United States Senate Special Committee on Aging

The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging is a special committee in the United States Senate established on 1961. It was initially established as a temporary committee. It became a permanent Senate committee in 1977. As a special committee, it has no legislative authority, but it studies issues related to older Americans, particularly Medicare and Social Security.^[2]

Senate Aging Committee

Special Committee
United States Senate 118th Congress
History
Formed	February 13, 1961[1]
Leadership
Chair	Rick Scott (R) Since January 3, 2025
Ranking member	Kirsten Gillibrand (D) Since January 3, 2025
Structure
Political parties	Majority (8)   Republican (8) Minority (6)   Democratic (6)
Website
https://www.aging.senate.gov/

Prior to the passage of Medicare, the committee was studying health care insurance coverage for elderly American citizens. The committee conducts oversight of the Medicare program, Social Security and the Older Americans Act. Some of the issues that have been examined by the committee include unacceptable conditions in nursing homes, protection from age discrimination, and pricing practices for prescription drugs.^[2]

Members, 119th Congress

Main article: 119th United States Congress

Majority[3]	Minority[4]
Rick Scott, Florida, Chair Dave McCormick, Pennsylvania Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Mike Crapo, Idaho Tim Scott, South Carolina Jim Justice, West Virginia	Kirsten Gillibrand, New York, Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Mark Kelly, Arizona Raphael Warnock, Georgia Andy Kim, New Jersey Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland

Historical rosters

115th Congress

Majority	Minority
Susan Collins, Maine, Chair Orrin Hatch, Utah Jeff Flake, Arizona Tim Scott, South Carolina Thom Tillis, North Carolina Bob Corker, Tennessee Richard Burr, North Carolina Marco Rubio, Florida Deb Fischer, Nebraska	Bob Casey, Pennsylvania, Ranking Member Bill Nelson, Florida Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Joe Donnelly, Indiana Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada Doug Jones, Alabama

116th Congress

Majority	Minority
Susan Collins, Maine, Chair Tim Scott, South Carolina Richard Burr, North Carolina Martha McSally, Arizona (until December 2, 2020) Marco Rubio, Florida Josh Hawley, Missouri Mike Braun, Indiana Rick Scott, Florida	Bob Casey, Pennsylvania, Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Doug Jones, Alabama Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona Jacky Rosen, Nevada

117th Congress

Majority	Minority
Bob Casey, Pennsylvania, Chair Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Jacky Rosen, Nevada Mark Kelly, Arizona Raphael Warnock, Georgia	Tim Scott, South Carolina, Ranking Member Susan Collins, Maine Richard Burr, North Carolina Marco Rubio, Florida Mike Braun, Indiana Rick Scott, Florida Mike Lee, Utah

118th Congress

Majority[5]	Minority[6]
Bob Casey, Pennsylvania, Chair Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Mark Kelly, Arizona Raphael Warnock, Georgia John Fetterman, Pennsylvania	Mike Braun, Indiana, Ranking Member Tim Scott, South Carolina Marco Rubio, Florida Rick Scott, Florida JD Vance, Ohio Pete Ricketts, Nebraska

Chairperson

• Patrick V. McNamara (D-MI), 1961–1963
• George Smathers (D-FL), 1963–1967
• Harrison A. Williams (D-NJ), 1967–1971
• Frank Church (D-ID), 1971–1979
• Lawton Chiles (D-FL) 1979–1981
• John Heinz (R-PA), 1981–1987
• John Melcher (D-MT), 1987–1989
• David Pryor (D-AR), 1989–1995
• William Cohen (R-ME), 1995–1997
• Charles Grassley (R-IA), 1997–2001
• John Breaux (D-LA), 2001^[7]
• Larry Craig (R-ID), 2001^[7]
• John Breaux (D-LA), 2001–2003
• Larry Craig (R-ID), 2003–2005
• Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), 2005–2007
• Herb Kohl (D-WI), 2007–2013
• Bill Nelson (D-FL), 2013–2015
• Susan Collins (R-ME), 2015–2021
• Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA), 2021–2025
• Rick Scott (R-FL), 2025–present

See also

• List of current United States Senate committees

References

1. "U.S. Senate. Special Committee on Aging. (2/13/1961 - )". National Archives Catalogue. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
2. "About the Aging Committee". U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. Archived from the original on January 31, 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2005.
3. S.Res. 16 (119th Congress)
4. S.Res. 17 (119th Congress)
5. S.Res. 30 (118th Congress)
6. S.Res. 31 (118th Congress)
7. Pursuant to S.Res. 7 John Breaux served as chairman from January 3, 2001 until noon on January 20, 2001. Larry Craig served as chairman from noon on January 20, 2001 until June 6, 2001.

External links

• Committee website