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Policy Committee Chairpersons


Chapter 1: Policy Committee Chair
Chapter 2: Republican Policy Committee Chairpersons
Chapter 3: Democratic Policy Committee Chairpersons
Policy Committee Chair

The Senate created Democratic and Republican Policy Committees in 1947. Until 2000, the Democratic Policy Committee was chaired by the party floor leader, who also served as chair of the Democratic Conference. A co-chair position was added in 1989. In the 106th Congress, the majority leader dropped his co-chair status and the chair of the policy committee is now an elected post. The Republican Policy Committee elects its chairperson separate from the party floor leader.

Republican Policy Committee Chairpersons
SenatorTerm
TaftRobert A. Taft (R-OH) 1947-1952 1947–1952
KnowlandWilliam F. Knowland (R-CA) 1953_1953 1953
FergusonHomer S. Ferguson (R-MI) 1953_1955 1953–1955
BridgesH. Styles Bridges (R-NH) 1955_1961 1955–1961
HickenlooperBourke B. Hickenlooper (R-IA) 1962_1969 1962–1969
AllottGordon L. Allott (R-CO) 1969_1973 1969–1973
TowerJohn G. Tower (R-TX) 1973_1985 1973–1985
ArmstrongWilliam L. Armstrong (R-CO) 1985_1991 1985–1991
NicklesDonald L. Nickles (R-OK) 1991_1997 1991–1997
CraigLarry E. Craig (R-ID) 1997_2003 1997–2003
KylJon L. Kyl (R-AZ) 2003_2007 2003–2007
HutchisonKay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) 2007_2009 2007–2009
EnsignJohn E. Ensign (R-NV) 2009_2009 2009
ThuneJohn Thune (R-SD) 2009_2013 2009–2013
BarrassoJohn Barrasso (R-WY) 2013_2019 2013–2019
BluntRoy Blunt (R-MO) 2019_2022 2019–2023
ErnstJoni Ernst (R-IA) 2023_2025 2023–2025
CapitoShelley Moore Capito (R-WV) 2025_ 2025–present
Democratic Policy Committee Chairpersons
SenatorTerm
BarkleyAlben W. Barkley (D-KY) 1947–1949
LucasScott W. Lucas (D-IL) 1949–1951
McFarlandErnest W. McFarland (D-AZ) 1951–1953
JohnsonLyndon B. Johnson (D-TX) 1953–1961
MansfieldMichael J. Mansfield (D-MT) 1961–1977
ByrdRobert C. Byrd (D-WV) 1977–1989
MitchellGeorge J. Mitchell (D-ME)
DaschleThomas A. Daschle (D-SD) 		1989–1995
1989–1995
DaschleThomas A. Daschle (D-SD)
ReidHarry Reid (D-NV) 		1995–1999
1995–1999
DorganByron L. Dorgan (D-ND) 1999–2011
SchumerCharles E. Schumer (D-NY) 2011–2017
StabenowDebbie Stabenow (D-MI) 2017–2025
KlobucharAmy Klobuchar (D-MN) 2025–present