The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally known as the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of 22 U.S. senatorsU.S. Senate: Committee on the Judiciary -- Committee Membership List whose role is to oversee the Department of Justice (DOJ), consider executive and judicial nominations, and review pending legislation.
In addition, the Standing Rules of the Senate confer jurisdiction to the Senate Judiciary Committee in certain areas, such as considering proposed constitutional amendments and legislation related to federal criminal law, human rights law, immigration, intellectual property, antitrust law, and internet privacy.
History Established in 1816 as one of the original standing committees in the United States Senate, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary is one of the oldest and most influential committees in Congress. Its broad legislative jurisdiction has assured its primary role as a forum for the public discussion of social and constitutional issues. The committee is also responsible for oversight of key activities of the executive branch, and is responsible for the initial stages of the confirmation process of all judicial nominations for the federal judiciary.
Nominations
The committee considers presidential nominations for positions in the DOJ, including the attorney general and the director of the FBI, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the State Justice Institute, and certain positions in the Department of Commerce and DHS. It is also in charge of holding hearings and investigating judicial nominations to the Supreme Court, the U.S. court of appeals, the U.S. district courts, and the Court of International Trade.
If a majority on the committee votes to advance a nomination, the nominee is reported favorably to the whole Senate, which can vote by simple majority to confirm the nominee.
Oversight The Judiciary Committee's oversight of the DOJ includes all of the agencies under the DOJ's jurisdiction, such as the FBI. It also has oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Members, 119th Congress (January 3, 2025 – January 3, 2027)
Majority, , (119th Congress)Minority (119th Congress)Chuck Grassley, Iowa, Chair John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Josh Hawley, Missouri Thom Tillis, North Carolina John Kennedy, Louisiana Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Eric Schmitt, Missouri Katie Britt, Alabama Ashley Moody, Florida Darline Graham, South Carolina Dick Durbin, Illinois, Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey Alex Padilla, California Peter Welch, Vermont Adam Schiff, California
Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking Member Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer RightsMike Lee (R-UT)Cory Booker (D-NJ)Border Security and ImmigrationJohn Cornyn (R-TX)Alex Padilla (D-CA)The ConstitutionEric Schmitt (R-MO)Peter Welch (D-VT)Crime and CounterterrorismJosh Hawley (R-MO)Dick Durbin (D-IL)Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal RightsTed Cruz (R-TX)Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)Intellectual PropertyThom Tillis (R-NC)Adam Schiff (D-CA)Privacy, Technology and the LawMarsha Blackburn (R-TN)Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Committee leadership Chairs NamePartyStateStartEndDemocratic-RepublicanVermont18161817Democratic-Republican Kentucky18171818FederalistRhode Island18181819Democratic-RepublicanSouth Carolina18191823Democratic-RepublicanNew York18231828JacksonianGeorgia18281829Democratic-RepublicanKentucky18291831JacksonianNew York18311832JacksonianPennsylvania18321833Anti-JacksonianDelaware18331836JacksonianTennessee18361838DemocraticNew Jersey18381841WhigGeorgia18411845DemocraticArkansas18451847DemocraticSouth Carolina18471857DemocraticDelaware18571861RepublicanIllinois18611872RepublicanIowa1872RepublicanVermont18721879DemocraticOhio18791881RepublicanVermont18811891RepublicanMassachusetts18911893DemocraticAlabama18931895RepublicanMassachusetts18951904RepublicanConnecticut19041905RepublicanWyoming19051912DemocraticTexas19121919RepublicanMinnesota19191923RepublicanConnecticut19231924RepublicanIowa19241926RepublicanNebraska19261933DemocraticArizona19331941DemocraticIndiana19411945DemocraticNevada19451947RepublicanWisconsin19471949DemocraticNevada19491953RepublicanNorth Dakota19531955DemocraticWest Virginia19551956DemocraticMississippi19561978DemocraticMassachusetts19781981RepublicanSouth Carolina19811987DemocraticDelaware19871995RepublicanUtah19952001When the Senate convened in January 2001 17 days before President George W. Bush was inaugurated, there was a 50 |50 split between Democrats and Republicans with Vice President Al Gore as a tiebreaking vote.DemocraticVermont2001RepublicanUtah2001In June 2001, Republican Jim Jeffords declared himself an Independent and caucused with the Democrats, giving the Democrats majority control.DemocraticVermont20012003RepublicanUtah20032005RepublicanPennsylvania20052007DemocraticVermont20072015RepublicanIowa20152019RepublicanSouth Carolina20192021DemocraticIllinois20212025RepublicanIowa2025present
Ranking members
NamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticNevada19471949RepublicanWisconsin19491953DemocraticNevada19531955RepublicanWisconsin19551963RepublicanIllinois19631969RepublicanNebraska19691976RepublicanSouth Carolina19771981DemocraticDelaware19811987RepublicanSouth Carolina19871993RepublicanUtah19931995DemocraticDelaware19951997DemocraticVermont19972001RepublicanUtah20012003DemocraticVermont20032007RepublicanPennsylvania20072009RepublicanAlabama20092011RepublicanIowa20112015DemocraticVermont20152017DemocraticCalifornia20172021RepublicanIowa20212023RepublicanSouth Carolina20232025DemocraticIllinois2025present
Historical committee rosters 118th Congress (January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025)
Majority (118th Congress)Minority (118th Congress)Dick Durbin, Illinois, Chair Dianne Feinstein, California (until September 29, 2023) Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey Alex Padilla, California Jon Ossoff, Georgia Peter Welch, Vermont Laphonza Butler, California (October 17, 2023–December 8, 2024) Adam Schiff, California (from December 10, 2024)Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Josh Hawley, Missouri Tom Cotton, Arkansas John Kennedy, Louisiana Thom Tillis, North Carolina Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking Member Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer RightsAmy Klobuchar (D-MN)Mike Lee (R-UT)The ConstitutionDianne Feinstein (D-CA) (until September 29, 2023)Laphonza Butler (D-CA) (from October 17, 2023)Ted Cruz (R-TX)Criminal Justice and CounterterrorismCory Booker (D-NJ)Tom Cotton (R-AR)Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal RightsSheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)John Kennedy (R-LA)Human Rights and the LawJon Ossoff (D-GA)Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)Immigration, Citizenship and Border SafetyAlex Padilla (D-CA)John Cornyn (R-TX)Intellectual PropertyChris Coons (D-DE)Thom Tillis (R-NC)Privacy, Technology and the LawRichard Blumenthal (D-CT)Josh Hawley (R-MO)
117th Congress (January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023)
MajorityMinorityDick Durbin, Illinois, Chair Patrick Leahy, Vermont Dianne Feinstein, California Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey Alex Padilla, California Jon Ossoff, GeorgiaChuck Grassley, Iowa, Ranking Member Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Ben Sasse, Nebraska Josh Hawley, Missouri Tom Cotton, Arkansas John Kennedy, Louisiana Thom Tillis, North Carolina Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
Subcommittees SubcommitteeChairRanking Member Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer RightsAmy Klobuchar (D-MN)Mike Lee (R-UT)The ConstitutionRichard Blumenthal (D-CT)Ted Cruz (R-TX)Criminal Justice and CounterterrorismCory Booker (D-NJ)Tom Cotton (R-AR)Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal RightsSheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)John Kennedy (R-LA)Human Rights and the LawDianne Feinstein (D-CA)Josh Hawley (R-MO)Immigration, Citizenship and Border SafetyAlex Padilla (D-CA)John Cornyn (R-TX)Intellectual PropertyPatrick Leahy (D-VT)Thom Tillis (R-NC)Privacy, Technology and the LawChris Coons (D-DE)Ben Sasse (R-NE)
116th Congress (January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021)
MajorityMinorityLindsey Graham, South Carolina, Chair Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Ben Sasse, Nebraska Josh Hawley, Missouri Thom Tillis, North Carolina Joni Ernst, Iowa Mike Crapo, Idaho John Kennedy, Louisiana Marsha Blackburn, TennesseeDianne Feinstein, California, Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Vermont Dick Durbin, Illinois Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey Kamala Harris, California
Subcommittees SubcommitteeChair Ranking memberAntitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer RightsMike Lee (R-UT)Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)Border Security and ImmigrationJohn Cornyn (R-TX)Dick Durbin (D-IL)The ConstitutionTed Cruz (R-TX)Mazie Hirono (D-HI)Crime and TerrorismJosh Hawley (R-MO)Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)Intellectual PropertyThom Tillis (R-NC)Chris Coons (D-DE)Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal CourtsBen Sasse (R-NE)Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
115th Congress (January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019)
MajorityMinorityChuck Grassley, Iowa, Chair Orrin Hatch, Utah Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Ben Sasse, Nebraska Jeff Flake, Arizona Mike Crapo, Idaho Thom Tillis, North Carolina John Kennedy, LouisianaDianne Feinstein, California, Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, Vermont Dick Durbin, Illinois Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey (from January 9, 2018) Kamala Harris, California (from January 9, 2018) Al Franken, Minnesota (until January 2, 2018)
In January 2018, the Democratic minority had their number of seats increase from 9 to 10 upon the election of Doug Jones (D-AL), changing the 52–48 Republican majority to 51–49. On January 2, 2018, Al Franken, who had been a member of the committee, resigned from the Senate following accusations of sexual misconduct.
Subcommittees SubcommitteeChair Ranking memberAntitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer RightsMike Lee (R-UT)Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)Border Security and ImmigrationJohn Cornyn (R-TX)Dick Durbin (D-IL)Crime and TerrorismLindsey Graham (R-SC)Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal CourtsBen Sasse (R-NE)Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) (from January 9, 2018)Chris Coons (D-DE) (until January 9, 2018)Privacy, Technology and the LawJeff Flake (R-AZ)Chris Coons (D-DE) (from January 9, 2018)Al Franken (D-MN) (until January 2, 2018)The ConstitutionTed Cruz (R-TX)Mazie Hirono (D-HI) (from January 9, 2018)Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) (until January 9, 2018)
114th Congress (January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017)
MajorityMinorityChuck Grassley, Iowa, Chair Orrin Hatch, Utah Jeff Sessions, Alabama Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Jeff Flake, Arizona David Vitter, Louisiana David Perdue, Georgia Thom Tillis, North CarolinaPatrick Leahy, Vermont, Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, California Chuck Schumer, New York Dick Durbin, Illinois Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Al Franken, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
Subcommittees