# United States Senate Democratic Policy Committee

The United States Senate Democratic Policy Committee is responsible for the creation of new United States Democratic Party policy proposals, supporting Democratic senators with legislative research, developing reports on legislation and policy, conducting oversight hearings, monitoring roll call votes, differentiating between Democratic and Republican positions, and building party unity.
The committee was established in 1947, by an act signed by President Harry S. Truman, alongside its Republican counterpart. From 1947 to 2000, the Democratic leader was also the policy committee chairman. From 1989 to 1999, there was a co-chairman. Starting in 1999, the co-chairman was dropped and the position of policy committee chairman became a separate position elected by the Senate Democratic Caucus. The floor leader served as committee chair until 1989, when one of the co-chairs remained leader (Mitchell through 1995 and then Daschle until 1999).

## List of chairs

The committee chairperson is the No. 3 member of the Democratic party leadership of the United States Senate, after the Party Leader and Party Whip.
Chair of the Policy Committee :
| Congress | Chair(s) | Term |
| 80th | Alben W. Barkley (KY) | 1947–1949 |
| 81st | Scott W. Lucas (IL) | 1949–1951 |
| 82nd | Ernest McFarland (AZ) | 1951–1953 |
| 83rd | Lyndon Johnson (TX) | 1953–1961 |
| 84th | Lyndon Johnson (TX) | 1953–1961 |
| 85th | Lyndon Johnson (TX) | 1953–1961 |
| 86th | Lyndon Johnson (TX) | 1953–1961 |
| 87th | Mike Mansfield (MT) | 1961–1977 |
| 88th | Mike Mansfield (MT) | 1961–1977 |
| 89th | Mike Mansfield (MT) | 1961–1977 |
| 90th | Mike Mansfield (MT) | 1961–1977 |
| 91st | Mike Mansfield (MT) | 1961–1977 |
| 92nd | Mike Mansfield (MT) | 1961–1977 |
| 93rd | Mike Mansfield (MT) | 1961–1977 |
| 94th | Mike Mansfield (MT) | 1961–1977 |
| 95th | Robert Byrd (WV) | 1977–1989 |
| 96th | Robert Byrd (WV) | 1977–1989 |
| 97th | Robert Byrd (WV) | 1977–1989 |
| 98th | Robert Byrd (WV) | 1977–1989 |
| 99th | Robert Byrd (WV) | 1977–1989 |
| 100th | Robert Byrd (WV) | 1977–1989 |
| 101st | George J. Mitchell (ME) | 1989–1995 |
| 102nd | George J. Mitchell (ME) | 1989–1995 |
| 103rd | George J. Mitchell (ME) | 1989–1995 |
| 104th | Tom Daschle (SD) | 1995-1999 |
| 105th | Tom Daschle (SD) | 1995-1999 |
| 106th | Byron Dorgan (ND) | 1999-2011 |
| 107th | Byron Dorgan (ND) | 1999-2011 |
| 108th | Byron Dorgan (ND) | 1999-2011 |
| 109th | Byron Dorgan (ND) | 1999-2011 |
| 110th | Byron Dorgan (ND) | 1999-2011 |
| 111th | Byron Dorgan (ND) | 1999-2011 |
| 112th | Chuck Schumer (NY) | 2011-2017 |
| 113th | Chuck Schumer (NY) | 2011-2017 |
| 114th | Chuck Schumer (NY) | 2011-2017 |
| 115th | Debbie Stabenow (MI) | 2017-2019 |
| Chair of the Policy & Communications Committee |||
| Congress | Chair(s) | Term |
| 116th | Debbie Stabenow (MI) | 2019-2025 |
| 117th | Debbie Stabenow (MI) | 2019-2025 |
| 118th | Debbie Stabenow (MI) | 2019-2025 |
| Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee |||
| Congress | Chair(s) | Term |
| 119th | Amy Klobuchar (MN) | 2025–present |

## Vice chairs

Co-Chair of Policy :
| Congress | Co-Chair(s) | Term |
| 101st | Tom Daschle (SD) | 1989-1995 |
| 102nd | Tom Daschle (SD) | 1989-1995 |
| 103rd | Tom Daschle (SD) | 1989-1995 |
| 104th | Harry Reid (NV) | 1995-1999 |
| 105th | Harry Reid (NV) | 1995-1999 |
| Vice Chair of Policy Committee |||
| Congress | Vice Chair(s) | Term |
| 112th | Debbie Stabenow (MI) | 2011–2017 |
| 113th | Debbie Stabenow (MI) | 2011–2017 |
| 114th | Debbie Stabenow (MI) | 2011–2017 |
| 115th | Joe Manchin (WV) | 2017-2019 |
| Vice Chair of Policy & Communications Committee |||
| Congress | Vice Chair(s) | Term |
| 116th | Joe Manchin (WV) | 2019–2021 |
| 117th | Joe Manchin (WV) Cory Booker (NJ) | 2021–2025 |
| 118th | Joe Manchin (WV) Cory Booker (NJ) | 2021–2025 |
| Vice Chair of Steering & Policy Committee |||
| Congress | Vice Chair(s) | Term |
| 119th | Jeanne Shaheen (NH) | 2025–present |

## Historical Committee Rosters
### 113th Congress members

Members :
| Senator | Senator | State |
| | Chuck Schumer, Chairman | New York |
| | Jack Reed, Regional Chair | Rhode Island |
| | Mary Landrieu, Regional Chair | Louisiana |
| | Patty Murray, Regional Chair | Washington |
| | Harry Reid | Nevada |
| | Dianne Feinstein | California |
| | Ron Wyden | Oregon |
| | Tim Johnson | South Dakota |
| | Bill Nelson | Florida |
| | Tom Carper | Delaware |
| | Barbara Mikulski | Maryland |
| | Sherrod Brown | Ohio |
| ex officio |||
| | Dick Durbin, Democratic Whip | Illinois |
| | Patty Murray, Assistant Democratic Leader | Washington |