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history & rules

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee was established in 1816 as one of the original ten standing committees of the Senate. Throughout its history, the committee has been instrumental in developing and influencing United States foreign policy, at different times supporting and opposing the policies of presidents and secretaries of state. 

The committee has considered, debated, and reported important treaties and legislation, ranging from the purchase of Alaska in 1867 to the establishment of the United Nations in 1945. It also holds jurisdiction over all diplomatic nominations. Through these powers, the committee has helped shape foreign policy of broad significance, in matters of war and peace and international relations. Members of the committee have assisted in the negotiation of treaties, and at times have helped to defeat treaties they felt were not in the national interest.

The Foreign Relations Committee was instrumental in the rejection of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and 1920, and in the passage of the Truman Doctrine in 1947 and Marshall Plan in 1948. A bipartisan spirit prevailed as the committee confronted the perils of the Cold War. However, the state of almost constant crisis that the Cold War spawned eventually resulted in the vast expansion of presidential authority over foreign policy. Since the 1960s, the committee has sought to redress this imbalance of powers.

Collected Volumes of Legislation on Foreign Relations

Legislation on Foreign Relations is a multi-volume, fully annotated compendium of legislation, Executive Orders, and treaties pertaining to U.S. foreign relations. Until 2005, it was generally prepared annually by the Congressional Research Service for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and House Committee on Foreign Affairs. It is used widely throughout all branches of federal government as the authoritative source for session law, related legislative history, and corresponding executive documents.

History of the Committee Room

During the nineteenth century, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee met in a variety of rooms in the United States Capitol. Following World War I, these accommodate the committee's expanding responsibilities. In 1933 the committee moved into its current suite in the Capitol. While the Foreign Relations Committee maintains several offices spread over four buildings, the two rooms in the Capitol have become symbolic of the committee and its work.

SFRC_History_Room

These rooms, S-116 and S-117, were first occupied around 1859 with the completion of the new Senate wing of the Capitol. Until their assignment to the Foreign Relations Committee, the rooms housed a variety of tenants. Former occupants, whose names are reflective of the concerns of a growing nation, included the committees on Retrenchment, Patents, Agriculture, Immigration, Territories, Female Suffrage, and Naval Affairs. At the turn of the century, S-116 even served as the Senate's post office.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee uses these rooms to receive visiting dignitaries and to conduct national security briefings and hearings in executive session. The rooms have hosted American presidents, heads of foreign nations, secretaries of state and defense, ambassadors, and others who have informed and advised the committee in its fulfillment of the Senate's constitutional role in foreign policy.

chairman history

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Hisotry
Chair Name Dates Served Party-State
James Barbour 1816-1818 (DR-VA)
Nathaniel Macon 1818-1819 (DR-NC)
James Brown 1819-1820 (DR-LA)
James Barbour 1820-1821 (DR-VA)
Rufus King 1821-1822 (F-NY)
James Barbour 1822-1825 (DR/CRR-VA)
Nathaniel Macon 1825-1826 (J-NC)
Nathan Sanford 1826-1827 (Adams-NY)
Nathaniel Macon 1827-1828 (U-NC)
Littleton Tazewell 1828-1832 (J-VA)
John Forsyth 1832-1833 (J-GA)
William Wikins 1833-1834 (J-PA)
Henry Clay 1834-1836 (AJ-KY)
James Buchanan 1836-1841 (D-PA)
William C. Rives 1841-1842 (W-VA)
William Archer 1842-1845 (W-VA)
William Allen 1845-1846 (D-OH)
Ambrose Sevier 1846-1848 (D-AR)
Edward Hannegan 1848-1849 (D-IN)
Thomas Hart Benton Mar. 1849 (D-MO)
William R. King 1849-1850 (D-AL)
Henry S. Foote 1850-1851 (D-MS)
James Mason 1851-1861 (D-VA)
Charles Sumner 1861-1871 (R-MA)
Simon Cameron 1871-1877 (R-PA)
Hannibal Hamlin 1877-1879 (R-ME)
William Eaton 1879-1881 (D-CT)
Ambrose E. Burnside Mar. 1881 (R-RI)
George F. Edmunds Oct. 1881 (R-VT)
William Windom 1881-1883 (R-MN)
John F. Miller 1883-1886 (R-CA)
John Sherman 1886-1893 (R-OH)
John T. Morgan 1893-1895 (D-AL)
John Sherman 1895-1897 (R-OH)
William P. Frye 1897 (R-ME)
Cushman Davis 1897-1901 (R-MN)
William P. Frye Mar. 1901 (R-ME)
Shelby M. Cullom 1901-1913 (R-IL)
Augustus O. Bacon 1913-1914 (D-GA)
William J. Stone 1914-1918 (D-MO)
Gilbert M. Hitchcock 1918-1919 (D-NE)
Henry Cabot Lodge 1919-1924 (R-MA)
William E. Borah 1924-1933 (R-ID)
Key Pittman 1933-1940 (D-NV)
Walter F. George 1940-1941 (D-GA)
Tom Connally 1941-1947 (D-TX)
Arthur H. Vandenberg 1947-1949 (R-MI)
Tom Connally 1949-1953 (D-TX)
Alexander Wiley 1953-1955 (R-WI)
Walter F. George 1955-1957 (D-GA)
Theodore Francis Green 1957-1959 (D-RI)
J. William Fulbright 1959-1974 (D-AR)
John J. Sparkman 1975-1979 (D-AL)
Frank Church 1979-1981 (D-ID)
Jacob Javits Dec. 1980 (R-NY)
Charles H. Percy 1981-1985 (R-IL)
Richard G. Lugar 1985-1987 (R-IN)
Claiborne Pell 1987-1995 (D-RI)
Jesse Helms 1995-2001 (R-NC)
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. 2001 (D-DE)
Jesse Helms 2001 (R-NC)
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. 2001-2003 (D-DE)
Richard G. Lugar 2003-2007 (R-IN)
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. 2007-2009 (D-DE)
John F. Kerry 2009-2013 (D-MA)
Robert Menendez 2013-2014 (D-NJ)
Bob Corker 2015-2019 (R-TN)
James E. Risch 2019-2021 (R-ID)
Robert Menendez 2021-2023 (D-NJ)
Ben Cardin 2023- (D-MD)