The Committee on Armed Services, sometimes abbreviated SASC for Senate Armed Services Committee, is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy (as pertaining to national security), benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System, and other matters related to defense policy. The Armed Services Committee was created as a result of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 following the U.S. victory in World War II. The bill merged the responsibilities of the Committee on Naval Affairs, established in 1816, and the Committee on Military Affairs, also established in 1816.
Considered one of the most powerful Senate committees, its broad mandate allowed it to report some of the most extensive and revolutionary legislation during the Cold War years, including the National Security Act of 1947. The committee tends to take a more bipartisan approach than other committees, as many of its members formerly served in the military or have major defense interests located in the states they represent.Steinhauer, Jennifer. "With Chairmanship, McCain Seizes Chance to Reshape Pentagon Agenda", The New York Times (June 9, 2015). Retrieved June 10, 2015. The committee's regular legislative product is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has been passed by Congress and signed into law annually since 1962.
The current chair is Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and the ranking member is Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island.
Jurisdiction According to the Standing Rules of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects are referred to the Armed Services Committee:Rule XXV: Committees, Standing Rules of the United States Senate.
Aeronautical and space activities pertaining to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems or military operations. Common defense. Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force, generally. Maintenance and operation of the Panama Canal, including administration, sanitation, and government of the Canal Zone. Military research and development. National security aspects of nuclear energy. Naval petroleum reserves, except those in Alaska. Pay, promotion, retirement, and other benefits and privileges of members of the Armed Forces, including overseas education of civilian and military dependents. Selective service system. Strategic and critical materials necessary for the common defense.
Members, 119th Congress
Majority (119th Congress)Minority (119th Congress)Roger Wicker, Mississippi, Chair Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Dan Sullivan, Alaska Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Rick Scott, Florida Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Ted Budd, North Carolina Eric Schmitt, Missouri Jim Banks, Indiana Tim Sheehy, Montana Ashley Moody, FloridaJack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, MaineIndependent Senator caucusing with Democrats Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Gary Peters, Michigan Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Jacky Rosen, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona Elissa Slotkin, Michigan
Subcommittees Subcommittee NameChairRanking MemberAirlandKevin Cramer (R-ND)Mark Kelly (D-AZ)CybersecurityMike Rounds (R-SD)Jacky Rosen (D-NV)Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesJoni Ernst (R-IA)Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)PersonnelTommy Tuberville (R-AL)Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)Readiness and Management SupportDan Sullivan (R-AK)Mazie Hirono (D-HI)SeapowerRick Scott (R-FL)Tim Kaine (D-VA)Strategic ForcesDeb Fischer (R-NE)Angus King (I-ME)
Leadership
Committee on Military Affairs, 1816–1947 NamePartyStateStartEndDemocratic-RepublicanTennessee18161817Democratic-RepublicanGeorgia18171818Democratic-RepublicanTennessee18181823Jackson Democratic-RepublicanTennessee18231825Adams RepublicanOhio18251828Jacksonian(1828–1837)Missouri18281841Democratic(1837–1841)WhigSouth Carolina18411842WhigKentucky18421845DemocraticMissouri18451849DemocraticMississippi18491851DemocraticIllinois18511855DemocraticCalifornia18551857DemocraticMississippi18571861DemocraticArkansas1861RepublicanMassachusetts18611872RepublicanIllinois18721877RepublicanAlabama18771879DemocraticNew Jersey18791881RepublicanIllinois18811886RepublicanConnecticut18871893DemocraticMississippi18931894RepublicanConnecticut18941905RepublicanWyoming19051911RepublicanDelaware19111913DemocraticAlabama1913Died August 8, 1913.DemocraticOregon19131919RepublicanNew York19191927RepublicanPennsylvania19271933DemocraticTexas19331941DemocraticNorth Carolina19421945DemocraticUtah19451947
Committee on Naval Affairs, 1816–1947 NamePartyStateStartEndDemocratic-RepublicanGeorgia18161818Democratic-RepublicanNew York18181819Democratic-RepublicanVirginia18191823Adams-Clay FederalistMassachusetts18231825JacksonianSouth Carolina18251832JacksonianPennsylvania18321833Anti-JacksonNew Jersey18331836Jacksonian(1836–1837)Virginia18361839Democratic(1837–1839)DemocraticMaine18391841WhigNorth Carolina18411842WhigDelaware18421845DemocraticMaine18451847DemocraticFlorida18471851DemocraticCalifornia18511855DemocraticFlorida18551861DemocraticNew Jersey1861RepublicanNew Hampshire18611864RepublicanIowa18641870RepublicanNew Hampshire18701877RepublicanCalifornia18771879DemocraticNew Jersey18791881RepublicanPennsylvania18811893DemocraticNew Jersey18931895RepublicanPennsylvania18951897RepublicanMaine18971909RepublicanCalifornia19091913DemocraticSouth Carolina19131918DemocraticVirginia19181919RepublicanVermont19191923RepublicanMaine19231933DemocraticFlorida19331937DemocraticMassachusetts19371947
Committee on Armed Services, 1947–present
+ ChairsNamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanSouth Dakota19471949DemocraticMaryland19491951DemocraticGeorgia19511953RepublicanMassachusetts19531955DemocraticGeorgia19551969DemocraticMississippi19691981RepublicanTexas19811985RepublicanArizona19851987DemocraticGeorgia19871995RepublicanSouth Carolina19951999RepublicanVirginia19992001DemocraticMichigan2001At the beginning of the 107th Congress in January 2001 the Senate was evenly divided. With a Democratic president and vice president still serving until January 20, the Democratic vice president was available to break a tie, and the Democrats thus controlled the Senate for 17 days, from January 3 to January 20. On January 3 the Senate adopted S. Res. 7 designating Democratic senators as committee chairs to serve during this period and Republican chairs to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.RepublicanVirginia2001DemocraticMichigan2001On June 6, 2001, the Democrats took control of the Senate after Senator James Jeffords (VT) changed from the Republican Party to Independent and announced that he would caucus with the Democrats.2003RepublicanVirginia20032007DemocraticMichigan20072015RepublicanArizona20152018On leave from December 2017. Died August 25, 2018.rowspan=2 RepublicanOklahoma2017201820182021DemocraticRhode Island20212025RepublicanMississippi2025present + Ranking membersNamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticMaryland19471949RepublicanNew Hampshire19491953DemocraticGeorgia19531955RepublicanNew Hampshire19551963RepublicanMassachusetts19631967RepublicanMaine19671973RepublicanSouth Carolina19731977RepublicanTexas19771981DemocraticMississippi19811983DemocraticWashington1983DemocraticGeorgia19831987RepublicanVirginia19871993RepublicanSouth Carolina19931995DemocraticGeorgia19951997DemocraticMichigan19972001RepublicanVirginia20012003DemocraticMichigan20032007RepublicanArizona20072015RepublicanOklahoma20132015DemocraticRhode Island20152021RepublicanOklahoma20212023RepublicanMississippi20232025DemocraticRhode Island2025present
Historical committee rosters 111th Congress MajorityMinorityCarl Levin, Michigan, Chair Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut Jack Reed, Rhode Island Daniel Akaka, Hawaii Bill Nelson, Florida Ben Nelson, Nebraska Evan Bayh, Indiana Jim Webb, Virginia Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Mark Begich, Alaska Roland Burris, Illinois, until November 2010 Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico Ted Kaufman, Delaware, until November 2010 Carte Goodwin, West Virginia, until November 2010 Joe Manchin, West Virginia, from November 2010 Chris Coons, Delaware, from November 2010John McCain, Arizona, Ranking Member James Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Thune, South Dakota Roger Wicker, Mississippi George LeMieux, Florida Scott Brown, Massachusetts Richard Burr, North Carolina David Vitter, Louisiana Susan Collins, Maine
Source:
Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking Minority MemberAirlandJoe Lieberman (I-CT)John Thune (R-SD)Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesBill Nelson (D-FL)George LeMieux (R-FL)PersonnelJim Webb (D-VA)Lindsey Graham (R-SC)Readiness and Management SupportEvan Bayh (D-IN)Richard Burr (R-NC)SeaPowerJack Reed (D-RI)Roger Wicker (R-MS)Strategic ForcesBen Nelson (D-NE)David Vitter (R-LA)
112th Congress MajorityMinorityCarl Levin, Michigan, Chair Joseph Lieberman, Connecticut Jack Reed, Rhode Island Daniel Akaka, Hawaii Ben Nelson, Nebraska Jim Webb, Virginia Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Mark Begich, Alaska Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, ConnecticutJohn McCain, Arizona, Ranking Member James Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Roger Wicker, Mississippi Scott Brown, Massachusetts Rob Portman, Ohio Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Susan Collins, Maine Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Cornyn, Texas David Vitter, Louisiana
Source:
Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberAirlandJoe Lieberman (I-CT)Scott Brown (R-MA)Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesKay Hagan (D-NC)Rob Portman (R-OH)PersonnelJim Webb (D-VA)Lindsey Graham (R-SC)Readiness and Management SupportClaire McCaskill (D-MO)Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)SeapowerJack Reed (D-RI)Roger Wicker (R-MS)Strategic ForcesBen Nelson (D-NE)Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
113th Congress MajorityMinorityCarl Levin, Michigan, Chair Jack Reed, Rhode Island Bill Nelson, Florida Claire McCaskill, Missouri Mark Udall, Colorado Kay Hagan, North Carolina Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, MaineJames Inhofe, Oklahoma, Ranking Member John McCain, Arizona Jeff Sessions, Alabama Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Roger Wicker, Mississippi Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Deb Fischer, Nebraska Lindsey Graham, South Carolina David Vitter, Louisiana Roy Blunt, Missouri Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas
Source:
Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking MemberAirlandJoe Manchin (D-WV)Roger Wicker (R-MS)Emerging Threats and CapabilitiesKay Hagan (D-NC)Deb Fischer (R-NE)PersonnelKirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)Lindsey Graham (R-SC)Readiness and Management SupportJeanne Shaheen (D-NH)Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)SeapowerJack Reed (D-RI)John McCain (R-AZ)Strategic ForcesMark Udall (D-CO)Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
114th Congress MajorityMinorityJohn McCain, Arizona, Chair Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma Jeff Sessions, Alabama Roger Wicker, Mississippi Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Deb Fischer, Nebraska Tom Cotton, Arkansas Mike Rounds, South Dakota Joni Ernst, Iowa Thom Tillis, North Carolina Dan Sullivan, Alaska Mike Lee, Utah Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Ted Cruz, TexasJack Reed, Rhode Island, Ranking Member Bill Nelson, Florida Claire McCaskill, Missouri Joe Manchin, West Virginia Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Mazie Hirono, Hawaii