The United States Senate Committee on the Budget was established by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. It is responsible for drafting Congress's annual budget plan and monitoring action on the budget for the Federal Government. The committee has jurisdiction over the Congressional Budget Office. The committee briefly operated as a special committee from 1919 to 1920 during the 66th Congress, before being made a standing committee in 1974.
The position of Chair is Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and the Ranking Member is Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
Contrasted with other committees The Budget Committee should not be confused with the Finance Committee and the Appropriations Committee, both of which have different jurisdictions: The Finance Committee is analogous to the Ways and Means Committee in the House of Representatives; it has legislative jurisdiction in the areas of taxes, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and some other entitlements. The Appropriations Committee has legislative jurisdiction over appropriations bills, which provide funding for government programs.
While the budget resolution prepared by the Budget Committee sets out a broad blueprint for the Congress with respect to the total levels of revenues and spending for the government as a whole, these other Committees prepare bills for specific tax and spending policies.
119th Congress
Majority, (119th Congress)Minority (119th Congress)Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, Chair (until July 11, 2026) Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Chair (from July 21, 2026) Chuck Grassley, Iowa Mike Crapo, Idaho Roger Marshall, Kansas John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah John Kennedy, Louisiana Pete Ricketts, Nebraska Bernie Moreno, Ohio Rick Scott, Florida Darline Graham, South Carolina (from July 21, 2026)Jeff Merkley, Oregon, Ranking Member Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Bernie Sanders, Vermont Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Mark Warner, Virginia Tim Kaine, Virginia Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico Alex Padilla, California
Leadership, 1974–present + ChairsNamePartyStateStartEndDemocraticMaine19741980DemocraticSouth Carolina19801981RepublicanNew Mexico19811987DemocraticFlorida19871989DemocraticTennessee19891995RepublicanNew Mexico19952001DemocraticNorth Dakota2001RepublicanNew Mexico2001DemocraticNorth Dakota20012003RepublicanOklahoma20032005RepublicanNew Hampshire20052007DemocraticNorth Dakota20072013DemocraticWashington20132015RepublicanWyoming20152021IndependentVermont20212023DemocraticRhode Island20232025RepublicanSouth Carolina20252026RepublicanWisconsin2026present + Ranking membersNamePartyStateStartEndRepublicanColorado19741975RepublicanOklahoma19751981DemocraticSouth Carolina19811983DemocraticFlorida19831987RepublicanNew Mexico19871995DemocraticNebraska19951997DemocraticNew Jersey19972001RepublicanNew Mexico20012003DemocraticNorth Dakota20032007RepublicanNew Hampshire20072011RepublicanAlabama20112015IndependentVermont20152021RepublicanSouth Carolina20212023RepublicanIowa20232025DemocraticOregon2025present
Historical membership rosters 118th Congress
Majority (118th Congress)Minority (118th Congress)Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island, Chair Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Bernie Sanders, Vermont Mark Warner, Virginia Jeff Merkley, Oregon Tim Kaine, Virginia Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico Alex Padilla, CaliforniaChuck Grassley, Iowa, Ranking Member Mike Crapo, Idaho Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Mitt Romney, Utah Roger Marshall, Kansas Mike Braun, Indiana John Kennedy, Louisiana Rick Scott, Florida Mike Lee, Utah
117th Congress
MajorityMinorityBernie Sanders, Vermont, Chair Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Mark Warner, Virginia Jeff Merkley, Oregon Tim Kaine, Virginia Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico Alex Padilla, CaliforniaLindsey Graham, South Carolina, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, Iowa Mike Crapo, Idaho Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Mike Braun, Indiana Rick Scott, Florida Ben Sasse, Nebraska Mitt Romney, Utah John Kennedy, Louisiana Kevin Cramer, North Dakota
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116th Congress
MajorityMinorityMike Enzi, Wyoming, Chair Chuck Grassley, Iowa Mike Crapo, Idaho Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania Ron Johnson, Wisconsin David Perdue, Georgia Mike Braun, Indiana Rick Scott, Florida John Kennedy, Louisiana Kevin Cramer, North DakotaBernie Sanders, Vermont, Ranking Member Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Mark Warner, Virginia Jeff Merkley, Oregon Tim Kaine, Virginia Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Kamala Harris, California
115th Congress MajorityMinorityMike Enzi, Wyoming, Chair Chuck Grassley, Iowa Mike Crapo, Idaho Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Bob Corker, Tennessee David Perdue, Georgia Cory Gardner, Colorado John Kennedy, Louisiana John Boozman, Arkansas Tom Cotton, ArkansasBernie Sanders, Vermont, Ranking Member Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Mark Warner, Virginia Jeff Merkley, Oregon Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Kamala Harris, California
114th Congress MajorityMinorityMike Enzi, Wyoming, Chair Chuck Grassley, Iowa Mike Crapo, Idaho Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Bob Corker, Tennessee David Perdue, Georgia Cory Gardner, Colorado John Kennedy, Louisiana John Boozman, Arkansas Luther Strange, AlabamaBernie Sanders, Vermont, Ranking Member Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Mark Warner, Virginia Jeff Merkley, Oregon Tammy Baldwin Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, Maine
113th Congress MajorityMinorityPatty Murray, Washington, Chair Ron Wyden, Oregon Bill Nelson, Florida Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Bernie Sanders, Vermont Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Mark Warner, Virginia Jeff Merkley, Oregon Chris Coons, Delaware Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Tim Kaine, Virginia Angus King, MaineJeff Sessions, Alabama, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, Iowa Mike Enzi, Wyoming Mike Crapo, Idaho Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Rob Portman, Ohio Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Roger Wicker, Mississippi
112th Congress MajorityMinorityKent Conrad, North Dakota, Chair Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Bill Nelson, Florida Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Ben Cardin, Maryland Bernie Sanders, Vermont Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Mark Warner, Virginia Jeff Merkley, Oregon Mark Begich, Alaska Chris Coons, DelawareJeff Sessions, Alabama, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, Iowa Mike Enzi, Wyoming Mike Crapo, Idaho Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Thune, South Dakota Rob Portman, Ohio Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire
111th Congress MajorityMinorityKent Conrad, North Dakota, Chair Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Russ Feingold, Wisconsin Robert Byrd, West Virginia Bill Nelson, Florida Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Bob Menendez, New Jersey Ben Cardin, Maryland Bernie Sanders, Vermont Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Mark Warner, Virginia Jeff Merkley, OregonJudd Gregg, New Hampshire, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, Iowa Mike Enzi, Wyoming Jeff Sessions, Alabama Jim Bunning, Kentucky Mike Crapo, Idaho John Ensign, Nevada John Cornyn, Texas Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Lamar Alexander, Tennessee
110th Congress MajorityMinorityKent Conrad, North Dakota, Chair Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Russ Feingold, Wisconsin Robert Byrd, West Virginia Bill Nelson, Florida Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Bob Menendez, New Jersey Frank Lautenberg, New Jersey Ben Cardin, Maryland Bernie Sanders, Vermont Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode IslandJudd Gregg, New Hampshire, Ranking Member Pete Domenici, New Mexico Chuck Grassley, Iowa Wayne Allard, Colorado Mike Enzi, Wyoming Jeff Sessions, Alabama Jim Bunning, Kentucky Mike Crapo, Idaho John Ensign, Nevada John Cornyn, Texas Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
109th Congress MajorityMinorityJudd Gregg, New Hampshire, Chair Pete Domenici, New Mexico Chuck Grassley, Iowa Wayne Allard, Colorado Mike Enzi, Wyoming Jeff Sessions, Alabama Jim Bunning, Kentucky Mike Crapo, Idaho John Ensign, Nevada John Cornyn, Texas Lamar Alexander, Tennessee Lindsey Graham, South CarolinaKent Conrad, North Dakota, Ranking Member Paul Sarbanes, Maryland Patty Murray, Washington Ron Wyden, Oregon Russ Feingold, Wisconsin Tim Johnson, South Dakota Robert Byrd, West Virginia Bill Nelson, Florida Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Bob Menendez, New Jersey
Notes
References
External links Official website (Archive) Senate Budget Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov. Committee on the Budget, United States Senate, 1974-2006. Senate Document 109-24. 109th Congress, 2nd session, 2006.