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. However, the chair always comes from the majority party. The leading committee member of the minority party is referred to as the Vice Chair rather than the more common Ranking Member.

History

The Senate Select Committee on Standards and Conduct was first convened in the 89th Congress (1965–66) and later replaced by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics in the 95th Congress (1977–78).

Membership

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.

Members, 119th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • James Lankford, Oklahoma, Chair
  • Jim Risch, Idaho
  • Deb Fischer, Nebraska

| valign=top |

  • Chris Coons, Delaware, Vice Chair
  • Brian Schatz, Hawaii
  • Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire

|}

Chairs

List of chairs of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics

{|class="wikitable sortable"

|-

!Name

!Party

!State

!Start

!End

|-

|

|D

|Mississippi

|1965

|1974

|-

|

|D

|Nevada

|1974

|1977

|-

|

|D

|Illinois

|1977

|1980

|-

|

|D

|Alabama

|1980

|1981

|-

|

|R

|Wyoming

|1981

|1983

|-

|

|R

|Alaska

|1983

|1985

|-

|

|R

|New Hampshire

|1985

|1987

|-

|

|D

|Alabama

|1987

|1992

|-

|

|D

|North Carolina

|1992

|1993

|-

|

|D

|Nevada

|1993

|1995

|-

|

|R

|Kentucky

|1995

|1997

|-

|

|R

|New Hampshire

|1997

|1999

|-

|

|R

|Kansas

|1999

|2001

|-

|

|D

|Nevada

|2001

|2003

|-

|

|R

|Ohio

|2003

|2007

|-

|

|D

|California

|2007

|2015

|-

|

|R

|Georgia

|2015

|2019

|-

|

|R

|Oklahoma

|2019

|2021

|-

|

|D

|Delaware

|2021

|2025

|-

|

|R

|Oklahoma

|2025

|present

|}

Ranking members

{|class="wikitable sortable"

|-

!Name

!Party

!State

!Start

!End

|-

|

|R

|Utah

|1965

|1975

|-

|

|R

|Nebraska

|1975

|1977

|-

|

|R

|New Mexico

|1977

|1979

|-

|

|R

|Wyoming

|1979

|1981

|-

|

|D

|Alabama

|1981

|1987

|-

|

|R

|New Hampshire

|1987

|1993

|-

|

|R

|Kentucky

|1993

|1995

|-

|

|D

|Nevada

|1995

|1997

|-

|

|D

|Nevada

|1997

|2001

|-

|

|R

|Kansas

|2001

|2003

|-

|

|D

|Nevada

|2003

|2005

|-

|

|D

|South Dakota

|2005

|2007

|-

|

|R

|Texas

|2007

|2009

|-

|

|R

|Georgia

|2009

|2015

|-

|

|D

|California

|2015

|2017

|-

|

|D

|Delaware

|2017

|2021

|-

|

|R

|Oklahoma

|2021

|2025

|-

|

|D

|Delaware

|2025

|present

|}

Historical committee rosters

110th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Barbara Boxer, California, Chair
  • Mark Pryor, Arkansas
  • Ken Salazar, Colorado

| valign=top |

  • John Cornyn, Texas, Vice Chair
  • Pat Roberts, Kansas
  • Johnny Isakson, Georgia

|}

111th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Barbara Boxer, California, Chair
  • Mark Pryor, Arkansas
  • Sherrod Brown, Ohio

| valign=top |

  • Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Vice Chair
  • Pat Roberts, Kansas
  • Jim Risch, Idaho

|}

112th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Barbara Boxer, California, Chair
  • Mark Pryor, Arkansas
  • Sherrod Brown, Ohio

| valign=top |

  • Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Vice Chair
  • Pat Roberts, Kansas
  • Jim Risch, Idaho

|}

Source:

113th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Barbara Boxer, California, Chair
  • Mark Pryor, Arkansas
  • Sherrod Brown, Ohio

| valign=top |

  • Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Vice Chair
  • Pat Roberts, Kansas
  • Jim Risch, Idaho

|}

Source:

114th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Chair
  • Pat Roberts, Kansas
  • Jim Risch, Idaho

| valign=top |

  • Barbara Boxer, California, Vice Chair
  • Chris Coons, Delaware
  • Brian Schatz, Hawaii

|}

Source:

115th Congress

Members of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, 115th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Chair
  • Pat Roberts, Kansas
  • Jim Risch, Idaho

| valign=top |

  • Chris Coons, Delaware, Vice Chair
  • Brian Schatz, Hawaii
  • Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire

|}

116th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • James Lankford, Oklahoma, Chair
  • Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Chair<br>
  • Pat Roberts, Kansas
  • Jim Risch, Idaho

| valign=top |

  • Chris Coons, Delaware, Vice Chair
  • Brian Schatz, Hawaii
  • Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire

|}

117th Congress

{|class=wikitable

!Majority

!Minority

|-

| valign=top |

  • Chris Coons, Delaware, Chair
  • Brian Schatz, Hawaii
  • Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire

| valign=top |

  • James Lankford, Oklahoma, Vice Chair
  • Jim Risch, Idaho
  • Deb Fischer, Nebraska

|}

See also

  • List of United States Senate committees
  • United States House Committee on Ethics

References

  • U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics Official Website (Archive)
  • Senate Ethics Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.