Ranking Minority Member / Ranking Member (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms

Ranking Minority Member / Ranking Member

Argumenting about ranks
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The highest ranking (and usually longest serving) minority-party member of a standing committee or subcommittee. Senators may not serve as ranking minority member on more than one standing committee.

The “Ranking Member” is the minority party leader on a congressional committee and frequently the minority committee member with the most seniority. The ranking member often serves, along with the chairman, as an ex officio member of all of the committee’s subcommittees. Some Senate committees refer to their highest ranking minority members as vice-chairman. A chair or ranking minority member on a committee or subcommittee also wears a second hat as manager of resources for that entity.

Party leaders meet with committee chairs and ranking minority members to discuss political strategies and legislative priorities, assess support and opposition to the leadership’s initiatives, round up votes, and serve as congressional spokesmen for their parties’ positions.

 


Congressional Leadership: Crash Course Government and Politics #8

 

Ranking Member is the minority party leader on a congressional committee and frequently the minority committee member with the most seniority. The ranking member often serves, along with the chairman, as an ex officio member of all of the committee’s subcommittees. Some Senate committees refer to their highest ranking minority members as vice-chairman.

 
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