 |
| John A. Logan | Republican | Illinois | 1881–1886 |
| Joseph R. Hawley | Republican | Connecticut | 1887–1893 |
| Edward Walthall | Democratic | Mississippi | 1893–1894 |
| Joseph R. Hawley | Republican | Connecticut | 1894–1905 |
| Francis E. Warren | Republican | Wyoming | 1905–1911 |
| Henry A. du Pont | Republican | Delaware | 1911–1913 |
| Joseph F. Johnston | Democratic | Alabama | 1913 |
| George E. Chamberlain | Democratic | Oregon | 1913–1919 |
| James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. | Republican | New York | 1919–1927 |
| David Reed | Republican | Pennsylvania | 1927–1933 |
| Morris Sheppard | Democratic | Texas | 1933–1941 |
| Robert R. Reynolds | Democratic | North Carolina | 1942–1945 |
| Elbert Thomas | Democratic | Utah | 1945–1947 |

### Committee on Naval Affairs, 1816–1947

| Chair | Party | State | Years |
| Charles Tait | Republican | Georgia | 1816–1818 |
| Nathan Sanford | Republican | New York | 1818–1819 |
| James Pleasants | Republican | Virginia | 1819–1823 |
| James Lloyd | Adams-Clay Federalist | Massachusetts | 1823–1825 |
| Robert Y. Hayne | Jacksonian | South Carolina | 1825–1832 |
| George M. Dallas | Jacksonian | Pennsylvania | 1832–1833 |
| Samuel Southard | Anti-Jackson | New Jersey | 1833–1836 |
| William Rives | Jacksonian/Democratic | Virginia | 1836–1839 |
| Reuel Williams | Democratic | Maine | 1839–1841 |
| Willie P. Mangum | Whig | North Carolina | 1841–1842 |
| Richard Bayard | Whig | Delaware | 1842–1845 |
| John Fairfield | Democratic | Maine | 1845–1847 |
| David Yulee | Democratic | Florida | 1847–1851 |
| William Gwin | Democratic | California | 1851–1855 |
| Stephen Mallory | Democratic | Florida | 1855–1861 |
| John R. Thomson | Democratic | New Jersey | 1861 |
| John Hale | Republican | New Hampshire | 1861–1864 |
| James Grimes | Republican | Iowa | 1864–1870 |
| Aaron Cragin | Republican | New Hampshire | 1870–1877 |
| Aaron A. Sargent | Republican | California | 1877–1879 |
| John R. McPherson | Democratic | New Jersey | 1879–1881 |
| James Donald Cameron | Republican | Pennsylvania | 1881–1893 |
| John R. McPherson | Democratic | New Jersey | 1893–1895 |
| James Donald Cameron | Republican | Pennsylvania | 1895–1897 |
| Eugene Hale | Republican | Maine | 1897–1909 |
| George C. Perkins | Republican | California | 1909–1913 |
| Benjamin Tillman | Democratic | South Carolina | 1913–1918 |
| Claude A. Swanson | Democratic | Virginia | 1918–1919 |
| Carroll S. Page | Republican | Vermont | 1919–1923 |
| Frederick Hale | Republican | Maine | 1923–1933 |
| Park Trammell | Democratic | Florida | 1933–1937 |
| David I. Walsh | Democratic | Massachusetts | 1937–1947 |

### Committee on Armed Services, 1947–present

| Chair | Party | State | Years |
| Chan Gurney | Republican | South Dakota | 1947–1949 |
| Millard E. Tydings | Democratic | Maryland | 1949–1951 |
| Richard Russell Jr. | Democratic | Georgia | 1951–1953 |
| Leverett Saltonstall | Republican | Massachusetts | 1953–1955 |
| Richard Russell Jr. | Democratic | Georgia | 1955–1969 |
| John C. Stennis | Democratic | Mississippi | 1969–1981 |
| John Tower | Republican | Texas | 1981–1985 |
| Barry Goldwater | Republican | Arizona | 1985–1987 |
| Sam Nunn | Democratic | Georgia | 1987–1995 |
| Strom Thurmond | Republican | South Carolina | 1995–1999 |
| John Warner | Republican | Virginia | 1999–2001 |
| Carl Levin | Democratic | Michigan | 2001 |
| John Warner | Republican | Virginia | 2001 |
| Carl Levin | Democratic | Michigan | 2001–2003 |
| John Warner | Republican | Virginia | 2003–2007 |
| Carl Levin | Democratic | Michigan | 2007–2015 |
| John McCain | Republican | Arizona | 2015–2018 |
| Jim Inhofe | Republican | Oklahoma | 2018–2021 |
| Jack Reed | Democratic | Rhode Island | 2021–2025 |
| Roger Wicker | Republican | Mississippi | 2025–present |

## Historical committee rosters
### 111th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Carl Levin, Michigan, Chair Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut Jack Reed, Rhode Island Daniel Akaka, Hawaii Bill Nelson, Florida Ben Nelson, Nebraska Evan Bayh, Indiana Jim Webb, Virginia Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Mark Begich, Alaska Roland Burris, Illinois, until November 2010 Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico Ted Kaufman, Delaware, until November 2010 Carte Goodwin, West Virginia, until November 2010 Joe Manchin, West Virginia, from November 2010 Chris Coons, Delaware, from November 2010 | John McCain, Arizona, Ranking Member James Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Thune, South Dakota Roger Wicker, Mississippi George LeMieux, Florida Scott Brown, Massachusetts Richard Burr, North Carolina David Vitter, Louisiana Susan Collins, Maine |
Source: 2010 Congressional Record, Vol. 156, Page S6226

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | Chair | Ranking Minority Member |
| Airland | Joe Lieberman (I-CT) | John Thune (R-SD) |
| Emerging Threats and Capabilities | Bill Nelson (D-FL) | George LeMieux (R-FL) |
| Personnel | Jim Webb (D-VA) | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) |
| Readiness and Management Support | Evan Bayh (D-IN) | Richard Burr (R-NC) |
| SeaPower | Jack Reed (D-RI) | Roger Wicker (R-MS) |
| Strategic Forces | Ben Nelson (D-NE) | David Vitter (R-LA) |

### 112th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Carl Levin, Michigan, Chair Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut Jack Reed, Rhode Island Daniel Akaka, Hawaii Ben Nelson, Nebraska Jim Webb, Virginia Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Mark Begich, Alaska Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut | John McCain, Arizona, Ranking Member James Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Roger Wicker, Mississippi Scott Brown, Massachusetts Rob Portman, Ohio Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Susan Collins, Maine Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Cornyn, Texas David Vitter, Louisiana |
Source: 2011 Congressional Record, Vol. 157, Page S557

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | Chair | Ranking Member |
| Airland | Joe Lieberman (I-CT) | Scott Brown (R-MA) |
| Emerging Threats and Capabilities | Kay Hagan (D-NC) | Rob Portman (R-OH) |
| Personnel | Jim Webb (D-VA) | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) |
| Readiness and Management Support | Claire McCaskill (D-MO) | Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) |
| Seapower | Jack Reed (D-RI) | Roger Wicker (R-MS) |
| Strategic Forces | Ben Nelson (D-NE) | Jeff Sessions (R-AL) |

### 113th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Carl Levin, Michigan, Chair Jack Reed, Rhode Island Bill Nelson, Florida Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine | James Inhofe, Oklahoma, Ranking Member John McCain, Arizona Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Roger Wicker, Mississippi Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Deb Fischer, Nebraska Lindsey Graham, South Carolina David Vitter, Louisiana Roy Blunt, Missouri Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas |
Source: 2013 Congressional Record, Vol. 159, Page S296

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | Chair | Ranking Member |
| Airland | Joe Manchin (D-WV) | Roger Wicker (R-MS) |
| Emerging Threats and Capabilities | Kay Hagan (D-NC) | Deb Fischer (R-NE) |
| Personnel | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) |
| Readiness and Management Support | Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) | Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) |
| Seapower | Jack Reed (D-RI) | John McCain (R-AZ) |
| Strategic Forces | Mark Udall (D-CO) | Jeff Sessions (R-AL) |

### 114th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| John McCain, Arizona, Chairman Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Roger Wicker, Mississippi Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska Mike Lee, Utah Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Ted Cruz, Texas | Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Bill Nelson, Florida Claire McCaskill, Missouri Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine Martin Heinrich, New Mexico |
| Subcommittee | Chair | Ranking Member |
| Airland | Tom Cotton (R-AR) | Joe Manchin (D-WV) |
| Emerging Threats and Capabilities | Deb Fischer (R-NE) | Bill Nelson (D-FL) |
| Personnel | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) |
| Readiness and Management Support | Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) | Tim Kaine (D-VA) |
| Seapower | Roger Wicker (R-MS) | Mazie Hirono (D-HI) |
| Strategic Forces | Jeff Sessions (R-AL) | Joe Donnelly (D-IN) |

### 115th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma, Chairman (from September 6, 2018) John McCain, Arizona, Chairman (until August 25, 2018) Roger Wicker, Mississippi Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska David Perdue, Georgia Ted Cruz, Texas Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Ben Sasse, Nebraska Tim Scott, South Carolina Jon Kyl, Arizona (from September 6, 2018) | Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Bill Nelson, Florida Claire McCaskill, Missouri Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan |

### 116th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma, Chairman Roger Wicker, Mississippi Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska David Perdue, Georgia Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Martha McSally, Arizona (until December 2, 2020) Rick Scott, Florida Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Josh Hawley, Missouri | Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan Joe Manchin, West Virginia Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Doug Jones, Alabama |

### 117th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Chair Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan Joe Manchin, West Virginia Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona | Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma, Ranking Member Roger Wicker, Mississippi Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Rick Scott, Florida Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Josh Hawley, Missouri Tommy Tuberville, Alabama |
Source:

### 118th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Chair Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan Joe Manchin, West Virginia Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona | Roger Wicker, Mississippi, Ranking Member Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Dan Sullivan, Alaska Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Rick Scott, Florida Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Ted Budd, North Carolina Eric Schmitt, Missouri |