# United States Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee

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. 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.

## Members, 119th Congress

Roster :
| Senator | State |
| 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 | TBA |
| Vacant | TBA |
| Vacant | TBA |

## Historical Committee Rosters
### 118th Congress

Roster :
| Senator | State |
| 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 :
| Senator | State |
| 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, he left the committee and his position was left unfilled.
Roster :
| Senator | State |
| 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 :
| Senator | State |
| 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 :
| Term | Senator | Senator | Senator | State | State | State |
| 108th | | Hillary Clinton | Hillary Clinton | New York | New York | New York |
| 109th | | Hillary Clinton | Hillary Clinton | New York | New York | New York |
| 110th | | Debbie Stabenow | Debbie Stabenow | Michigan | Michigan | Michigan |
| 111th | | Debbie Stabenow | Debbie Stabenow | Michigan | Michigan | Michigan |
| 112th | | Mark Begich | Mark Begich | Alaska | Alaska | Alaska |
| 113th | | Mark Begich | Mark Begich | Alaska | Alaska | Alaska |
| 114th | | Amy Klobuchar | Amy Klobuchar | Minnesota | Minnesota | Minnesota |
| | Steering | Steering | Steering | Outreach | Outreach | Outreach |
| Term | Senator | Senator | State | Senator | Senator | State |
| 115th | | Amy Klobuchar | Minnesota | | Bernie Sanders | Vermont |
| 116th | | Amy Klobuchar | Minnesota | | Bernie Sanders | Vermont |
| 117th | | Amy Klobuchar | Minnesota | | Bernie Sanders | Vermont |
| 118th | | Amy Klobuchar | Minnesota | | Bernie Sanders | Vermont |
| 119th | | Amy Klobuchar | Minnesota | | Bernie Sanders | Vermont |

### Vice Chairpersons

Leadership :
| Term | Senator | Senator | Senator | State | State | State |
| 112th | | Daniel Akaka | Daniel Akaka | Hawaii | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| 113th | | Jeanne Shaheen | Jeanne Shaheen | New Hampshire | New Hampshire | New Hampshire |
| 114th | | Jeanne Shaheen | Jeanne Shaheen | New Hampshire | New Hampshire | New Hampshire |
| | Steering | Steering | Steering | Outreach | Outreach | Outreach |
| Term | Senator | Senator | State | Senator | Senator | State |
| 115th | | Jeanne Shaheen | New Hampshire | Position not established until 2021 at the start of the 117th Congress. |
| 116th | | Jeanne Shaheen | New Hampshire | Position not established until 2021 at the start of the 117th Congress. |
| 117th | | Jeanne Shaheen | New Hampshire | | Catherine Cortez Masto | Nevada |
| 118th | | Jeanne Shaheen | New Hampshire | | Catherine Cortez Masto | Nevada |
| 119th | | Jeanne Shaheen | New Hampshire | | Catherine Cortez Masto | Nevada |

## 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. 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.
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.