Secretary of the United States Senate
Encyclopedia
The Secretary of the Senate is an elected officer of the United States Senate
. The Secretary supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body. The office is somewhat analogous to that of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
.
The first secretary was chosen on April 8, 1789, two days after the Senate achieved its first quorum
for business at the beginning of the 1st United States Congress
. From the start, the secretary was responsible for keeping the minutes
and records of the Senate, including the records of senators' election, and for receiving and transmitting official messages to and from the President
and the House of Representatives
, as well as for purchasing supplies. As the Senate grew to become a major national institution, numerous other duties were assigned to the secretary, whose jurisdiction now encompasses clerks, curator
s, and computers; disbursement of payroll
s; acquisition of stationery supplies; education of the Senate pages
; and the maintenance of public records. Today, the secretary coordinates two of the largest technology initiatives in Senate history, both designed to bring state-of-the-art efficiency to management of legislative and financial information. The secretary's responsibilities include both legislative and administrative functions. Today, by agreement of the two parties, the Majority Leader selects the Secretary of the Senate, and the election is merely ceremonial.
The current secretary (for the 111th United States Congress
) is Nancy Erickson
.
into the Senate chamber for the opening of the day's session and a seat beside the presiding officer is reserved for the secretary. Every act passed by the Senate is examined and signed by the secretary. In certain parliamentary circumstances, the secretary may also preside over the Senate. The most recent occurrence was on 28 June 2010, after Senator Robert Byrd
of West Virginia
, who had been serving as President Pro Tempore
died, and Vice President Joseph Biden was absent. On that occasion, Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson took the chair briefly until the Senate adopted a resolution to elect Senator Daniel Inouye
of Hawaii
as the new President Pro Tempore.
The first secretary took the minutes of Senate proceedings, a function continued today by the journal clerk. After the Congressional Record
evolved into an official publication, the secretary came to supervise the Senate's reporters of debates and preparation of the Daily Digest. Among other Senate floor staff who report to the secretary are the parliamentarian, bill clerk, and legislative clerk.
In recognition of the immediate and historical significance of Senate bills, resolutions, hearings, and reports, the secretary oversees the Office of Printing and Document Services, the Office of Senate Security (which maintains classified documents), the United States Senate Library
, the Office of Senate Curator
, and the Senate Historical Office
. The secretary also maintains the Office of Interparliamentary Services to provide support for those interparliamentary conferences in which the Senate participates and to assist senators in international travel. Also under the secretary's direction, the Office of Public Records collects and makes publicly available documents relating to campaign finance, financial ethics, foreign travel, and lobbying.
In 1789 the secretary was authorized to hire "one principal clerk." This principal clerk, or chief clerk, for many years served primarily as a reading clerk on the Senate floor. But during the 1960s, in response to the secretary's growing administrative duties, the position evolved into that of assistant secretary of the Senate, who oversees the administration of the Secretary's Office, including computers and the secretary's web site. The assistant secretary also performs the functions of the secretary in his or her absence. During the 1960s, under the leadership of Francis R. Valeo
, staff positions under the secretary of the Senate were redefined from patronage to professional status, a trend continued by Valeo's successors.
, the first secretary of the Senate, had previously been speaker of the Massachusetts legislature and a member of the Continental Congress
. Otis held the post of secretary for twenty-five years, never missing a day that the Senate was in session. General Anson McCook of New York, a former House member and one of the "Fighting McCooks
" of the Civil War
, served as secretary, as well as a former Confederate
general and Congressman, William R. Cox
of North Carolina. In addition, two former U.S. senators, Charles Cutts
of New Hampshire and Walter Lowrie
of Pennsylvania, have later served as secretary. Other former House members who have held the post include Charles G. Bennett (NY). During the Ninety-ninth Congress (1985-1987), Jo-Anne Coe
became the first woman to serve as secretary.
It has not been unusual for secretaries of the Senate to have devoted their entire careers to the Senate. Several began as pages, including Edwin Halsey, who served throughout the dramatic New Deal years; Leslie Biffle, a close confidant of President Harry Truman; Carl Loeffler and J. Mark Trice, secretaries during the Eightieth and Eighty-third congresses; and Walter J. Stewart, secretary from 1987 to 1994.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. The Secretary supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body. The office is somewhat analogous to that of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
The Clerk of the United States House of Representatives is an officer of the United States House of Representatives, whose primary duty is to act as the chief record-keeper for the House....
.
The first secretary was chosen on April 8, 1789, two days after the Senate achieved its first quorum
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
for business at the beginning of the 1st United States Congress
1st United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, five House seats were added for North Carolina and one House seat was added for Rhode Island when they ratified the Constitution.-Senate:* President: John Adams * President pro tempore: John Langdon...
. From the start, the secretary was responsible for keeping the minutes
Minutes
Minutes, also known as protocols, are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting, starting with a list of attendees, a statement of the issues considered by the participants, and related responses or decisions for the issues.Minutes may be...
and records of the Senate, including the records of senators' election, and for receiving and transmitting official messages to and from the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, as well as for purchasing supplies. As the Senate grew to become a major national institution, numerous other duties were assigned to the secretary, whose jurisdiction now encompasses clerks, curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
s, and computers; disbursement of payroll
Payroll
In a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries for an employee, wages, bonuses and deductions. In accounting, payroll refers to the amount paid to employees for services they provided during a certain period of time. Payroll plays a major role in a company for several reasons...
s; acquisition of stationery supplies; education of the Senate pages
United States Senate Page
A United States Senate Page is a non-partisan federal employee serving the United States Senate in Washington, DC. Despite the non-partisan affiliation, Pages are typically divided to serve the party that appointed them.-Selection:In order to become a US Senate Page, one must first be nominated...
; and the maintenance of public records. Today, the secretary coordinates two of the largest technology initiatives in Senate history, both designed to bring state-of-the-art efficiency to management of legislative and financial information. The secretary's responsibilities include both legislative and administrative functions. Today, by agreement of the two parties, the Majority Leader selects the Secretary of the Senate, and the election is merely ceremonial.
The current secretary (for the 111th United States Congress
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
) is Nancy Erickson
Nancy Erickson
Nancy Erickson is the current Secretary of the United States Senate. She began her term as Secretary on January 4, 2007 in the 110th Congress. Erickson was appointed by Democratic and Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Prior to serving as Secretary of the Senate, Erickson served as the...
.
Legislative functions
The secretary regularly accompanies the chaplainChaplain of the United States Senate
The Chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for Senators, their staffs, and their families. The Chaplain is appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Senate...
into the Senate chamber for the opening of the day's session and a seat beside the presiding officer is reserved for the secretary. Every act passed by the Senate is examined and signed by the secretary. In certain parliamentary circumstances, the secretary may also preside over the Senate. The most recent occurrence was on 28 June 2010, after Senator Robert Byrd
Robert Byrd
Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, who had been serving as President Pro Tempore
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
died, and Vice President Joseph Biden was absent. On that occasion, Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson took the chair briefly until the Senate adopted a resolution to elect Senator Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
as the new President Pro Tempore.
The first secretary took the minutes of Senate proceedings, a function continued today by the journal clerk. After the Congressional Record
Congressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
evolved into an official publication, the secretary came to supervise the Senate's reporters of debates and preparation of the Daily Digest. Among other Senate floor staff who report to the secretary are the parliamentarian, bill clerk, and legislative clerk.
Administrative functions
The first secretary purchased the quill pens, ink, and parchment needed by eighteenth-century senators. Modern secretaries of the Senate have responsibility for the Senate Stationery Room, a multimillion-dollar retail operation that keeps senators' offices supplied. From the beginning, the secretary served as the Senate's disbursing officer, paying senators their original salary of six dollars a day plus travel expenses. As the Senate grew, a separate financial clerk was appointed under the secretary's jurisdiction.In recognition of the immediate and historical significance of Senate bills, resolutions, hearings, and reports, the secretary oversees the Office of Printing and Document Services, the Office of Senate Security (which maintains classified documents), the United States Senate Library
United States Senate Library
The United States Senate Library is the library of the United States Senate.The United States Senate Librarian manages the Senate Library, which is under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary of the United States Senate. Leona I. Faust has been the Senate Librarian since 2009...
, the Office of Senate Curator
Curator of the United States Senate
The United States Senate Curator is an employee of the United States Senate who is responsible for developing and implementing the museum and preservation programs for the Senate Commission on Art. The Curator Office collects, preserves, and interprets the Senate's fine and decorative arts,...
, and the Senate Historical Office
Historian of the United States Senate
The Historian of the United States Senate heads the United States Senate Historical Office, which was created in 1975 to record and preserve historical information about the United States Senate. The current Historian of the Senate is Donald A...
. The secretary also maintains the Office of Interparliamentary Services to provide support for those interparliamentary conferences in which the Senate participates and to assist senators in international travel. Also under the secretary's direction, the Office of Public Records collects and makes publicly available documents relating to campaign finance, financial ethics, foreign travel, and lobbying.
In 1789 the secretary was authorized to hire "one principal clerk." This principal clerk, or chief clerk, for many years served primarily as a reading clerk on the Senate floor. But during the 1960s, in response to the secretary's growing administrative duties, the position evolved into that of assistant secretary of the Senate, who oversees the administration of the Secretary's Office, including computers and the secretary's web site. The assistant secretary also performs the functions of the secretary in his or her absence. During the 1960s, under the leadership of Francis R. Valeo
Francis R. Valeo
Francis Ralph Valeo was the Secretary of the United States Senate and ex officio member of the Federal Election Commission. He was the defendant/appellee for the Federal government of the United States in Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S...
, staff positions under the secretary of the Senate were redefined from patronage to professional status, a trend continued by Valeo's successors.
Some notable secretaries
A position of great trust and responsibility, the Senate secretaryship has been held by a long line of distinguished individuals. Samuel Allyne OtisSamuel Allyne Otis
Samuel A. Otis , a Delegate from Massachusetts; born in Barnstable, Barnstable County, Mass., November 24, 1740; was graduated from Harvard College in 1759; engaged in mercantile pursuits in Boston; member of the state house...
, the first secretary of the Senate, had previously been speaker of the Massachusetts legislature and a member of the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
. Otis held the post of secretary for twenty-five years, never missing a day that the Senate was in session. General Anson McCook of New York, a former House member and one of the "Fighting McCooks
Fighting McCooks
The Fighting McCooks were members of a family of Ohioans who reached prominence as officers in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Two brothers, Daniel and John McCook, and thirteen of their sons were actively involved in the army, making the family one of the most prolific in American...
" of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, served as secretary, as well as a former Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
general and Congressman, William R. Cox
William R. Cox
William Ruffin Cox was an American soldier and politician from the state of North Carolina. He was a brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, a three-term member of the United States House of Representatives from 1881 to 1887, and Secretary of the United States...
of North Carolina. In addition, two former U.S. senators, Charles Cutts
Charles Cutts
Charles Cutts was a United States Senator from New Hampshire. Born in Portsmouth, he graduated from Harvard University in 1789, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1795, and practiced...
of New Hampshire and Walter Lowrie
Walter Lowrie
Walter Lowrie was a teacher, farmer, and politician from Butler County, Pennsylvania. He served in both houses in the state legislature and represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate...
of Pennsylvania, have later served as secretary. Other former House members who have held the post include Charles G. Bennett (NY). During the Ninety-ninth Congress (1985-1987), Jo-Anne Coe
Jo-Anne L. Coe
Jo-Anne L. Coe was the first woman to serve as Secretary of the United States Senate , appointed by Bob Dole during his term as Senate Majority Leader in 1985. After serving in this capacity, she founded and directed Senator Dole's Political Action Committee, Campaign America...
became the first woman to serve as secretary.
It has not been unusual for secretaries of the Senate to have devoted their entire careers to the Senate. Several began as pages, including Edwin Halsey, who served throughout the dramatic New Deal years; Leslie Biffle, a close confidant of President Harry Truman; Carl Loeffler and J. Mark Trice, secretaries during the Eightieth and Eighty-third congresses; and Walter J. Stewart, secretary from 1987 to 1994.
Secretaries of the Senate
| Secretary of the Senate | Term of Service |
|---|---|
| Samuel Allyne Otis Samuel Allyne Otis Samuel A. Otis , a Delegate from Massachusetts; born in Barnstable, Barnstable County, Mass., November 24, 1740; was graduated from Harvard College in 1759; engaged in mercantile pursuits in Boston; member of the state house... |
April 8, 1789 - April 22, 1814 |
| Charles Cutts Charles Cutts Charles Cutts was a United States Senator from New Hampshire. Born in Portsmouth, he graduated from Harvard University in 1789, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1795, and practiced... |
October 12, 1814 - December 12, 1825 |
| Walter Lowrie Walter Lowrie Walter Lowrie was a teacher, farmer, and politician from Butler County, Pennsylvania. He served in both houses in the state legislature and represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate... |
December 12, 1825 - December 5, 1836 |
| Asbury Dickins | December 13, 1836 - July 15, 1861 |
| John W. Forney | July 15, 1861 - June 4, 1868 |
| George C. Gorham | June 6, 1868 - March 24, 1879 |
| John C. Burch John C. Burch John Chilton Burch was a California Democratic politician and United States Congressman. He served as the Secretary of the United States Senate from 1879 through 1881.... |
March 24, 1879 - July 28, 1881 |
| Anson G. McCook Anson G. McCook Anson George McCook was a brevet brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, attorney, and three-term postbellum U.S. Congressman from New York... |
December 18, 1883 - August 7, 1893 |
| William Ruffin Cox | August 7, 1893 - January 31, 1900 |
| Charles G. Bennett | February 1, 1900 - March 13, 1913 |
| James M. Baker James Marion Baker James M. Baker was an American political figure, who held the position of Secretary of the United States Senate from 1913–1919.- Life and career :... |
March 13, 1913 - May 19, 1919 |
| George A. Sanderson | May 19, 1919 - April 24, 1925 |
| Edwin Pope Thayer | December 7, 1925 - March 9, 1933 |
| Edwin A. Halsey | March 9, 1933 - January 29, 1945 |
| Leslie Biffle | February 8, 1945 - January 4, 1947 |
| Carl A. Loeffler | January 4, 1947 - January 3, 1949 |
| Leslie Biffle | January 3, 1949 - January 3, 1953 |
| J. Mark Trice | January 3, 1953 - January 5, 1955 |
| Felton M. Johnston | January 5, 1955 - December 30, 1965 |
| Emery L. Frazier Emery L. Frazier Emery L. Frazier was a Kentucky politician and Secretary of the United States Senate.Born in Railey Station in Woodford County, Kentucky, he interrupted his studies at the University of Kentucky in 1917 to enlist in the Army. After serving during World War I, he completed his degree and was... |
January 1, 1966 - September 30, 1966 |
| Francis R. Valeo Francis R. Valeo Francis Ralph Valeo was the Secretary of the United States Senate and ex officio member of the Federal Election Commission. He was the defendant/appellee for the Federal government of the United States in Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S... |
October 1, 1966 - March 31, 1977 |
| J. Stanley Kimmitt Joseph Stanley Kimmitt Joseph Stanley Kimmitt was the Secretary of the United States Senate and Secretary for the Majority from 1977 to 1981. Kimmitt also served in World War II and the Korean War as a United States Army lieutenant colonel. Kimmitt commanded a unit in the 8th Infantry Division in Germany from 1962 to... |
April 1, 1977 - January 4, 1981 |
| William F. Hildenbrand | January 5, 1981 - January 2, 1985 |
| Jo-Anne L. Coe Jo-Anne L. Coe Jo-Anne L. Coe was the first woman to serve as Secretary of the United States Senate , appointed by Bob Dole during his term as Senate Majority Leader in 1985. After serving in this capacity, she founded and directed Senator Dole's Political Action Committee, Campaign America... |
January 3, 1985 - January 6, 1987 |
| Walter J. Stewart | January 6, 1987 - April 15, 1994 |
| Martha S. Pope | April 15, 1994 - January 3, 1995 |
| Sheila P. Burke | January 4, 1995 - June 7, 1995 |
| Kelly D. Johnston Kelly D. Johnston Kelly D. Johnston is a former Secretary of the United States Senate. He served as the 28th Secretary of the Senate and was nominated by Bob Dole, who was Senate Majority Leader at the time... |
June 8, 1995 - September 30, 1996 |
| Gary Lee Sisco | October 1, 1996 - July 11, 2001 |
| Jeri Thomson | July 12, 2001 -- January 6, 2003 |
| Emily J. Reynolds Emily J. Reynolds Emily J. Reynolds was the Secretary of the United States Senate from January 7, 2003 to January 3, 2007. She was appointed Secretary of the Senate when the United States Senate convened on January 7, 2003, for the 108th Congress. Prior to her appointment as Secretary, Reynolds was the chief of... |
January 7, 2003 - January 3, 2007 |
| Nancy Erickson Nancy Erickson Nancy Erickson is the current Secretary of the United States Senate. She began her term as Secretary on January 4, 2007 in the 110th Congress. Erickson was appointed by Democratic and Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Prior to serving as Secretary of the Senate, Erickson served as the... |
January 4, 2007 - present |