United States Senate Republican Policy Committee
The Senate Republican Policy Committee is the policy research arm of the Republican Conference. Its predecessor, the Senate Republican Steering Committee was formed in March 1944 after Leader Charles L. McNary's death. It became formally funded and renamed the Policy Committee in 1947 along with its Democratic counterpart, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, after the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. Funding for staff of both party policy committees comes directly from the legislative branch.[1]
According to Congressional Quarterly, "the Policy Committee is in effect a legislative think tank. The committee organizes the prominent Tuesday lunches with summaries of major bills, analysis of roll call votes and distribution of issue papers."[2]
List of chairs
| Dates | Name | State | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947–1953 | Robert A. Taft | Ohio | |
| 1953 | William F. Knowland | California | |
| 1953–1955 | Homer S. Ferguson | Michigan | |
| 1955–1961 | Styles Bridges | New Hampshire | |
| 1962–1969 | Bourke B. Hickenlooper | Iowa | |
| 1969–1973 | Gordon Allott | Colorado | |
| 1973–1985 | John Tower | Texas | |
| 1985–1991 | William L. Armstrong | Colorado | |
| 1991–1996 | Don Nickles | Oklahoma | |
| 1996–2003 | Larry Craig | Idaho | |
| 2003–2007 | Jon Kyl | Arizona | |
| 2007–2009 | Kay Bailey Hutchison | Texas | First woman to hold position |
| 2009 | John Ensign | Nevada | Resigned |
| 2009–2012 | John Thune | South Dakota | |
| 2012–2018 | John Barrasso | Wyoming | |
| 2019–2023 | Roy Blunt | Missouri | |
| 2023–present | Joni Ernst | Iowa |