In June 2009, 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.
Hearing on sexual assault in the military, June 4, 2013
The Committee on Armed Services (sometimes abbreviated SASC for Senate Armed Services Committee on its Web site) 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 U.S. victory in the Second World War. It merged the responsibilities of the Committee on Naval Affairs (established in 1816) and the Committee on Military Affairs (also established in 1816).
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]
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:[2]
- 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, 114th Congress
| Majority |
Minority |
- John McCain, Arizona, Chair
- 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[3]
- Martin Heinrich, New Mexico
|
Source:[citation needed]
Historical members
Members, 111th Congress
| Majority |
Minority |
- Carl Levin, Michigan, Chair
- Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut[4]
- 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
Members, 112th Congress
| Majority |
Minority |
- Carl Levin, Michigan, Chair
- Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut[5]
- 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
Members, 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
Chairmen
Committee on Military Affairs, 1816–1947
Committee on Naval Affairs, 1816–1947
Committee on Armed Services, 1947–present
See also
- ↑ Steinhauer, Jennifer. "With Chairmanship, McCain Seizes Chance to Reshape Pentagon Agenda", The New York Times (June 9, 2015). Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ↑ Rule XXV: Committees, Standing Rules of the United States Senate.
- ↑ Angus King is an independent, but caucuses with the Democrats.
- ↑ Joe Lieberman is an Independent Democrat, but caucuses with Democrats on the committee.
- ↑ Joe Lieberman is an Independent Democrat, but caucuses with Democrats on the committee.
- ↑ Angus King is an independent, but caucuses with the Democrats.
External links
