Senate Organization in the 107th Congress: Agreements Reached in a Closely Divided Senate

Publication Date: December 2006

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

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Abstract:

The 2000 elections resulted in a Senate composed of 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats. Not since the Senate of 1881 (37 Republicans, 37 Democrats, and two Independents) had the two major parties been equally represented. An historic powersharing agreement, worked out by the party floor leaders in consultation with their party colleagues, was presented to the Senate (S.Res. 8) on January 5, 2001 and agreed to the same day. The agreement was clarified by a leadership colloquy on January 8, 2001.

In May of 2001, Senator James Jeffords of Vermont decided to leave the Republican party, to become an Independent, and to support the Democratic conference on organizational issues. Control of the Senate shifted to the Democratic party. The power shift annulled major portions of the powersharing agreement. After negotiations between the parties, a new organizing resolution, S.Res. 120, was agreed to on June 29, 2001. The resolution provided for the appointment of a Democratic majority on all Senate standing committees, and also covered such issues as staffing and space assignments on Senate committees. Other issues connected to Senate organization were addressed by letters signed by relevant committee chairs and ranking members, entered into the Congressional Record of June 29, 2001. On July 10, the two Senate party conferences approved new committee assignments for certain of their members. In late July and early August, new Senate administrative and party officers were chosen.

This report describes the principal features of S.Res. 8 and S.Res. 120, as well as supplementary agreements and understandings between the parties that operated during the 107th Congress. The report will not be updated.