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.
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."
List of chairs CongressNameStateTerm lengthNotes80thRobert A. TaftOhioJan. 3, 1947 – Jan. 3, 1953Son of President Taft81st82nd83rdWilliam F. KnowlandCaliforniaJan. 3, 1953 - Aug. 4, 195383rdHomer S. FergusonMichiganAug. 4, 1953 – Jan. 3, 195584thStyles BridgesNew HampshireJan. 3, 1955 – Nov. 26, 196185th86th87th87thBourke B. HickenlooperIowaJan. 3, 1962 – Jan. 3, 196988th89th90th91stGordon AllottColoradoJan. 3, 1969 – Jan. 3, 197392nd93rdJohn TowerTexasJan. 3, 1973 – Jan. 3, 198594th95th96th97th98th99thWilliam L. ArmstrongColoradoJan. 3, 1985 – Jan. 3, 1991100th101st102ndDon NicklesOklahomaJan. 3, 1991 – June 12, 1996103rd104th104thLarry CraigIdahoJune 12, 1996 – Jan. 3, 2003105th106th107th108thJon KylArizonaJan. 3, 2003 – Jan. 3, 2007109th110thKay Bailey HutchisonTexasJan. 3, 2007 – Jan. 3, 2009First woman to hold position111thJohn EnsignNevadaJan. 3, 2009 - June 17, 2009Resigned111thJohn ThuneSouth DakotaJune 17, 2009 – Jan. 26, 2012112th112thJohn BarrassoWyomingJan. 26, 2012 – Jan. 3, 2019113th114th115th116thRoy BluntMissouriJan. 3, 2019 – Jan. 3, 2023117th118thJoni ErnstIowaJan. 3, 2023 - Jan. 3, 2025119thShelley Moore CapitoWest VirginiaJan. 3, 2025 - present
References
External links Official website