The Afterschool Caucuses in the United States Senate and House of Representatives

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

 were established in order to build support for afterschool programs and increase resources for afterschool care. Senators Christopher Dodd

Christopher Dodd

Christopher John "Chris" Dodd is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States Senator from Connecticut for a thirty-year period ending with the 111th United States Congress....

 (D-CT) and John Ensign

John Ensign

John Eric Ensign is a former United States Senator from Nevada, serving from January 2001 until he resigned amid an investigation of an ethics violation in May 2011...

 (R-NV) and Representatives Nita Lowey

Nita Lowey

Nita Melnikoff Lowey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously represented the 20th district from 1989 to 1993.-Early life, education and career:...

 (D-NY) and Shelley Moore Capito

Shelley Moore Capito

Shelley Moore Capito is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. She is a member of the Republican Party...

 (R-WV) serve as co-chairs of the bipartisan Caucuses.

History

The House and Senate Afterschool Caucuses were founded on March 3, 2005. In addition to the co-chairs, the founding members of Senate and House Afterschool Caucuses are Senators Barbara Boxer

Barbara Boxer

Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....

 (D-CA) and Susan Collins

Susan Collins

Susan Margaret Collins is the junior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1996, she is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs...

 (R-ME) and Representative Dale Kildee (D-MI). Today, these Caucuses serve as a voice on the issue of strengthening and increasing the availability of afterschool programs. Ninety Representatives are members of the House Afterschool Caucus and thirty-eight Senators are members of the Senate Afterschool Caucus.

Purpose

The Caucuses were formed in response to the finding that 14.3 million children go home alone after the school day ends, including more than 40,000 kindergartners and almost four million middle school students in grades six to eight. The Caucuses act to promote the availability of afterschool programs, with a special emphasis on the 21st Century Community Learning Center

21st Century Community Learning Center

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to afterschool programs. The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorized 21st CCLC in 2002, transferring the administration of the grants from the U.S. Department of Education to the state...

 (CCLC) program, for every American school-age child by increasing public awareness of such programs and supporting increased federal resources. In each chamber, the Caucuses have conducted a variety of activities supporting the goal of quality, affordable programs for all children. This has included organizing congressional briefings on specific topics such as the role of the STEM fields

STEM fields

STEM fields is a US Government acronym for the fields of study in the categories of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The acronym is in use regarding access to work visas for immigrants who are skilled in these fields. Maintaining a citizenry that is well versed in the STEM fields...

 in afterschool (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education; disseminating letters in support of increased resources for afterschool to the President as well as congressional colleagues; sharing new research on effective programs; and organizing press events around the Afterschool Challenge with celebrity supporters.

The Afterschool Caucuses seek to educate the public on the role that afterschool programs play in the lives of families, and promote the expansion of federal, state, and local support in order to make access to these programs a reality for all interested children and families.

Membership

The Afterschool Caucuses are nonpartisan

Nonpartisan

In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....

. As of fall, 2008 there were a total of 90 members in the House Afterschool Caucus with 74 Democrats and 16 Republicans, and 38 members of the Senate Afterschool Caucus with 8 Republicans, 2 Independents and 28 Democrats.

United States House of Representatives

1. Rep. Nita Lowey
   Nita Lowey
   Nita Melnikoff Lowey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously represented the 20th district from 1989 to 1993.-Early life, education and career:...
   
    (D-NY), Co-Chair
2. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito
   Shelley Moore Capito
   Shelley Moore Capito is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. She is a member of the Republican Party...
   
    (R-WV), Co-Chair
3. Rep. Ralph Regula
   Ralph Regula
   Ralph Straus Regula was a Representative in the United States Congress from the 16th District of the State of Ohio. He retired in January 2009 after 18 consecutive terms. He is a member of the Republican Party. In the 110th Congress , he was the second longest serving Republican member of the U.S...
   
    (R-OH)
4. Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI), Founding Member
5. Rep. Tom Allen
   Tom Allen
   Thomas Hodge "Tom" Allen is a former member of the United States House of Representatives representing , and the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2008 against Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins. Allen lost to Collins .Allen was first elected in 1996, defeating Republican...
   
    (D-ME)
6. Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY)
7. Rep. Tammy Baldwin
   Tammy Baldwin
   Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Baldwin announced she would be a candidate in the 2012 U.S...
   
    (D-WI)
8. Rep. John Barrow
   John Barrow (U.S. politician)
   John Jenkins Barrow is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district stretches along the eastern portion of the state, from Augusta to Savannah.-Early life, education and career:...
   
    (D-GA)
9. Rep. Shelley Berkley
   Shelley Berkley
   Rochelle "Shelley" Berkley is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999, and a candidate for U.S. Senate. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education, and legal career:...
   
    (D-NV)
10. Rep. Tim Bishop
    Tim Bishop
    Timothy H. "Tim" Bishop is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Central and Eastern Suffolk County, including most of Smithtown, as well as the entirety of the towns of Brookhaven, Riverhead, Southold, Southampton,...
    
     (D-NY)
11. Rep. John Boozman
    John Boozman
    John Nichols Boozman is the junior U.S. Senator for Arkansas . A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. Representative for .Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he was the brother of state Senator Fay Boozman...
    
     (R-AR)
12. Rep. Rick Boucher
    Rick Boucher
    Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
    
     (D-VA)
13. Rep. Corrine Brown
    Corrine Brown
    Corrine Brown is an U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes parts of Duval, Clay, Putnam, Alachua, Volusia, Marion, Lake, Seminole, and Orange Counties....
    
     (D-FL)
14. Rep. Dennis Cardoza
    Dennis Cardoza
    Dennis A. Cardoza is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. The district takes in a large swath of the Central Valley, from Stockton to Fresno. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-CA)
15. Rep. Andre Carson
    André Carson
    André D. Carson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since the special election in 2008. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
    
     (D-IN)
16. Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE)
17. Rep. Ben Chandler
    Ben Chandler
    Albert Benjamin "Ben" Chandler III is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2004. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
    
     (D-KY)
18. Rep. John Conyers
    John Conyers
    John Conyers, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1965 . He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-MI)
19. Rep. Jim Cooper
    Jim Cooper
    James Hayes Shofner "Jim" Cooper is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the Blue Dog Coalition. He previously represented from 1983 to 1995....
    
     (D-TN)
20. Rep. Joe Courtney
    Joe Courtney (politician)
    Joseph Courtney is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:Courtney grew up in suburban Hartford and became a 1975 graduate of Tufts University...
    
     (D-CT)
21. Rep. Barbara Cubin
    Barbara Cubin
    Barbara Lynn Cubin was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, having served as the sole member of that body from Wyoming. In the 109th Congress, she was a member of the House Resources Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee...
    
     (R-WY)
22. Rep. Henry Cuellar
    Henry Cuellar
    Henry Roberto Cuellar is the U.S Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district extends from the Rio Grande to the suburbs of San Antonio, including Guadalupe County and nearby Wilson County.Outside of politics, he has served as a professor at the...
    
     (D-TX)
23. Rep. Elijah Cummings
    Elijah Cummings
    Elijah Eugene Cummings is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes just over half of Baltimore City, as well as most of Howard County...
    
     (D-MD)
24. Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA)
25. Rep. Rosa DeLauro
    Rosa DeLauro
    Rosa L. DeLauro is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is based in New Haven, and includes most of that city's suburbs.-Early life, education and career:...
    
     (D-CT)
26. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart
    Lincoln Diaz-Balart
    Lincoln Rafael Díaz-Balart was the U.S. Representative for from 1993 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate...
    
     (R-FL)
27. Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA)
28. Rep. Joe Donnelly
    Joe Donnelly
    Joseph Simon "Joe" Donnelly, Sr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Donnelly announced Monday May 9 that he would run for the United States Senate seat that is held by Republican Richard Lugar.-Early life, education and career:Joe Donnelly...
    
     (D-IN)
29. Rep. Chet Edwards
    Chet Edwards
    Thomas Chester "Chet" Edwards is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas. He represented a district based in Waco, Texas from 1991 to 2011, and served in the Texas Senate from 1983 until 1990. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-TX)
30. Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI)
31. Rep. Phil English
    Phil English
    Philip Sheridan "Phil" English served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 - 2009 from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, representing the state's 3rd Congressional district....
    
     (R-PA)
32. Rep. Bob Filner
    Bob Filner
    Robert Earl Filner is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 50th, serving since 1993, and Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-CA)
33. Rep. Bill Foster
    Bill Foster (Illinois politician)
    George William "Bill" Foster is a physicist and businessman, and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2008 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
    
     (D-IL)
34. Rep. Jim Gerlach
    Jim Gerlach
    James "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :...
    
     (R-PA)
35. Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX)
36. Rep. Bart Gordon
    Bart Gordon
    Barton Jennings "Bart" Gordon, is a lawyer and former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1985 until 2011. The district includes several rural areas and fast-growing suburbs east of Nashville. He was Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 until 2011. He is a member...
    
     (D-TN)
37. Rep. Al Green
    Al Green (politician)
    Alexander N. "Al" Green is the U.S. Representative from Texas' 9th congressional district . The district includes most of southwestern Houston, including most of that city's share of Fort Bend County. It also includes most of Missouri City.-Early life and career:Green was born in New Orleans,...
    
     (D-TX)
38. Rep. Gene Green
    Gene Green
    Raymond Eugene "Gene" Green is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-TX)
39. Rep. Alcee Hastings
    Alcee Hastings
    Alcee Lamar Hastings is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
    
     (D-FL)
40. Rep. Stephanie Herseth
    Stephanie Herseth
    Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is an attorney who served as the Democratic U.S. Representative for from 2004 until 2011. She lost her seat in Congress to Republican Kristi Noem on November 2, 2010. She was the youngest female member of the House, and the first woman elected to the House of...
    
     (D-SD)
41. Rep. Brian Higgins
    Brian Higgins
    Brian Higgins is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the southern two-thirds of Buffalo proper, most of that city's eastern and southern suburbs, and all of Chautauqua County.-Early life, education and career:A native of...
    
     (D-NY)
42. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa
    Rubén Hinojosa
    Rubén E. Hinojosa is the U.S. House of Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district stretches from the Rio Grande Valley to historic Goliad County and the Coastal Bend region...
    
     (D-TX)
43. Rep. Rush D. Holt, Jr.
    Rush D. Holt, Jr.
    Rush Dew Holt, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently the only Quaker in Congress.-Early life and education :Rush D. Holt was born to Rush D...
    
     (D-NJ)
44. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX)
45. Rep. William J. Jefferson
    William J. Jefferson
    William Jennings "Bill" Jefferson is a former American politician, and a published author from the U.S. state of Louisiana. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for nine terms from 1991 to 2009 as a member of the Democratic Party. He represented , which includes much of the...
    
     (D-LA)
46. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA)
47. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy
    Patrick J. Kennedy
    Patrick Joseph Kennedy II is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all of Bristol County and Newport County, and parts of Providence County. Kennedy did not seek re-election in 2010.A member of the Kennedy...
    
     (D-RI)
48. Rep. Randy Kuhl
    Randy Kuhl
    John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. is an American Republican politician, and former member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He represented New York's 29th congressional district for two terms before being defeated for reelection by Eric Massa on November 4, 2008 by margin of...
    
     (R-NY)
49. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI)
50. Rep. Rick Larsen
    Rick Larsen
    Richard Ray "Rick" Larsen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
    
     (D-WA)
51. Rep. John Larson
    John Larson
    John Barry Larson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the a Democratic Party. The district is based in the state capital, Hartford.Larson is the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus....
    
     (D-CT)
52. Rep. Barbara Lee
    Barbara Lee
    Barbara Jean Lee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1998. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She is the first woman to represent that district. Lee was the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and was the Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus...
    
     (D-CA)
53. Rep. John Lewis
    John Lewis (politician)
    John Robert Lewis is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1987. He was a leader in the American Civil Rights Movement and chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee , playing a key role in the struggle to end segregation...
    
     (D-GA)
54. Rep. Zoe Lofgren
    Zoe Lofgren
    Zoe Lofgren is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in San Jose.-Early life, education, and early career:...
    
     (D-CA)
55. Rep. Stephen Lynch
    Stephen Lynch (politician)
    Stephen F. Lynch is the U.S. representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party who has served since 2001. Lynch was previously an ironworker and lawyer, and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
    
     (D-MA)
56. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
57. Rep. Doris Matsui
    Doris Matsui
    Doris Okada Matsui is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district consists of the city of Sacramento and the surrounding area...
    
     (D-CA)
58. Rep. Betty McCollum
    Betty McCollum
    Betty Louise McCollum is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. She is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party ....
    
     (D-MN)
59. Rep. Jim McDermott
    Jim McDermott
    James Adelbert "Jim" McDermott is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The 7th District includes most of Seattle and Vashon Island, and portions of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Burien.He serves on the House Ways and Means...
    
     (D-WA)
60. Rep. Jim McGovern
    Jim McGovern
    James Patrick "Jim" McGovern is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
    
     (D-MA)
61. Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY)
62. Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME)
63. Rep. Jim Moran
    Jim Moran
    James Patrick "Jim" Moran, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in Northern Virginia and includes the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, all of Arlington County, and a portion of Fairfax County.Jim Moran was...
    
     (D-VA)
64. Rep. Jerry Moran
    Jerry Moran
    Jerry Moran is the junior U.S. Senator from Kansas and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing ....
    
     (R-KS)
65. Rep. Richard Neal
    Richard Neal
    Richard Edmund Neal is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former city councilor and mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts....
    
     (D-MA)
66. Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-TX)
67. Rep. Donald M. Payne
    Donald M. Payne
    Donald Milford "Don" Payne is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district encompasses most of the city of Newark, parts of Jersey City and Elizabeth, and some suburban communities in Essex and Union counties...
    
     (D-NJ)
68. Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA)
69. Rep. David Price
    David Price (American politician)
    David Eugene Price is a professor and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997 and previously from 1987 to 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-NC)
70. Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY)
71. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
    Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
    Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. She is a member of the Republican Party....
    
     (R-FL)
72. Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR)
73. Rep. Bobby Rush
    Bobby Rush
    Bobby Lee Rush is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is located principally on the South Side of Chicago. It is a minority-majority district and has a higher percentage of African Americans than any other congressional district in...
    
     (D-IL)
74. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH)
75. Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL)
76. Rep. Adam Schiff
    Adam Schiff
    Adam Bennett Schiff is the U.S. Representative for . He has served in Congress since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-CA)
77. Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY)
78. Rep. Mike Simpson
    Mike Simpson
    Michael Keith "Mike" Simpson, D.M.D. , is the member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Idaho House of Representatives....
    
     (R-ID)
79. Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
80. Rep. Adam Smith
    Adam Smith (politician)
    David Adam Smith , American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing Washington's 9th congressional district.-Biography:...
    
     (D-WA)
81. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC)
82. Rep. Betty Sutton
    Betty Sutton
    Betty Sue Sutton is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of the western and southern suburbs of Cleveland, and includes North Royalton, Akron, Lorain, Elyria, Strongsville, Avon and Cuyahoga Falls.-Early life and...
    
     (D-OH)
83. Rep. Bennie Thompson
    Bennie Thompson
    Bennie G. Thompson, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993, and the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security since 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
    
     (D-MS)
84. Rep. Tom Udall
    Tom Udall
    Thomas Stewart "Tom" Udall is the junior United States Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party. He had represented as a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. Udall was elected as the junior United States senator from New Mexico on November 4, 2008,...
    
     (D-NM)
85. Rep. Chris Van Hollen
    Chris Van Hollen
    Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-MD)
86. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
    Debbie Wasserman Schultz
    Debbie Wasserman Schultz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party and the Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. She previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate...
    
     (D-FL)
87. Rep. Henry Waxman
    Henry Waxman
    Henry Arnold Waxman is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is considered to be one of the most influential liberal members of Congress...
    
     (D-CA)
88. Rep. Edward Whitfield (R-KY)
89. Rep. Joe Wilson
    Joe Wilson (U.S. politician)
    Addison Graves Wilson, Sr., most commonly known as Joe Wilson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party...
    
     (R-SC)
90. Rep. Bill Young
    Bill Young
    Charles William "Bill" Young is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1971. He is a member of the Republican Party, and is currently the longest-serving Republican member of Congress...
    
     (R-FL)

United States Senate

1. Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT), Chair
2. John Ensign
   John Ensign
   John Eric Ensign is a former United States Senator from Nevada, serving from January 2001 until he resigned amid an investigation of an ethics violation in May 2011...
   
    (R-NV), Chair
3. Barbara Boxer
   Barbara Boxer
   Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
   
    (D-CA), Founding Member
4. Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Founding Member
5. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)
6. Max Baucus
   Max Baucus
   Max Sieben Baucus is the senior United States Senator from Montana and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, as of 2010 he is the longest-serving Senator from Montana, and the fifth longest-serving U.S...
   
    (D-MT)
7. Evan Bayh
   Evan Bayh
   Birch Evans "Evan" Bayh III is a lawyer, advisor and former Democratic politician who served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011. He earlier served as the 46th Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh is a current Fox News contributor as of March 14, 2011.Bayh first held...
   
    (D-IN)
8. Joseph Biden (D-DE)
9. Thad Cochran
   Thad Cochran
   William Thad Cochran is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and was its chairman and 2005 to 2007.-Early life:He was born in Pontotoc,...
   
    (R-MS)
10. Maria Cantwell
    Maria Cantwell
    Maria E. Cantwell is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party....
    
     (D-WA)
11. Bob Casey, Jr.
    Bob Casey, Jr.
    Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in...
    
     (D-PA)
12. Hillary Rodham Clinton
    Hillary Rodham Clinton
    Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
    
     (D-NY)
13. Kent Conrad
    Kent Conrad
    Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party...
    
     (D-ND)
14. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
15. Dianne Feinstein
    Dianne Feinstein
    Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
    
     (D-CA)
16. Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT)
17. Tim Johnson (D-SD)
18. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)
19. John Kerry
    John Kerry
    John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
    
     (D-MA)
20. Herb Kohl
    Herb Kohl
    Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl is the senior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and a member of the Democratic Party. He is also a philanthropist and the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks National Basketball Association team...
    
     (D-WI)
21. Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA)
22. Frank Lautenberg
    Frank Lautenberg
    Frank Raleigh Lautenberg is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.-Early life, career, and family:...
    
     (D-NJ)
23. Joe Lieberman
    Joe Lieberman
    Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
    
     (I-CT)
24. Blanche Lincoln
    Blanche Lincoln
    Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln is a former U.S. Senator from Arkansas and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1998, she was the first woman elected to the Senate from Arkansas since Hattie Caraway in 1932 and, at age 38, was the youngest woman ever elected to the...
    
     (D-AR)
25. Robert Menendez
    Robert Menendez
    Robert "Bob" Menendez is the junior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. In January 2006, he was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jon Corzine, who resigned upon being elected Governor of New Jersey. Menendez was elected to his own full...
    
     (D-NJ)
26. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)
27. Lisa Murkowski
    Lisa Murkowski
    Lisa Ann Murkowski is the senior U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S...
    
     (R-AK)
28. Patty Murray
    Patty Murray
    Patricia Lynn "Patty" Murray is the senior United States Senator from Washington and a member of the Democratic Party. Murray was first elected to the Senate in 1992, becoming Washington's first female senator...
    
     (D-WA)
29. Ben Nelson
    Ben Nelson
    Earl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson is the senior U.S. Senator from Nebraska. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000....
    
     (D-NE)
30. Jack Reed (D-RI)
31. Ken Salazar
    Ken Salazar
    Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
    
     (D-CO)
32. Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
33. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
34. Olympia Snowe
    Olympia Snowe
    Olympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
    
     (R-ME)
35. Arlen Specter
    Arlen Specter
    Arlen Specter is a former United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter is a Democrat, but was a Republican from 1965 until switching to the Democratic Party in 2009...
    
     (R-PA)
36. Debbie Stabenow
    Debbie Stabenow
    Deborah Ann Greer "Debbie" Stabenow is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001...
    
     (D-MI)
37. John Thune
    John Thune
    John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:...
    
     (R-SD)
38. Sheldon Whitehouse
    Sheldon Whitehouse
    Sheldon Whitehouse is the junior U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
    
    (D-RI)