The United States Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee (DSOC) is a committee of the United States Senate dedicated to fostering dialogue between Senate Democrats and community leaders across the United States. The Steering Committee hosts several meetings each year with advocates, activists, policy experts, and elected officials to help the structuring of the Democrats' agenda in the United States Senate. Some of these meetings also happen annually such as with U.S. Jewish groups to discuss the U.S. Israel relations and the Jewish community in the United States. It is one of two Democratic leadership committees in the Senate, the other being the Senate Democratic Strategic Communications Committee.

Members, 119th Congress Roster Senator State Amy Klobuchar, Steering & Policy ChairMinnesota Jeanne Shaheen, Steering & Policy Vice ChairNew Hampshire Bernie Sanders, Outreach ChairVermont Catherine Cortez Masto, Outreach Vice ChairNevada Chuck SchumerNew York Dick DurbinIllinois Kirsten GillibrandNew York Chris CoonsDelaware Brian SchatzHawaii Tammy BaldwinWisconsin Chris MurphyConnecticut Vacant TBA Vacant TBA Vacant TBA

Historical Committee Rosters

118th Congress

Roster Senator State Amy Klobuchar, Steering ChairMinnesota Jeanne Shaheen, Steering Vice ChairNew Hampshire Bernie Sanders, Outreach ChairVermont Catherine Cortez Masto, Outreach Vice ChairNevada Chuck SchumerNew York Dick DurbinIllinois Kirsten GillibrandNew York Chris CoonsDelaware Bob Casey, Jr.Pennsylvania Jon TesterMontana Brian SchatzHawaii Tammy BaldwinWisconsin Chris MurphyConnecticut Robert Menendez, Chair of Hispanic Task Force(until August 20, 2024)New Jersey

117th Congress Roster Senator State Amy Klobuchar, Steering ChairMinnesota Jeanne Shaheen, Steering Vice ChairNew Hampshire Bernie Sanders, Outreach ChairVermont Catherine Cortez Masto, Outreach Vice ChairNevada Chuck SchumerNew York Dick DurbinIllinois Patrick LeahyVermont Kirsten GillibrandNew York Chris CoonsDelaware Bob Casey, Jr.Pennsylvania Jon TesterMontana Brian SchatzHawaii Tammy BaldwinWisconsin Chris MurphyConnecticut Robert Menendez, Chair of Hispanic Task ForceNew Jersey

116th Congress After Bill Nelson lost his 2018 reelection bid, he left the committee and his position was left unfilled. Roster Senator State Amy Klobuchar, ChairMinnesota Jeanne Shaheen, Vice ChairNew Hampshire Chuck SchumerNew York Dick DurbinIllinois Patrick LeahyVermont Kirsten GillibrandNew York Chris CoonsDelaware Bob Casey, Jr.Pennsylvania Jon TesterMontana Brian SchatzHawaii Tammy BaldwinWisconsin Robert Menendez, Chair of Hispanic Task ForceNew Jersey

115th Congress Roster Senator State Amy Klobuchar, Steering ChairMinnesota Bernie Sanders, Outreach ChairVermont Jeanne Shaheen, Vice ChairNew Hampshire Chuck SchumerNew York Dick DurbinIllinois Patrick LeahyVermont Kirsten GillibrandNew York Chris Coons, Chair of Business OutreachDelaware Bill NelsonFlorida Bob Casey, Jr.Pennsylvania Jon TesterMontana Brian SchatzHawaii Tammy BaldwinWisconsin Bob Menendez, Chair of Hispanic Task ForceNew Jersey

Leadership Chairpersons Leadership Term Senator State 108th Hillary Clinton New York 109th Hillary Clinton New York 110th Debbie Stabenow Michigan 111th Debbie Stabenow Michigan 112th Mark Begich Alaska 113th Mark Begich Alaska 114th Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Steering Outreach Term Senator State Senator State 115th Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Bernie Sanders Vermont116th Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Bernie Sanders Vermont117th Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Bernie Sanders Vermont118th Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Bernie Sanders Vermont119th Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Bernie Sanders Vermont

Vice Chairpersons

Leadership Term Senator State 112th Daniel Akaka Hawaii 113th Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire 114th Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire Steering Outreach Term Senator State Senator State 115th Jeanne ShaheenNew Hampshire Position not established until 2021at the start of the 117th Congress.116th Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire117th Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire Catherine Cortez Masto Nevada118th Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire Catherine Cortez Masto Nevada119th Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire Catherine Cortez Masto Nevada

History The committee has operated under several names throughout its history, previously known as the Senate Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee before being renamed the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee.

In November 2008, following that year's presidential election, the committee, whose responsibilities include proposing chairmanships and committee assignments to be ratified by the Democratic caucus, considered stripping Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman of his Chairmanship of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs after he endorsed Republican senator John McCain in his 2008 presidential campaign. Many within the caucus expressed disappointment over his fervent support for McCain and his questioning of then Democratic senator Barack Obama's qualifications to run for the position. Ultimately, the caucus voted 42–13 to allow Lieberman to retain his chairmanship while sanctioning him to be removed from the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Following the 2014 midterm elections, in which Democrats lost their Senate majority, then-Minority Leader Harry Reid appointed Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar as chair of the committee. Reid tasked Klobuchar specifically with finding common ground with the incoming Republican majority, with the role focused on working with business groups and outside organizations to develop the Democratic policy agenda.

In November 2016, after Democrat Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 United States presidential election, then-Senate Democratic Leader-elect Chuck Schumer announced Bernie Sanders would fill the newly established position of Outreach Chair in the committee. Sanders came to prominence during the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries and his appointment was seen as a broader acknowledgment of his role in galvanizing the electorate. This made Sanders the first independent to hold a leadership position within the Democratic Party.

Following the 2024 Senate elections, in which Democrats again fell into the minority, the committee was reorganized and renamed the Senate Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. Klobuchar was elevated to chair of the renamed committee, becoming the No. 3 Democrat in Senate leadership. Sanders was retained as Chair of Outreach, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada as Vice Chair of Outreach, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire as Vice Chair of the Steering and Policy Committee.

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