View source for Party leaders of the United States Senate

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{multiple image
| perrow            = 2
| total_width       = 280
| header            = Party leaders of the U.S. Senate
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = Chuck Schumer official photo (cropped).jpg
| caption1          = Majority Leader<br />[[Chuck Schumer]] (D-NY)
| alt1              = Schumer
| image2            = Dick Durbin 2022 official portrait (cropped) 2.jpg
| caption2          = Majority Whip<br />[[Dick Durbin]] (D-IL)
| alt2              = Durbin
| image3            = Mitch McConnell close-up.JPG
| caption3          = Minority Leader<br />[[Mitch McConnell]] (R-KY)
| alt3              = McConnell
| image4            = John Thune 117th Congress portrait (cropped).jpg
| caption4          = Minority Whip<br />[[John Thune]] (R-SD)
| alt4              = Thune
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}}
{{United States Senate}}
The positions of '''majority leader''' and '''minority leader''' are held by two [[United States Senate|United States senators]] and people of the [[party leadership of the United States Senate]]. They serve as chief spokespersons for their respective [[Political party|political parties]], holding the majority and the minority in the [[United States Senate]]. They are each elected as majority leader and minority leader by the senators of their party [[Party caucuses and conferences in the United States Congress|caucuses]]: the [[Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate|Senate Democratic Caucus]] and the [[Republican Conference of the United States Senate|Senate Republican Conference]].
By Senate precedent, the [[Presiding Officer of the United States Senate|presiding officer]] gives the majority leader priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate. The majority leader serves as the chief representative of their party in the Senate, and is considered the most powerful member of the Senate. They also serve as the chief representative of their party in the entire [[United States Congress|Congress]] if the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], and thus the office of the [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|speaker of the House]], is controlled by the opposition party. The Senate's executive and legislative business is also managed and scheduled by the majority leader.
The '''assistant majority leader''' and '''assistant minority leader''' of the United States Senate, commonly called [[Whip (politics)|whips]], are the second-ranking members of each party's leadership. The main function of the majority and minority whips is to gather votes of their respective parties on major issues. As the second-ranking members of Senate leadership, if there is no [[floor leader]] present, the whip may become acting floor leader.
==Existing floor leaders==
The Senate of the [[118th United States Congress|118th Congress]] is [[Current members of the United States Senate|composed]] in 2024 of 49 [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]], 47 [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], and 4 independents; all the independents [[Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate|caucus with the Democrats]].
The leaders are [[US senator|Senators]] [[Chuck Schumer]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]) of [[List of United States senators from New York|New York]] and [[Mitch McConnell]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]) of [[List of United States senators from Kentucky|Kentucky]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Democrats Take Narrow Control of US Senate as Three New Members Sworn In |agency=Reuters |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-politics/democrats-take-narrow-control-us-senate-three-new-members-sworn |access-date=February 25, 2021 |publisher=VOA |date=January 20, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The assistant leaders, or whips, are Senators [[Dick Durbin]] ([[United States Democratic Party|D]]) of [[List of United States senators from Illinois|Illinois]] and [[John Thune]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]) of [[List of United States senators from South Dakota|South Dakota]].
==History==
At first a ''Senate leader'' was an informal position usually an influential committee chairman, or a person of great eloquence, seniority, or wealth, such as [[Daniel Webster]] and Nelson Aldrich. By at least 1850, parties in each chamber of Congress began naming chairs, and while conference and caucus chairs carried very little authority, the Senate party floor leader positions arose from the position of conference chair.<ref>{{cite report|last=Heitshusen|first=Valerie|title=Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2019|publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]]|page=i|date=September 4, 2019|url=https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/RL30567.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924144412/https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/RL30567.pdf |archive-date=2021-09-24 |url-status=live|access-date=April 16, 2022}}</ref>
Senate Democrats began electing their floor leaders in 1920 while they were in the minority. [[John W. Kern]] was a Democratic senator from Indiana. While the title was not official, the Senate website identifies Kern as the first Senate party leader, serving in that capacity from 1913 through 1917 (and in turn, the first Senate Democratic leader), while serving concurrently as chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.<ref>{{cite web |title=Majority and Minority Leaders |url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Majority_Minority_Leaders.htm |website=senate.gov |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=14 March 2020}}</ref>
In 1925, the Republicans (who were in the majority at the time) also adopted this language when [[Charles Curtis]] became the first (official) majority leader,<ref>{{cite web |title=Senate Leader |url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/People_Leaders_Curtis.htm |website=senate.gov |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=14 March 2020}}</ref> although his immediate predecessor [[Henry Cabot Lodge]] is considered the first (unofficial) Senate majority leader. However, despite this new, formal leadership structure, the Senate leader initially had virtually no power. Since the Democrats were fatally divided into northern liberal and [[Southern Caucus|southern]] conservative blocs, the Democratic leader had even less power than his title suggested.
[[Joseph T. Robinson]] of Arkansas, the Democratic leader from 1923 to 1937, saw it as his responsibility not to lead the Democrats, but to work the Senate for the president's benefit, no matter who the president was. When Coolidge and Hoover were president, he assisted them in passing Republican legislation. Robinson helped end government operation of [[Muscle Shoals Bill|Muscle Shoals]], helped pass the [[Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act|Hoover Tariff]], and stymied a Senate investigation of the Power Trust. Robinson switched his own position on a drought relief program for farmers when Hoover made a proposal for a more modest measure. [[Alben Barkley]] called Robinson's cave-in "the most humiliating spectacle that could be brought about in an intelligent legislative body." When [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt|Franklin Roosevelt]] became president, Robinson followed the new president as loyally as he had followed Coolidge and Hoover. Robinson passed bills in the Hundred Days so quickly that [[Will Rogers]] joked "Congress doesn't pass legislation any more, they just wave at the bills as they go by.{{Sfn|Caro|2002|pp=354–355 }}
In 1937, the rule giving majority leader right of first recognition was created. With the addition of this rule, the Senate majority leader enjoyed far greater control over the agenda of which bills to be considered on the floor.
During [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s tenure as Senate leader, the leader gained new powers over committee assignments.<ref name="CaroSenate21">{{Cite book |last=Caro |first=Robert |title=Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson |title-link=Master of the Senate|publisher=[[Alfred A. Knopf]] |year=2002 |isbn=0-394-52836-0 |location=New York |chapter=22. The Whole Stack}}</ref>
==Senatorial role of the Vice President==
The [[Constitution of the United States|United States Constitution]] designates the [[vice president of the United States]] as president of the Senate. The Constitution also calls for a [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate|president pro tempore]], to serve as the presiding officer when the president of the Senate (the vice president) is absent. In practice, neither the vice president nor the president pro tempore—customarily the most senior (longest-serving) senator in the majority party—actually presides over the Senate on a daily basis; that task is given to junior senators of the majority party. Since the vice president may be of a different party from the majority and is not a Senate member subject to discipline, the rules of procedure of the Senate give the vice president no power beyond the presiding role. For these reasons, it is the majority leader who, in practice, manages the Senate. This is in contrast to the House of Representatives, where the elected [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|speaker of the House]] has a great deal of discretionary power and generally presides over votes on legislative bills.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}
== Powers of the majority leader ==
Under a long-standing Senate precedent, motions or amendments by the majority leader is granted precedence over other motions by other senators. The majority leader can therefore make at any time a motion to proceed to the consideration of a bill on the Senate Calendar (which contains almost exclusively bills which have been reported by the committee they were assigned to); a motion to proceed may be agreed to either by [[unanimous consent]] or through the invocation of [[cloture#United States|cloture]]. Conventionally, no senator other than the majority leader introduces motions to proceed, although every senator is theoretically allowed to. In addition, the majority leader can block consideration of amendments through a practice known as "[[filling the tree]]", and decides which members will fill each of the committee seats reserved to the majority party; members of committees are therefore often prone to following the instructions of the majority leader, and rarely place bills on the Senate Calendar without the latter's consent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legbranch.org/2018-8-1-what-makes-senate-leaders-so-powerful/|title=What makes Senate leaders so powerful?}}</ref>
==List of party leaders==
The Democratic Party first selected a leader in 1920. The Republican Party first formally designated a leader in 1925.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Majority_Minority_Leaders.htm |access-date=June 27, 2019 |title=Majority and Minority Leaders |publisher=United States Senate}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!scope="col"| [[List of United States Congresses|Congress]]
!scope="col"| Dates
!scope="col"| Democratic whip
!scope="col"| Democratic leader
!scope="col"| Majority
!scope="col"| Republican leader
!scope="col"| Republican whip
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|63}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|May 28, 1913}} –<br/>March 4, 1915
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Lewis J. Hamilton" | [[J. Hamilton Lewis]]<br />{{resize|([[Illinois]])}}
| rowspan="6" data-sort-value="" | None
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
| rowspan="5" data-sort-value="" | None
| rowspan="2" data-sort-value="" | None
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="3"| {{USCongressOrdinal|64}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1915}} –<br/>December 6, 1915
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|December 6, 1915}} –<br/>December 13, 1915
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Wadsworth James Wolcott Jr" | [[James W. Wadsworth Jr.|James Wadsworth]]<br />{{resize|([[New York (state)|New York]])}}
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|December 13, 1915}} –<br/>March 4, 1917
| rowspan="7" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Curtis Charles" | [[Charles Curtis]]<br />{{resize|([[Kansas]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|65}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1917}} –<br/>March 4, 1919
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| {{USCongressOrdinal|66}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1919}} –<br/>April 27, 1920
| rowspan="8" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Gerry Peter G." | [[Peter G. Gerry|Peter Gerry]]<br />{{resize|([[Rhode Island]])}}
| rowspan="10" {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican<br/>majority →
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Lodge Henry Cabot" | [[Henry Cabot Lodge]]<br/>{{resize|([[Massachusetts]], ''Unofficial'')}}
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|April 27, 1920}} –<br/>March 4, 1921
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Underwood Oscar" | [[Oscar Underwood]]<br />{{resize|([[Alabama]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|67}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1921}} –<br/>March 4, 1923
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="3"| {{USCongressOrdinal|68}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1923}} –<br/>December 3, 1923
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|December 3, 1923}} –<br/>November 9, 1924
| rowspan="9" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Robinson Joseph Taylor" | [[Joseph T. Robinson]]<br />{{resize|([[Arkansas]])}}
|-
| November 9, 1924 –<br/>March 4, 1925
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Curtis Charles" | [[Charles Curtis]]<br/>{{resize|([[Kansas]], ''Acting'')}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Jones Wesley Livsey" | [[Wesley L. Jones|Wesley Jones]]<br/>{{resize|([[Washington (state)|Washington]], ''Acting'')}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|69}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1925}} –<br/>March 4, 1927
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Curtis Charles" | [[Charles Curtis]]<br/>{{resize|([[Kansas]])}}
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Jones Wesley Livsey Jones" | [[Wesley L. Jones|Wesley Jones]]<br/>{{resize|([[Washington (state)|Washington]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|70}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1927}} –<br/>March 4, 1929
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|71}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1929}} –<br/>March 4, 1931
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Sheppard Morris" | [[Morris Sheppard]]<br/>{{resize|([[Texas]])}}
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Watson James Eli" | [[James E. Watson]]<br/>{{resize|([[Indiana]])}}
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Fess Simeon D." | [[Simeon D. Fess|Simeon Fess]]<br/>{{resize|([[Ohio]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|72}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1931}} –<br/>March 4, 1933
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|73}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 4, 1933}} –<br/>January 3, 1935
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Lewis J. Hamilton" | [[J. Hamilton Lewis]]<br/>{{resize|([[Illinois]])}}
| rowspan="11" {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
| rowspan="6" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="McNary Charles L." | [[Charles L. McNary]]<br/>{{resize|([[Oregon]])}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Hebert Felix" | [[Felix Hebert]]<br/>{{resize|([[Rhode Island]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|74}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1935}} –<br/>January 3, 1937
| rowspan="7" data-sort-value="" | None{{efn | name="No_GOP_whip" | No Republican whips were appointed from 1935 to 1944 since the Senate had only 17 Republicans following the landslide reelection of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in 1936. Accordingly, the minutes of the [[Republican Conference of the United States Senate|Republican Conference]] for the period state: "On motion of Senator Hastings, duly seconded and carried, it was agreed that no Assistant Leader or Whip be elected but that the chairman be authorized to appoint Senators from time to time to assist him in taking charge of the interests of the minority." A note attached to the conference minutes added: "The chairman of the conference, Senator McNary, apparently appointed Senator Austin of Vermont as assistant leader in 1943 and 1944, until the conference adopted Rules of Organization."<ref>[http://senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Party_Whips.htm Party Whips] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309024732/https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Party_Whips.htm |date=March 9, 2010 }}, via Senate.gov</ref>}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| {{USCongressOrdinal|75}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1937}} –<br/>July 14, 1937
|-
| nowrap| July 14, 1937 –<br/>January 3, 1939
| rowspan="9" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Barkley Alben W." | [[Alben W. Barkley]]<br/>{{resize|([[Kentucky]])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="3"| {{USCongressOrdinal|76}}
| January 3, 1939 –<br/>April 9, 1939
|-
| April 9, 1939 –<br/>January 3, 1940
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Minton Sherman" | [[Sherman Minton]]<br/>{{resize|([[Indiana]])}}
|-
| January 3, 1940 –<br/>January 3, 1941
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Austin Warren" | [[Warren Austin]]<br/>{{resize|([[Vermont]], ''Acting'')}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|77}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1941}} –<br/>January 3, 1943
| rowspan="4" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Hill J. Lister" | [[J. Lister Hill]]<br/>{{resize|([[Alabama]])}}
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="McNary Charles L." | [[Charles L. McNary]]<br/>{{resize|([[Oregon]])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| {{USCongressOrdinal|78}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1943}} –<br/>February 25, 1944
| rowspan="4" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Wherry Kenneth" | [[Kenneth S. Wherry|Kenneth Wherry]]<br/>{{resize|([[Nebraska]])}}
|-
| February 25, 1944 –<br/>January 3, 1945
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="White Wallace H. Jr." | [[Wallace H. White]]<br/>{{resize|([[Maine]], ''Acting'')}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|79}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1945}} –<br/>January 3, 1947
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="White Wallace H. Jr.]]" | [[Wallace H. White]]<br/>{{resize|([[Maine]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|80}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1947}} –<br/>January 3, 1949
| {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Lucas Scott W." | [[Scott W. Lucas]]<br/>{{resize|([[Illinois]])}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican<br/>majority →
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|81}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1949}} –<br/>January 3, 1951
| {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Myers Francis J." | [[Francis J. Myers|Francis Myers]]<br/>{{resize|([[Pennsylvania]])}}
| {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Lucas Scott W." | [[Scott W. Lucas]]<br/>{{resize|([[Illinois]])}}
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Wherry Kenneth S." | [[Kenneth S. Wherry]]<br/>{{resize|([[Nebraska]])}}
| rowspan="6" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Saltonstall Leverett" | [[Leverett Saltonstall]]<br/>{{resize|([[Massachusetts]])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| {{USCongressOrdinal|82}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1951}} –<br/>January 3, 1952
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Johnson Lyndon B." | [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]<br/>{{resize|([[Texas]])}}
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="McFarland Ernest" | [[Ernest McFarland]]<br/>{{resize|([[Arizona]])}}
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1952}} –<br/>January 3, 1953
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Bridges Styles" | [[Styles Bridges]]<br/>{{resize|([[New Hampshire]])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| {{USCongressOrdinal|83}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1953}} –<br/>July 31, 1953
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Clements Earle" | [[Earle Clements]]<br/>{{resize|([[Kentucky]])}}
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Johnson Lyndon B." | [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]<br/>{{resize|([[Texas]])}}
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican<br/>majority →
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Taft Robert A." | [[Robert A. Taft]]<br/>{{resize|([[Ohio]])}}
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|August 3, 1953}} –<br/>January 3, 1955
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Knowland William" | [[William Knowland]]<br/>{{resize|([[California]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|84}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1955}} –<br/>January 3, 1957
| rowspan=16 {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|85}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1957}} –<br/>January 3, 1959
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Mansfield Mike" | [[Mike Mansfield]]<br/>{{resize|([[Montana]])}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Dirksen Everett" | [[Everett Dirksen]]<br/>{{resize|([[Illinois]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|86}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1959}} –<br/>January 3, 1961
| rowspan="6" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Dirksen Everett" | [[Everett Dirksen]]<br/>{{resize|([[Illinois]])}}
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Kuchel Thomas" | [[Thomas Kuchel]]<br/>{{resize|([[California]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|87}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1961}} –<br/>January 3, 1963
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Humphrey Hubert" | [[Hubert Humphrey]]<br/>{{resize|([[Minnesota]])}}
| rowspan="9" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Mansfield Mike" | [[Mike Mansfield]]<br/>{{resize|([[Montana]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|88}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1963}} –<br/>January 3, 1965
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|89}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1965}} –<br/>January 3, 1967
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Long Russell B." | [[Russell B. Long|Russell Long]]<br/>{{resize|([[Louisiana]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|90}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1967}} –<br/>January 3, 1969
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| {{USCongressOrdinal|91}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1969}} –<br/>September 7, 1969
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Kennedy Ted" | [[Ted Kennedy]]<br/>{{resize|([[Massachusetts]])}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Scott Hugh" | [[Hugh Scott]]<br/>{{resize|([[Pennsylvania]])}}
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|September 24, 1969}} –<br/>January 3, 1971
| rowspan="4" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Scott Hugh" | [[Hugh Scott]]<br/>{{resize|([[Pennsylvania]])}}
| rowspan="4" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Griffin Robert P." | [[Robert P. Griffin|Robert Griffin]]<br/>{{resize|([[Michigan]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|92}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1971}} –<br/>January 3, 1973
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Byrd Robert" | [[Robert Byrd]]<br/>{{resize|([[West Virginia]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|93}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1973}} –<br/>January 3, 1975
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|94}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1975}} –<br/>January 3, 1977
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|95}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1977}} –<br/>January 3, 1979
| rowspan="9" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Cranston Alan" | [[Alan Cranston]]<br/>{{resize|([[California]])}}
| rowspan="8" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Byrd Robert" | [[Robert Byrd]]<br/>{{resize|([[West Virginia]])}}
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Baker Howard" | [[Howard Baker]]<br/>{{resize|([[Tennessee]])}}
| rowspan="6" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Stevens Ted" | [[Ted Stevens]]<br/>{{resize|([[Alaska]])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="3"| {{USCongressOrdinal|96}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1979}} –<br/>November 1, 1979
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|November 1, 1979}} –<br/>March 5, 1980
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Stevens Ted" | [[Ted Stevens]]<br/>{{resize|([[Alaska]], ''Acting'')}}
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|March 5, 1980}} –<br/>January 3, 1981
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Baker Howard" | [[Howard Baker]]<br/>{{resize|([[Tennessee]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|97}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1981}} –<br/>January 3, 1983
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican<br/>majority →
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|98}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1983}} –<br/>January 3, 1985
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|99}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1985}} –<br/>January 3, 1987
| rowspan="6" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Dole Bob" | [[Bob Dole]]<br/>{{resize|([[Kansas]])}}
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Simpson Alan K" | [[Alan Simpson (American politician)|Alan Simpson]]<br/>{{resize|([[Wyoming]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|100}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1987}} –<br/>January 3, 1989
| rowspan="4" {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|101}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1989}} –<br/>January 3, 1991
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Mitchell George J." | [[George J. Mitchell|George Mitchell]]<br/>{{resize|([[Maine]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|102}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1991}} –<br/>January 3, 1993
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Ford Wendell H." | [[Wendell Ford]]<br/>{{resize|([[Kentucky]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|103}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1993}} –<br/>January 3, 1995
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| {{USCongressOrdinal|104}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1995}} –<br/>June 12, 1996
| rowspan="9" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Daschle Tom" | [[Tom Daschle]]<br/>{{resize|([[South Dakota]])}}
| rowspan="4" {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican<br/>majority →
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Lott Trent" | [[Trent Lott]]<br/>{{resize|([[Mississippi]])}}
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|June 12, 1996}} –<br/>January 3, 1997
| rowspan="7" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Lott Trent" | [[Trent Lott]]<br/>{{resize|([[Mississippi]])}}
| rowspan="7" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Nickles Don" | [[Don Nickles]]<br/>{{resize|([[Oklahoma]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|105}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1997}} –<br/>January 3, 1999
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|106}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 1999}} –<br/>January 3, 2001
| rowspan="6" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Reid Harry" | [[Harry Reid]]<br/>{{resize|([[Nevada]])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="4"| {{USCongressOrdinal|107}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2001}} –<br/>January 20, 2001
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 20, 2001}} –<br/>June 6, 2001
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican<br/>majority →
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|June 6, 2001}} –<br/>November 23, 2002
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|November 23, 2002}} –<br/>January 3, 2003
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Republican}} | {{longitem|{{efn | Between November 23, 2002, and January 3, 2003, during the [[107th United States Congress|107th Congress]], Democrats remained in control, despite a Republican majority resulting from [[2002 United States Senate special election in Missouri|Jim Talent's special election victory in Missouri]]. There was no reorganization as the Senate was not in session.<ref>[https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm Party Division in the Senate, 1789–present], via Senate.gov</ref>}}<br/>Republican}}<br/>majority →
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|108}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2003}} –<br/>January 3, 2005
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Frist Bill" | [[Bill Frist]]<br/>{{resize|([[Tennessee]])}}
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="McConnell Mitch]]" | [[Mitch McConnell]]<br/>{{resize|([[Kentucky]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|109}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2005}} –<br/>January 3, 2007
| rowspan="12" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Durbin Dick" | [[Dick Durbin]]<br/>{{resize|([[Illinois]])}}
| rowspan="7" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Reid Harry" | [[Harry Reid]]<br/>{{resize|([[Nevada]])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"| {{USCongressOrdinal|110}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2007}} –<br/>December 18, 2007
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
| rowspan="11" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="McConnell Mitch]]" | [[Mitch McConnell]]<br/>{{resize|([[Kentucky]])}}
| {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Lott Trent" | [[Trent Lott]]<br/>{{resize|([[Mississippi]])}}
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|December 19, 2007}} –<br/>January 3, 2009
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Kyl Jon" | [[Jon Kyl]]<br/>{{resize|([[Arizona]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|111}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2009}} –<br/>January 3, 2011
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|112}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2011}} –<br/>January 3, 2013
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|113}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2013}} –<br/>January 3, 2015
| rowspan="3" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Cornyn John" | [[John Cornyn]]<br/>{{resize|([[Texas]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|114}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2015}} –<br/>January 3, 2017
| rowspan="4" {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican<br/>majority →
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|115}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2017}} –<br/>January 3, 2019
| rowspan="5" {{party shading/Democratic}} data-sort-value="Schumer Chuck" | [[Chuck Schumer]]<br/>{{resize|([[New York (state)|New York]])}}
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|116}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2019}} –<br/>January 3, 2021
| rowspan="4" {{party shading/Republican}} data-sort-value="Thune John" | [[John Thune]]<br/>{{resize|([[South Dakota]])}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2" | {{USCongressOrdinal|117}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2021}} –<br/> January 20, 2021
|-
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 20, 2021}} –<br/> January 3, 2023
| rowspan="2" {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic<br/>← majority
|-
!scope="row"| {{USCongressOrdinal|118}}
| nowrap| {{Date table sorting|January 3, 2023}} –<br/>January 3, 2025
|- class="sortbottom"
!scope="col"| [[List of United States Congresses|Congress]]
!scope="col"| Dates
!scope="col"| Democratic whip
!scope="col"| Democratic leader
!scope="col"| Majority
!scope="col"| Republican leader
!scope="col"| Republican whip
|}
==See also==
{{Portal|Politics|United States}}
{{Politics of the United States}}
* [[Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives]]
* [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate]]
* [[Vice President of the United States]] (President of the United States Senate)
* [[Party divisions of United States Congresses]]
* [[List of political parties in the United States]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Majority_Minority_Leaders.htm Majority and Minority Leaders and Party Whips], via Senate.gov
* [http://republican.senate.gov/ Senate Republicans]
* [http://democrats.senate.gov/ Senate Democrats]
{{US Senate leaders}}
{{United States Congress}}
{{Republican Party (United States)}}
{{Democratic Party (United States)}}
[[Category:Leaders of the United States Senate|Party]]
[[Category:Lists of United States senators|Party leaders]]
[[Category:Political whips|United States Senate]]
[[Category:United States Senate]]
[[Category:Lists related to the United States Senate]]