United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics

The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics is a select committee of the United States Senate charged with dealing with matters related to senatorial ethics. It is also commonly referred to as the Senate Ethics Committee. Senate rules require the Ethics Committee to be evenly divided between the Democrats and the Republicans, no matter who controls the Senate, although the chairperson always come from the majority party.

Members, 113th Congress

The committee is chaired by Democrat Barbara Boxer of California, and the Vice Chairman is Johnny Isakson of Georgia. Pursuant to Senate Rule 25, the committee is limited to six members, and is equally divided between Democrats and Republicans. This effectively means that either party can veto any action taken by the committee.

Majority	Minority
Barbara Boxer, California, Chair Mark Pryor, Arkansas Sherrod Brown, Ohio	Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Vice Chair Pat Roberts, Kansas Jim Risch, Idaho

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

Chairmen

(incomplete list)

• John C. Stennis (D-MS), 1965–1975
• Howard Cannon (D-NV), 1975–1977
• Adlai Stevenson III (D-IL), 1977–1980
• Howell Heflin (D-AL), 1980–1981
• Malcolm Wallop (R-WY), 1981–1983
• Ted Stevens (R-AK), 1983–1987
• Howell Heflin (D-AL), 1987–1992
• Terry Sanford (D-NC), 1992–1993
• Richard Bryan (D-NV), 1993–1995
• Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 1995–1997
• Robert C. Smith (R-NH), 1997–1999
• Pat Roberts (R-KS), 1999 – January 3, 2001
• Vacant, January 3–20, 2001
• Pat Roberts (R-KS), January 20 – June 6, 2001
• Harry Reid (D-NV), June 6, 2001 – 2003
• George Voinovich (R-OH), 2003–2007
• Barbara Boxer (D-CA), 2007–present

External links

• U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics Official Website
• Senate Select Ethics Committee member profiles collected news and commentary at The Washington Post