The Senate Democratic Caucus (or Conference) is the formal organization of the current 58 Democratic Senators in the United States Senate. In the 111th Congress, the Democratic Caucus additionally includes two independent senators who formally caucus with the Democrats for the purpose of committee assignments and Senate organization, bringing the total to 60. The primary organizational front for Democrats in the Senate, its primary function is communicating the party's message to and unifying all of its members. Caucus leadership consists of Senator Harry Reid (NV) as Chairman and Senate Majority Leader, Senator Dick Durbin (IL) as Whip or Assistant Majority Leader, Senator Charles Schumer (NY) as Vice-Chairman, and Senator Patty Murray (WA) as Secretary. The two independent members are Senators Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. [edit] History The Caucus was formally organized on March 6, 1903, electing a chairman to preside over its members and a secretary to keep minutes. Until that time, the caucus was often disorganized, philosophically divided, and had neither firm written rules of governance nor a clear mission. [edit] 111th Congress The 111th Congress opened on January 3, 2009 with 55 Democrats and two independents in the caucus, for a total of 57 members. The membership total has changed several times since then: - Membership increased to 58 on January 12, 2009, when Roland Burris was sworn in to fill the seat that had been vacated by then-President-elect Barack Obama, who had resigned from the Senate on November 16, 2008 after being elected President.
- The party change of Arlen Specter (from Republican to Democratic) on April 28, 2009 brought the total to 59.
- When Democratic Senator Al Franken of Minnesota was sworn in on July 7, 2009, membership increased to 60.
- Membership dropped back to 59 at the death of Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy on August 26th.
- Membership increased back to 60 on the swearing-in of Paul G. Kirk, the designated interim replacement for Ted Kennedy, on September 24.
[edit] List of caucus chairpersons [edit] Vice Chairmanship After the victory of Democrats in the Midterm Elections of 2006, an overwhelming majority of the caucus thought of rewarding Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, a position in the hierarchy after knocking off six incumbent Republicans. In response, Democratic Leader Harry Reid created a position of the Vice Chairman, making it the third ranking Democratic position, after Leader and Whip. [edit] References - ^ Gorman was the first elected by a formally organized caucus. See Senate.gov
- ^ Beginning in 1920, the Democratic Conference chairperson also served as Democratic floor leader. In that year, Oscar Underwood became the first officially designated Democratic floor leader, and the tradition of combining the two positions continues to this day.
[edit] Bibliography - Donald A. Ritchie (ed). Minutes of the Senate Democratic Conference: Fifty-eighth through Eighty-eighth Congress, 1903-1964. Washington, D.C., GPO, 1999. Available online in PDF or Text format.
[edit] External links  United States Congress
(House of Representatives, Senate — 111th Congress — Members of the 111th United States Congress ) | | | Members | Members of Congress: Current ( by length of service, freshmen, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, delegates, longest-serving members ever) Senate: Current by seniority, Current by age, Dean of the Senate, former Senators, living former Senators, Earliest serving, Earliest living, Expelled/censured, Classes, House: Current by seniority, Dean of the House, former Representatives, oldest living, expelled, censured, and reprimanded Representatives, Women and minority members: African American members, Hispanic members, Asian Pacific American members, Congressional Member Organizations (caucuses), House Women, Senate Women List of congressional districts ( congressional apportionment, districts by area, obsolete districts) Privileges and benefits: Representatives' salaries, Senators' salaries, franking, congressional immunity | | | Party leaders | Senate: Majority and Minority Leaders, assistant party leaders, Democratic Caucus ( Chair, Secretary, Policy Committee Chair), Republican Conference ( Chair, Vice-Chair, Policy Committee Chair) House: Speaker ( list), Majority and Minority Leaders, party whips, Democratic Caucus, Republican Conference | | Offices,
officers,
& employees | Congress: Government Accountability Office ( Comptroller General), Congressional Budget Office, Architect of the Capitol, Capitol Police ( Capitol Police Board), Capitol Guide Service ( Capitol Guide Board), Office of Compliance, Library of Congress, Government Printing Office; Former: Office of Technology Assessment Senate constitutionally-mandated officers: President ( list) ( Vice President of the United States), President pro tempore ( list) Senate elected officers: President pro tempore, Secretary, Chaplain, Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper Senate employees: Curator, Historian, Librarian, Parliamentarian, pages Senate offices: Office of the Secretary ( Senate Library, Office of Senate Curator, Senate Historical Office) House elected officers: Clerk, Sergeant at Arms, Chief Administrative Officer, Chaplain. Former: Doorkeeper, Postmaster House employees: Historian, Parliamentarian, Reading Clerk, pages ( House Page Board) House offices: Office of the Law Revision Counsel, Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Operations, Interparliamentary Affairs | | Powers,
procedure
& customs | Powers: Constitutional authority under Article I ( Enumerated powers ( Taxing and Spending, Commerce, Dormant Commerce, Naturalization, Copyright, Declaration of War Clause); Implied powers: Necessary and Proper Clause); Impeachment; contempt of Congress; Power of enforcement Legislative and parliamentary procedure: Act of Congress ( list), rider, sponsorship, discharge petition, unanimous consent, suspension of the rules, joint resolution, concurrent resolution, appropriation bill, enrolled bill, engrossed bill, budget resolution, continuing resolution, House procedures, expulsion of members, joint session ( list), House closed sessions, Senate closed sessions, lame duck session, cloture, suspension of the rules, reconciliation, veto override Committees: Oversight, hearings, discharge petition, markup, chairman and ranking member, standing committees, select and special committees, joint committees, subcommittees, Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, conference committee, list of Senate committees, list of House committees Senate-specific: Presiding Officer, Jefferson's Manual, Standing Rules of the Senate, Riddick's Senate Procedure, seniority, classes of Senators, Traditions, VPs' tie-breaking votes, advice and consent, recess appointment, executive session, senatorial courtesy, Saxbe fix, nuclear option, filibuster, executive communication, secret hold, ratification of treaties, Senate Journal Items: Mace of the House, gavels | | | History | | | | Capitol Complex | Capitol: Dome, rotunda, crypt, National Statuary Hall, Capitol Visitor Center, The Apotheosis of Washington, Statue of Freedom Office buildings: House: Cannon, Ford, Longworth, Rayburn, O'Neill ( demolished); Senate: Dirksen, Hart, Russell; House Office Building Commission Other buildings and facilities: Botanic Garden, Old Supreme Court Chamber, Senate Staff Health and Fitness Facility, Capitol Power Plant, Old Senate Chamber, House Recording Studio | | | LoC & GPO | Library of Congress: Congressional Research Service ( reports), Law Library, THOMAS, Copyright Office ( Register of Copyrights), Poet Laureate, Jefferson Building, Adams Building, Madison Building; Government Printing Office: Public Printer of the United States, Congressional Record, Official Congressional Directory, United States Statutes at Large, United States Code | | | Media | | | | Miscellaneous | | | | Websites: House of Representatives | Senate | | |
