thumb|In 2011, Chair [[Joe Lieberman and Ranking Member Susan Collins address bipartisan suggestion on countermeasures toward domestic terrorism and Jihadist extremism in the United States.]]
The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is the chief oversight committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and accounting measures other than appropriations, the census, the federal civil service, the affairs of the District of Columbia and the United States Postal Service. It was called the United States Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs before homeland security was added to its responsibilities in 2004. It serves as the Senate's chief investigative and oversight committee. Its chair is the only Senate committee chair who can issue subpoenas without a committee vote.
History
While elements of the committee can be traced back into the 19th century, its modern origins began with the creation of the Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments on April 18, 1921. The Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Department was renamed the Committee on Government Operations in 1952, which was reorganized as the Committee on Governmental Affairs in 1978. After passage of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the committee became the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and added homeland security to its jurisdiction.
Jurisdiction
In accordance of Rule XXV(k) of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating primarily to the following subjects is referred to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee:
- Archives of the United States;
- Budget and accounting measures, other than appropriations, except as provided in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974;
- Census and collection of statistics, including economic and social statistics;
- Congressional organization, except for any part of the matter that amends the rules or orders of the Senate;
- Department of Homeland Security, as provided in S.Res.445.
- Federal Civil Service;
- Government information;
- Intergovernmental relations;
- Municipal affairs of the District of Columbia, except appropriations therefor;
- Organization and management of United States nuclear export policy;
- Organization and reorganization of the executive branch of Government;
- Postal Service; and
- Status of officers and employees of the United States, including their classification, compensation, and benefits.
The committee also has the duty of:
- receiving and examining reports of the Comptroller General of the United States and of submitting such recommendations to the Senate as it deems necessary or desirable in connection with the subject matter of such reports;
- studying the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all agencies and departments of the Government;
- evaluating the effects of laws enacted to reorganize the legislative and executive branches of the Government; and
- studying the intergovernmental relationships between the United States and the States and municipalities, and between the United States and international organizations of which the United States is a member.
!Minority
|-
| valign="top" |
- Rand Paul, Kentucky, Chair
- Ron Johnson, Wisconsin
- James Lankford, Oklahoma
- Rick Scott, Florida
- Josh Hawley, Missouri
- Bernie Moreno, Ohio
- Joni Ernst, Iowa
- Ashley Moody, Florida (from January 24, 2025)
| valign="top" |
- Gary Peters, Michigan, Ranking Member
- Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
- John Fetterman, Pennsylvania
- Andy Kim, New Jersey
- Ruben Gallego, Arizona
- Elissa Slotkin, Michigan
|}
Subcommittees
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Subcommittee
!Chair
!Ranking Member
|-
|Investigations (Permanent)
|Ron Johnson (R-WI)
|Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
|-
|Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs
|James Lankford (R-OK)
|John Fetterman (D-PA)
|-
|Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census
|Josh Hawley (R-MO)
|Andy Kim (D-NJ)
|}
Chair
Committee on Expenditures in Executive Departments, 1921–1952
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Name
!Party
!State
!Start
!End
|-
|
|Republican
|IL
|1921
|1925
|-
|
|Republican
|PA
|1925
|1927
|-
|
|Republican
|KY
|1927
|1930
|-
|
|Republican
|WV
|1930
|1931
|-
|
|Republican
|OR
|1931
|1933
|-
|
|Democratic
|IL
|1933
|1939
|-
|
|Democratic
|IN
|1939
|1942
|-
|
|Democratic
|AL
|1942
|1947
|-
|
|Republican
|VT
|1947
|1949
|-
|
|Democratic
|AR
|1949
|1952
|}
Committee on Government Operations, 1952–1977
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Name
!Party
!State
!Start
!End
|-
|
|Democratic
|AR
|1952
|1953
|-
|
|Republican
|WI
|1953
|1955
|-
|
|Democratic
|AR
|1955
|1972
|-
|
|Democratic
|NC
|1972
|1974
|-
|
|Democratic
|CT
|1974
|1977
|}
Committee on Governmental Affairs, 1977–2005
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Name
!Party
!State
!Start
!End
|-
|
|Democratic
|CT
|1977
|1981
|-
|
|Republican
|DE
|1981
|1987
|-
|
|Democratic
|OH
|1987
|1995
|-
|
|Republican
|DE
|colspan=2 align=center |1995
|-
|
|Republican
|AK
|1995
|1997
|-
|
|Republican
|TN
|1997
|2001
|-
|
|Democratic
|CT
|colspan=2 align=center |2001
|-
|
|Republican
|TN
|colspan=2 align=center |2001
|-
|
|Democratic
|CT
|2001
|2003
|-
|
|Republican
|ME
|2003
|2005
|}
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 2005–present
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Name
!Party
!State
!Start
!End
|-
|
|Republican
|ME
|2005
|2007
|-
|
|Independent Democrat
|CT
|2007
|2013
|-
|
|Democratic
|DE
|2013
|2015
|-
|
|Republican
|WI
|2015
|2021
|-
|
|Democratic
|MI
|2021
|2025
|-
|
|Republican
|KY
|2025
|present
|}
Ranking members
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Name
!Party
!State
!Start
!End
|-
|
|Republican
|PA
|???
|1945
|-
|
|Republican
|VT
|1945
|1947
|-
|
|Democratic
|AR
|1947
|1949
|-
|
|Republican
|WI
|1949
|1953
|-
|
|Democratic
|AR
|1953
|1955
|-
|
|Republican
|WI
|1955
|1959
|-
|
|Republican
|SD
|1963
|1972
|-
|
|Republican
|IL
|1972
|1981
|-
|
|Democratic
|MO
|1981
|1987
|-
|
|Republican
|DE
|1987
|1995
|-
|
|Republican
|OH
|1995
|1999
|-
|
|Democratic
|CT
|1999
|2001
|-
|
|Republican
|TN
|2001
|2003
|-
|
|Democratic
|CT
|2003
|2007
|-
|
|Republican
|ME
|2007
|2013
|-
|
|Republican
|OK
|2013
|2015
|-
|
|Democratic
|DE
|2015
|2017
|-
|
|Democratic
|MO
|2017
|2019
|-
|
|Democratic
|MI
|2019
|2021
|-
|
|Republican
|OH
|2021
|2023
|-
|
|Republican
|KY
|2023
|2025
|-
|
|Democratic
|MI
|2025
|present
|}
Historical committee rosters
118th Congress
{|class=wikitable
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign="top" |
- Gary Peters, Michigan, Chair
- Tom Carper, Delaware
- Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire
- <span >Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona</span>
- Jacky Rosen, Nevada
- Alex Padilla, California (until October 17, 2023)
- Jon Ossoff, Georgia
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
- Laphonza Butler, California (October 17, 2023–December 8, 2024)
- Adam Schiff, California (from December 10, 2024)
| valign="top" |
- Rand Paul, Kentucky, Ranking Member
- Ron Johnson, Wisconsin
- James Lankford, Oklahoma
- Mitt Romney, Utah
- Rick Scott, Florida
- Josh Hawley, Missouri
- Roger Marshall, Kansas
|}
;Subcommittees
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Subcommittee
!Chair
!Ranking Member
|-
|Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight
|Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
|Mitt Romney (R-UT)
|-
|Government Operations and Border Management
|Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)
|James Lankford (R-OK)
|-
|Investigations (Permanent)
|Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
|Ron Johnson (R-WI)
|}
117th Congress
{|class=wikitable
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign="top" |
- Gary Peters, Michigan, Chair
- Tom Carper, Delaware
- Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire
- Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona
- Jacky Rosen, Nevada
- Alex Padilla, California
- Jon Ossoff, Georgia
| valign="top" |
- Rob Portman, Ohio, Ranking Member
- Ron Johnson, Wisconsin
- Rand Paul, Kentucky
- James Lankford, Oklahoma
- Mitt Romney, Utah
- Rick Scott, Florida
- Josh Hawley, Missouri
|}
;Subcommittees
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Subcommittee
!Chair
!Ranking Member
|-
|Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight
|Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
|Rand Paul (R-KY)
|-
|Government Operations and Border Management
|Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)
|James Lankford (R-OK)
|-
|Investigations (Permanent)
|Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
|Ron Johnson (R-WI)
|}
116th Congress
{|class=wikitable
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign="top" |
- Ron Johnson, Wisconsin, Chair
- Rob Portman, Ohio
- Rand Paul, Kentucky
- James Lankford, Oklahoma
- Mike Enzi, Wyoming
- Mitt Romney, Utah
- Rick Scott, Florida
- Josh Hawley, Missouri
| valign="top" |
- Gary Peters, Michigan, Ranking Member
- Tom Carper, Delaware
- Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire
- Kamala Harris, California
- Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona
- Jacky Rosen, Nevada
|}
;Subcommittees
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Subcommittee
!Chair
!Ranking Member
|-
|Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management
|Rand Paul (R-KY)
|Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
|-
|Investigations (Permanent)
|Rob Portman (R-OH)
|Tom Carper (D-DE)
|-
|Government Operations and Border Management
|James Lankford (R-OK)
|Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)
|}
See also
- List of United States Senate committees
Notes
References
External links
- Official Committee Website (Archive)
- Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.
- U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) Page for the Committee of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs