SENATE VIPS | USSYP

John Thune

Senate Majority Leader (R-SD). As Majority Leader he manages floor schedule, sets GOP priorities, and defends the filibuster (has publicly pledged to maintain the 60-vote cloture threshold). Policy focus: infrastructure, pro-business regulation reform, and conservative judicial confirmations; recent role in negotiating budget and NDAA floor strategy.

John Barrasso

Senate Majority Whip (R-WY). Chief vote-manager for Senate Republicans; influential on energy, natural resources, and health policy (former chair of Environment & Public Works ranking). Active in shaping Republican messaging on energy independence and opposition to expansive climate regulations.

Mitch McConnell

Senior GOP statesman (Senator, KY). Long-time Senate Republican leader (stepped down from conference leadership after 2024 cycle); famed for strategic judicial confirmations and Senate procedure mastery; remains influential in judicial and appropriations fights and elder statesman role within GOP. Controversies: criticized for court-packing fights and hardline confirmation tactics.

Charles E. Schumer

Senate Minority Leader (D-NY). Leader of Senate Democrats; organizes minority strategy, coordinates with House Democrats and White House; advocates for voting rights, infrastructure and judicial confirmations by Democrats when in majority. Key role in messaging and protecting judicial nominees.

Dick Durbin

Senate Minority Whip (D-IL). Longtime Democratic whip and Judiciary Committee veteran; focuses on judicial confirmation oversight, immigration reform, and civil rights legislation. Has been active in investigations and as ranking member in oversight hearings.

Susan Collins

Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee (R-ME). Controls discretionary spending bills; pivotal swing GOP vote on budget fights and appropriations riders. Known for occasional bipartisanship (health research, veterans) but faces pressure from both parties; recent controversies over perceived reluctance to confront executive actions.

Chuck Grassley

Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee (R-IA). Controls judicial and DOJ nomination hearings, oversight of DOJ and DOJ investigations; led early 2025 Judiciary committee work on major executive branch oversight and high-profile nominations. Known for aggressive oversight tactics and long Senate tenure.

Mike Crapo

Chair, Senate Finance Committee (R-ID). Leads tax, trade, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid oversight and revenue legislation; central to GOP tax/investment plans and negotiations on entitlement adjustments and trade agreements.

Roger Wicker

Chair, Senate Armed Services Committee (R-MS). Top Republican on defense policy, authorizes the NDAA and oversees DoD budgets and posture; recent focus: force readiness, China contingency planning, and strategic deterrence.

Jim Risch

Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (R-ID). Leads Senate’s foreign policy debates, treaty review and ambassadorial confirmations; outspoken hawk on China and Iran containment policy and sanctions; key player shaping bilateral security legislation and foreign assistance packages.

Tom Cotton

Chair, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (R-AR). Oversees intelligence community oversight, confirmation hearings for intel appointments, and classified briefings; vocal on China, counter-espionage, and tougher intelligence oversight; part of push for stricter technology export controls.

Patty Murray

Vice Chair (Ranking Democrat) of Appropriations (D-WA). Leads Democratic appropriations strategy and oversight of discretionary funding priorities (health, education); long record of bipartisan budget negotiations and defending domestic spending priorities.

Ron Wyden

Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee (D-OR). Leading voice on tax fairness, digital privacy, and Medicare/Medicaid policy; frequently pushes for tech regulation, data privacy protections, and progressive tax measures.

Jack Reed

Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee (D-RI). Senior Democrat on defense issues; emphasizes readiness, veteran benefits, and bipartisan national security consensus; key in NDAA negotiations and oversight of military posture.

John Cornyn

Senior GOP senator (R-TX), former Republican whip and long-time Judiciary Committee member. Influential in judicial confirmations, border/security policy; known for negotiating criminal justice reforms and playing a pragmatic GOP role in conference.

Lindsey Graham

Senior Appropriator / Foreign-policy voice (R-SC). Frequent advocate for robust foreign engagement and aggressive policy toward China and Iran; chairs or sits on key foreign/security panels and often partners with colleagues on national security bills. (Note: status can shift with retirements

Susan M. Collins

(Already included above as Appropriations Chair; omitted from duplication)

Sherrod Brown

Senior Democrat on Banking/Finance issues (D-OH). Influential on consumer protection, trade and labor policy; advocates for worker-centered economic bills and tougher oversight of banks and corporations.

Tommy Tuberville

(If still in Senate by May 2025) Notable for blocking military promotions in past; influential in defense personnel debates and controversial blocks of confirmations (status of block actions evolved as issues resolved

Elizabeth Warren

Progressive floor and committee voice (D-MA). Leads on financial regulation, antitrust, consumer protection and oversight of big tech/banks; influential in crafting progressive fiscal and corporate governance proposals.

Bernie Sanders

(If still serving in the Senate as independent/D-VT) Major progressive leader (Budget Committee chair previously); champion of Medicare for All, student-debt actions, and wealth redistribution debates