The United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs deals with oversight of United States veterans' problems and issues.
Description
The committee was created in 1970 to transfer responsibilities for veterans from the Finance and Labor committees to a single panel. From 1947 to 1970, matters relating to veterans compensation and veterans generally were referred to the Committee on Finance, while matters relating to the vocational rehabilitation, education, medical care, civil relief, and civilian readjustment of veterans were referred to the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare.
Members, 119th Congress
{|class=wikitable
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Jerry Moran, Kansas, Chair
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
- Thom Tillis, North Carolina
- Dan Sullivan, Alaska
- Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
- Kevin Cramer, North Dakota
- Tommy Tuberville, Alabama
- Jim Banks, Indiana
- Tim Sheehy, Montana
| valign=top |
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut, Ranking Member
- Patty Murray, Washington
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
- Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire
- <span >Angus King, Maine</span>
- Tammy Duckworth, Illinois
- Ruben Gallego, Arizona
- Elissa Slotkin, Michigan
|}
According to committee members' official online biographies, five (Banks, Blumenthal, Duckworth, Gallego, Sheehy) of the nineteen members are veterans.
Chairs of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 1971–present
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Name
!colspan=2 |Party
!State
!Start
!End
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Indiana
|1971
|1977
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|California
|1977
|1981
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Wyoming
|1981
|1985
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Alaska
|1985
|1987
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|California
|1987
|1993
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|West Virginia
|1993
|1995
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Wyoming
|1995
|1997
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Pennsylvania
|1997
|2001
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|West Virginia
|2001
|2003
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Pennsylvania
|2003
|2005
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Idaho
|2005
|2007
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Hawaii
|2007
|2011
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Washington
|2011
|2013
|-
|
|
|Independent
|Vermont
|2013
|2015
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Georgia
|2015
|2019
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Kansas
|2020
|2021
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Montana
|2021
|2025
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Kansas
|2025
|present
|}
Ranking members
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Name
!colspan=2 |Party
!State
!Start
!End
|-
|
|
|Republican
|South Carolina
|1971
|1973
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Wyoming
|1973
|1979
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Vermont
|1979
|1981
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|California
|1981
|1987
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Alaska
|1987
|1991
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Pennsylvania
|1991
|1995
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|West Virginia
|1995
|2001
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Pennsylvania
|2001
|2003
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Florida
|2003
|2005
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Hawaii
|2005
|2007
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Idaho
|colspan=2 align=center |2007
|-
|
|
|Republican
|North Carolina
|2007
|2015
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Connecticut
|2015
|2017
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Montana
|2017
|2021
|-
|
|
|Republican
|Kansas
|2021
|2025
|-
|
|
|Democratic
|Connecticut
|2025
|present
|}
Historical committee rosters
118th Congress
{|class=wikitable
|-
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Jon Tester, Montana, Chair
- Patty Murray, Washington
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
- Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
- <span >Joe Manchin, West Virginia</span>
- <span >Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona</span>
- Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire
- <span >Angus King, Maine</span>
| valign=top |
- Jerry Moran, Kansas, Ranking Member
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
- Mike Rounds, South Dakota
- Thom Tillis, North Carolina
- Dan Sullivan, Alaska
- Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
- Kevin Cramer, North Dakota
- Tommy Tuberville, Alabama
|}
According to committee members' official online biographies, two of the eighteen members are veterans: Richard Blumenthal and Dan Sullivan.
117th Congress
{|class=wikitable
|-
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Jon Tester, Montana, Chair
- Patty Murray, Washington
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
- Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
- Joe Manchin, West Virginia
- Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona
- Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire
| valign=top |
- Jerry Moran, Kansas, Ranking Member
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
- Mike Rounds, South Dakota
- Thom Tillis, North Carolina
- Dan Sullivan, Alaska
- Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
- Kevin Cramer, North Dakota
- Tommy Tuberville, Alabama
|}
Source:
116th Congress
{|class=wikitable
|-
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Chair<br>
- Jerry Moran, Kansas, Chair<br>
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
- Mike Rounds, South Dakota
- Thom Tillis, North Carolina
- Dan Sullivan, Alaska
- Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
- Kevin Cramer, North Dakota
- Kelly Loeffler, Georgia <br>
| valign=top |
- Jon Tester, Montana, Ranking Member
- Patty Murray, Washington
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
- Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
- Joe Manchin, West Virginia
- Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona
|}
115th Congress
{|class=wikitable
|-
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Chair
- Jerry Moran, Kansas
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
- Mike Rounds, South Dakota
- Thom Tillis, North Carolina
- Dan Sullivan, Alaska
| valign=top |
- Jon Tester, Montana, Ranking Member
- Patty Murray, Washington
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
- Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
- Joe Manchin, West Virginia
|}
Source:
114th Congress
{|class=wikitable
|-
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Chair
- Jerry Moran, Kansas
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Dean Heller, Nevada
- Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
- Mike Rounds, South Dakota
- Thom Tillis, North Carolina
- Dan Sullivan, Alaska
| valign=top |
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut, Ranking Member
- Patty Murray, Washington
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Jon Tester, Montana
- Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
- Joe Manchin, West Virginia
|}
Source:
113th Congress
{|class=wikitable
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont, Chair</span>
- Jay Rockefeller, West Virginia
- Patty Murray, Washington
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Jon Tester, Montana
- Mark Begich, Alaska
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
- Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
| valign=top |
- Richard Burr, North Carolina, Ranking Member
- Johnny Isakson, Georgia
- Mike Johanns, Nebraska
- Jerry Moran, Kansas
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Dean Heller, Nevada
|}
Source: to 297
112th Congress
{|class=wikitable
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Patty Murray, Washington, Chair
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Jay Rockefeller, West Virginia
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Jon Tester, Montana
- Mark Begich, Alaska
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
- Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
| valign=top |
- Richard Burr, North Carolina, Ranking Member
- Johnny Isakson, Georgia
- Mike Johanns, Nebraska
- Jerry Moran, Kansas
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Dean Heller, Nevada
|}
Source:
111th Congress
{|class=wikitable
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Daniel Akaka, Hawaii, Chair
- Jay Rockefeller, West Virginia
- Patty Murray, Washington
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Jim Webb, Virginia
- Jon Tester, Montana
- Mark Begich, Alaska
- Roland Burris, Illinois, until November 29, 2010
- Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania
| valign=top |
- Richard Burr, North Carolina, Ranking Member
- Johnny Isakson, Georgia
- Roger Wicker, Mississippi
- Mike Johanns, Nebraska
- Scott Brown, Massachusetts
- Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
|}
Source: and
110th Congress
{|class=wikitable
!Majority
!Minority
|-
| valign=top |
- Daniel Akaka, Hawaii, Chair
- Jay Rockefeller, West Virginia
- Patty Murray, Washington
- <span >Bernie Sanders, Vermont</span>
- Sherrod Brown, Ohio
- Jim Webb, Virginia
- Jon Tester, Montana
| valign=top |
- Richard Burr, Ranking Member, North Carolina
- Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania
- Johnny Isakson, Georgia
- Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
- Roger Wicker, Mississippi
- Mike Johanns, Nebraska
|}
See also
- List of United States Senate committees
- United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Notes
References
External links
- United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs (Archive)
- Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.