United States Senate Committee on Armed Services

Senate Armed Services Committee
Standing committee
Active; ; United States Senate; 118th Congress
History
Formed	January 2, 1947
Leadership
Chair	Jack Reed (D) ; Since February 3, 2021
Ranking member	Roger Wicker (R) ; Since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats	25 members
Political parties	Majority (13) Democratic (11); Independent (2); Minority (12) Republican (12);
Jurisdiction
Policy areas	Defense policy, military operations
Oversight authority	Department of Defense, Armed Forces
House counterpart	House Armed Services Committee
Website
	www.armed-services.senate.gov

The Committee on Armed Services, sometimes abbreviated SASC for Senate Armed Services Committee, is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy (as pertaining to national security), benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and other matters related to defense policy. The Armed Services Committee was created as a result of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 following the U.S. victory in World War II. The bill merged the responsibilities of the Committee on Naval Affairs, established in 1816, and the Committee on Military Affairs, also established in 1816.

Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Warner (R-VA) listen to Admiral Mike Mullen's confirmation hearing before the Armed Services Committee to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in July 2007; the Armed Services Committee is charged with overseeing the U.S. Senate's confirmation hearings for senior U.S. military.

Armed Services Committee senators Joe Lieberman, Carl Levin (chair), and John McCain listen to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus deliver his opening remarks for the fiscal year 2010 budget request in June 2009.

The committee's Don't Ask, Don't Tell hearing on December 2, 2010; U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates greets Ranking member, John McCain.

The Committee on Armed Services' hearing on sexual assault in the military on June 4, 2013

Considered one of the most powerful Senate committees, its broad mandate allowed it to report some of the most extensive and revolutionary legislation during the Cold War years, including the National Security Act of 1947. The committee tends to take a more bipartisan approach than other committees, as many of its members formerly served in the military or have major defense interests located in the states they come from.^[1] The committee's regular legislative product is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has been passed by Congress and signed into law annually since 1962.^[2]

The current chair is Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island, and the Ranking Member is Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi (2023).

Jurisdiction

According to the Standing Rules of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects are referred to the Armed Services Committee:^[3]

Aeronautical and space activities pertaining to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems or military operations.
Common defense.
Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force, generally.
Maintenance and operation of the Panama Canal, including administration, sanitation, and government of the Canal Zone.
Military research and development.
National security aspects of nuclear energy.
Naval petroleum reserves, except those in Alaska.
Pay, promotion, retirement, and other benefits and privileges of members of the Armed Forces, including overseas education of civilian and military dependents.
Selective service system.
Strategic and critical materials necessary for the common defense.

Members, 118th Congress

Majority^[4]	Minority^[5]
Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Chair Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine^[6] Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan Joe Manchin, West Virginia ^[6] Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona	Roger Wicker, Mississippi, Ranking Member Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Dan Sullivan, Alaska Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Rick Scott, Florida Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Ted Budd, North Carolina Eric Schmitt, Missouri

Subcommittees

Subcommittee Name
Airland	Mark Kelly (D-AZ)	Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Cybersecurity	Joe Manchin (D-WV)	Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Emerging Threats and Capabilities	Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)	Joni Ernst (R-IA)
Personnel	Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)	Rick Scott (R-FL)
Readiness and Management Support	Mazie Hirono (D-HI)	Dan Sullivan (R-AK)
Seapower	Tim Kaine (D-VA)	Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
Strategic Forces	Angus King (I-ME)	Deb Fischer (R-NE)

Chairs

Committee on Military Affairs, 1816–1947

	Party	State	Years
John Williams	Democratic-Republican	Tennessee	1816–1817
George M. Troup	Democratic-Republican	Georgia	1817–1818
John Williams	Democratic-Republican	Tennessee	1818–1823
Andrew Jackson	Jackson Republican	Tennessee	1823–1825
William Henry Harrison	Adams	Ohio	1825–1828
Thomas H. Benton	Jacksonian/Democratic	Missouri	1828–1841
William Preston	Whig	South Carolina	1841–1842
John J. Crittenden	Whig	Kentucky	1842–1845
Thomas H. Benton	Democratic	Missouri	1845–1849
Jefferson Davis	Democratic	Mississippi	1849–1851
James Shields	Democratic	Illinois	1851–1855
John Weller	Democratic	California	1855–1857
Jefferson Davis	Democratic	Mississippi	1857–1861
Robert Ward Johnson	Democratic	Arkansas	1861
Henry Wilson	Republican	Massachusetts	1861–1872
John A. Logan	Republican	Illinois	1872–1877
George E. Spencer	Republican	Alabama	1877–1879
Theodore Randolph	Democratic	New Jersey	1879–1881
John A. Logan	Republican	Illinois	1881–1886
Joseph R. Hawley	Republican	Connecticut	1887–1893
Edward Walthall	Democratic	Mississippi	1893–1894
Joseph R. Hawley	Republican	Connecticut	1894–1905
Francis E. Warren	Republican	Wyoming	1905–1911
Henry A. du Pont	Republican	Delaware	1911–1913
Joseph F. Johnston	Democratic	Alabama	1913^[8]
George E. Chamberlain	Democratic	Oregon	1913–1919
James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr.	Republican	New York	1919–1927
David Reed	Republican	Pennsylvania	1927–1933
Morris Sheppard	Democratic	Texas	1933–1941
Robert R. Reynolds	Democratic	North Carolina	1942–1945
Elbert Thomas	Democratic	Utah	1945–1947

Committee on Naval Affairs, 1816–1947

	Party	State	Years
Charles Tait	Republican	Georgia	1816–1818
Nathan Sanford	Republican	New York	1818–1819
James Pleasants	Republican	Virginia	1819–1823
James Lloyd	Adams-Clay Federalist	Massachusetts	1823–1825
Robert Y. Hayne	Jacksonian	South Carolina	1825–1832
George M. Dallas	Jacksonian	Pennsylvania	1832–1833
Samuel Southard	Anti-Jackson	New Jersey	1833–1836
William Rives	Jacksonian/Democratic	Virginia	1836–1839
Reuel Williams	Democratic	Maine	1839–1841
Willie P. Mangum	Whig	North Carolina	1841–1842
Richard Bayard	Whig	Delaware	1842–1845
John Fairfield	Democratic	Maine	1845–1847
David Yulee	Democratic	Florida	1847–1851
William Gwin	Democratic	California	1851–1855
Stephen Mallory	Democratic	Florida	1855–1861
John R. Thomson	Democratic	New Jersey	1861
John Hale	Republican	New Hampshire	1861–1864
James Grimes	Republican	Iowa	1864–1870
Aaron Cragin	Republican	New Hampshire	1870–1877
Aaron A. Sargent	Republican	California	1877–1879
John R. McPherson	Democratic	New Jersey	1879–1881
James Donald Cameron	Republican	Pennsylvania	1881–1893
John R. McPherson	Democratic	New Jersey	1893–1895
James Donald Cameron	Republican	Pennsylvania	1895–1897
Eugene Hale	Republican	Maine	1897–1909
George C. Perkins	Republican	California	1909–1913
Benjamin Tillman	Democratic	South Carolina	1913–1918
Claude A. Swanson	Democratic	Virginia	1918–1919
Carroll S. Page	Republican	Vermont	1919–1923
Frederick Hale	Republican	Maine	1923–1933
Park Trammell	Democratic	Florida	1933–1937
David I. Walsh	Democratic	Massachusetts	1937–1947

Committee on Armed Services, 1947–present

	Party	State	Years
Chan Gurney	Republican	South Dakota	1947–1949
Millard E. Tydings	Democratic	Maryland	1949–1951
Richard Russell Jr.	Democratic	Georgia	1951–1953
Leverett Saltonstall	Republican	Massachusetts	1953–1955
Richard Russell Jr.	Democratic	Georgia	1955–1969
John C. Stennis	Democratic	Mississippi	1969–1981
John Tower	Republican	Texas	1981–1985
Barry Goldwater	Republican	Arizona	1985–1987
Sam Nunn	Democratic	Georgia	1987–1995
Strom Thurmond	Republican	South Carolina	1995–1999
John W. Warner	Republican	Virginia	1999–2001
Carl Levin	Democratic	Michigan	2001^[9]
John W. Warner	Republican	Virginia	2001
Carl Levin	Democratic	Michigan	2001–2003^[10]
John W. Warner	Republican	Virginia	2003–2007
Carl Levin	Democratic	Michigan	2007–2015
John McCain	Republican	Arizona	2015–2018^[11]
James Inhofe	Republican	Oklahoma	2018–2021
Jack Reed	Democratic	Rhode Island	2021–present

Historical committee rosters

111th Congress

Majority	Minority
Carl Levin, Michigan, Chair Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut^[6] Jack Reed, Rhode Island Daniel Akaka, Hawaii Bill Nelson, Florida Ben Nelson, Nebraska Evan Bayh, Indiana Jim Webb, Virginia Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Mark Begich, Alaska Roland Burris, Illinois, until November 2010 Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico Ted Kaufman, Delaware, until November 2010 Carte Goodwin, West Virginia, until November 2010 Joe Manchin, West Virginia, from November 2010 Chris Coons, Delaware, from November 2010	John McCain, Arizona, Ranking Member James Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Thune, South Dakota Roger Wicker, Mississippi George LeMieux, Florida Scott Brown, Massachusetts Richard Burr, North Carolina David Vitter, Louisiana Susan Collins, Maine

Source: 2010 Congressional Record, Vol. 156, Page S6226

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Minority Member
Airland	Joe Lieberman (I-CT)	John Thune (R-SD)
Emerging Threats and Capabilities	Bill Nelson (D-FL)	George LeMieux (R-FL)
Personnel	Jim Webb (D-VA)	Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Readiness and Management Support	Evan Bayh (D-IN)	Richard Burr (R-NC)
SeaPower	Jack Reed (D-RI)	Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Strategic Forces	Ben Nelson (D-NE)	David Vitter (R-LA)

112th Congress

Majority	Minority
Carl Levin, Michigan, Chair Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut^[6] Jack Reed, Rhode Island Daniel Akaka, Hawaii Ben Nelson, Nebraska Jim Webb, Virginia Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Mark Begich, Alaska Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut	John McCain, Arizona, Ranking Member James Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Roger Wicker, Mississippi Scott Brown, Massachusetts Rob Portman, Ohio Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Susan Collins, Maine Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Cornyn, Texas David Vitter, Louisiana

Source: 2011 Congressional Record, Vol. 157, Page S557

Subcommittees

Subcommittee
Airland	Joe Lieberman (I-CT)	Scott Brown (R-MA)
Emerging Threats and Capabilities	Kay Hagan (D-NC)	Rob Portman (R-OH)
Personnel	Jim Webb (D-VA)	Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Readiness and Management Support	Claire McCaskill (D-MO)	Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
Seapower	Jack Reed (D-RI)	Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Strategic Forces	Ben Nelson (D-NE)	Jeff Sessions (R-AL)

113th Congress

Majority	Minority
Carl Levin, Michigan, Chair Jack Reed, Rhode Island Bill Nelson, Florida Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine^[6]	James Inhofe, Oklahoma, Ranking Member John McCain, Arizona Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Roger Wicker, Mississippi Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Deb Fischer, Nebraska Lindsey Graham, South Carolina David Vitter, Louisiana Roy Blunt, Missouri Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas

Source: 2013 Congressional Record, Vol. 159, Page S296

Subcommittees

Subcommittee
Airland	Joe Manchin (D-WV)	Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Emerging Threats and Capabilities	Kay Hagan (D-NC)	Deb Fischer (R-NE)
Personnel	Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)	Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Readiness and Management Support	Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)	Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
Seapower	Jack Reed (D-RI)	John McCain (R-AZ)
Strategic Forces	Mark Udall (D-CO)	Jeff Sessions (R-AL)

114th Congress

Majority	Minority
John McCain, Arizona, Chairman Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Roger Wicker, Mississippi Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska Mike Lee, Utah Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Ted Cruz, Texas	Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Bill Nelson, Florida Claire McCaskill, Missouri Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine^[6] Martin Heinrich, New Mexico

Subcommittee
Airland	Tom Cotton (R-AR)	Joe Manchin (D-WV)
Emerging Threats and Capabilities	Deb Fischer (R-NE)	Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Personnel	Lindsey Graham (R-SC)	Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Readiness and Management Support	Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)	Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Seapower	Roger Wicker (R-MS)	Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Strategic Forces	Jeff Sessions (R-AL)	Joe Donnelly (D-IN)

115th Congress

Majority	Minority
Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma, Chairman (from September 6, 2018) John McCain, Arizona, Chairman (until August 25, 2018) Roger Wicker, Mississippi Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska David Perdue, Georgia Ted Cruz, Texas Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Ben Sasse, Nebraska Tim Scott, South Carolina Jon Kyl, Arizona (from September 6, 2018)	Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Bill Nelson, Florida Claire McCaskill, Missouri Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine^[6] Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan

116th Congress

Majority	Minority
Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma, Chairman Roger Wicker, Mississippi Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska David Perdue, Georgia Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Martha McSally, Arizona (until December 2, 2020) Rick Scott, Florida Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Josh Hawley, Missouri	Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine^[6] Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan Joe Manchin, West Virginia Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Doug Jones, Alabama

117th Congress

Majority	Minority
Jack Reed, Rhode Island, Chair Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine^[6] Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan Joe Manchin, West Virginia Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona	Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma, Ranking Member Roger Wicker, Mississippi Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Rick Scott, Florida Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Josh Hawley, Missouri Tommy Tuberville, Alabama

Source:^[12]

Footnotes

^ Steinhauer, Jennifer. "With Chairmanship, McCain Seizes Chance to Reshape Pentagon Agenda", The New York Times (June 9, 2015). Retrieved June 10, 2015.
^ "History of the NDAA". February 3, 2017.
^ Rule XXV: Committees, Standing Rules of the United States Senate.
^ S.Res. 30 (118th Congress)
^ S.Res. 31 (118th Congress)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Independent Senator caucusing with Democrats
^ ^a ^b "Senate Armed Services Committee - Subcommittees, 118th Congress". Senate Armed Services Committee. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
^ Died August 8, 1913.
^ At the beginning of the 107th Congress in January 2001 the Senate was evenly divided. With a Democratic president and vice president still serving until January 20, the Democratic vice president was available to break a tie, and the Democrats thus controlled the Senate for 17 days, from January 3 to January 20. On January 3 the Senate adopted S. Res. 7 designating Democratic senators as committee chairmen to serve during this period and Republican chairmen to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.
^ On June 6, 2001, the Democrats took control of the Senate after Senator James Jeffords (VT) changed from the Republican Party to Independent and announced that he would caucus with the Democrats.
^ Died August 25, 2018.
^ "U.S. Senate: Committee on Armed Services". Senate.gov. Retrieved January 7, 2017.

External links

Official website (archive)
Senate Armed Services Committee Report on Torture released November 20, 2008.
Historic archives at Internet Archive:
Works by United States Senate Committee on Armed Services at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)

[1] Steinhauer, Jennifer. "With Chairmanship, McCain Seizes Chance to Reshape Pentagon Agenda", The New York Times (June 9, 2015). Retrieved June 10, 2015.

[2] "History of the NDAA". February 3, 2017.

[3] Rule XXV: Committees, Standing Rules of the United States Senate.

[4] S.Res. 30 (118th Congress)

[5] S.Res. 31 (118th Congress)

[Indy-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Independent Senator caucusing with Democrats

[Subcommittee_membership-7] "Senate Armed Services Committee - Subcommittees, 118th Congress". Senate Armed Services Committee. Retrieved March 17, 2023.

[8] Died August 8, 1913.

[9] At the beginning of the 107th Congress in January 2001 the Senate was evenly divided. With a Democratic president and vice president still serving until January 20, the Democratic vice president was available to break a tie, and the Democrats thus controlled the Senate for 17 days, from January 3 to January 20. On January 3 the Senate adopted S. Res. 7 designating Democratic senators as committee chairmen to serve during this period and Republican chairmen to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.

[10] On June 6, 2001, the Democrats took control of the Senate after Senator James Jeffords (VT) changed from the Republican Party to Independent and announced that he would caucus with the Democrats.

[11] Died August 25, 2018.

[12] "U.S. Senate: Committee on Armed Services". Senate.gov. Retrieved January 7, 2017.

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