President pro tempore of the United States Senate

Encyclopedia of Political Information.

The United States Senate, according to the United States Constitution, (Article I), is required to choose a President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time", often shortened to President Pro Tem), who presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice-President. This position is usually given to the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service. Because of the smaller size of the Senate and because Senate rules of procedure give more power to individual senators, the President Pro Tem is not a powerful position especially in comparison to the Speaker of the House of Representatives or even the party leaders of the Senate.

In earlier times, when the Vice President usually presided over the Senate, a President pro tempore was chosen each time there was an absence. More recently, a sitting president pro tempore has been chosen.

Since 1947, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate has been third in line to succeed to the US presidency in the case of death or resignation, after the Vice-President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (See United States Presidential line of succession.)

The current President Pro Tempore of the Senate is Ted Stevens of Alaska. Before the Republicans regained control of the Senate on November 5, 2002, the President Pro Tempore was Robert Byrd of West Virginia. Prior to the shift of James Jeffords from Republican to Independent in May 2001, which shifted control of the Senate from the Republican to the Democratic Party, the office was held by J. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

Presidents pro Tempore of the United States Senate

1st Congress (1789-1791)

John Langdon (NH) April 6 - April 21, 1789
John Langdon (NH) August 7 - August 9, 1789

2nd Congress (1791-1793)

Richard Henry Lee (VA) April 18 - October 8, 1792
John Langdon (NH) November 5 - December 4, 1792
John Langdon (NH) March 1 - March 3, 1793

3rd Congress (1793-1795)

John Langdon (NH) March 4 - December 2, 1793
Ralph Izard (SC) May 31 - November 9, 1794
Henry Tazewell (VA) February 20 - June 7, 1795

4th Congress (1795-1797)

Henry Tazewell (Republican-VA) December 7 - December 8, 1795
Samuel Livermore (Federalist-NH) May 6 - December 4, 1796
William Bingham (Federalist-PA) February 16 - March 3, 1797

5th Congress (1797-1799)

William Bradford (Federalist-RI) July 6 - October, 1797
Jacob Read (Federalist-SC) November 22 - December 12, 1797
Theodore Sedgwick (Federalist-MA) June 27 - December 5, 1798
John Laurance (Federalist-NY) December 6 - December 27, 1798
James Ross (Federalist-PA) March 1 - December 1, 1799

6th Congress (1799-1801)

Samuel Livermore (Federalist-NH) December 2 - December 29, 1799
Uriah Tracy (Federalist-CT) May 14 - November 16, 1800
John E. Howard (Federalist-MD) November 21 - November 27, 1800
James Hillhouse (Federalist-CT) February 28 - March 3, 1801

7th Congress (1801-1803)

Abraham Baldwin (Republican-GA) December 7, 1801 - January 14, 1802
Abraham Baldwin (Republican-GA) April 17 - December 13, 1802
Stephen R. Bradley (Republican-VT) December 14, 1802 - January 18, 1803
Stephen R. Bradley (Republican-VT) February 25, 1803
Stephen R. Bradley (Republican-VT) March 2 - October 16, 1803

8th Congress (1803-1805)

John Brown (Republican-KY) October 17 - December 6, 1803
John Brown (Republican-KY) January 23 - February 26, 1804
Jesse Franklin (Republican-KY) March 10 - November 4, 1804
Joseph Anderson (Republican-TN) January 15 - February 3, 1805
Joseph Anderson (Republican-TN) February 28 - March 2, 1805
Joseph Anderson (Republican-TN) March 2 - December 1, 1805

9th Congress (1805-1807)

Samuel Smith (Republican-MD) December 2 - December 15, 1805
Samuel Smith (Republican-MD) March 18 - November 30, 1806
Samuel Smith (Republican-MD) March 2 - October 25, 1807

10th Congress (1807-1809)

Samuel Smith (Republican-MD) April 16 - November 6, 1808
Stephen R. Bradley (Republican-VT) December 28, 1808 - January 8, 1809
John Milledge (Republican-GA) January 30 - March 3, 1809

11th Congress (1809-1811)

John Milledge (Republican-GA) March 4 - May 21, 1809
Andrew Gregg (Republican-PA) June 26 - December 18, 1809
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) February 28 - March 2, 1810
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) April 17 - December 11, 1810
John Pope (Republican-KY) February 23 - November 3, 1811

12th Congress (1811-1813)

William Crawford (Republican-GA) March 24, 1812 - March 3, 1813

13th Congress (1813-1815)

William Crawford (Republican-GA) March 4 - March 23, 1813
Joseph B. Varnum (Republican-MA) December 6, 1813 - February 3, 1814
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) November 25, 1814 - December 3, 1815

14th Congress (1815-1817)

John Gaillard (Republican-SC) December 4, 1815 - March 3, 1817

15th Congress (1817-1819)

John Gaillard (Republican-SC) March 4, 1817
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) March 6, 1817 - February 18, 1818
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) March 31, 1818 - January 5, 1819
James Barbour (Republican-VA) February 15 - December 5, 1819

16th Congress (1819-1821)

James Barbour (Republican-VA) December 6 - December 26, 1819
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) January 25], 1820 - December 2, 1821

17th Congress (1821-1823)

John Gaillard (Republican-SC) December 3 - December 27, 1821
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) February 1 - December 2, 1822
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) February 19 - November 30, 1823

18th Congress (1823-1825)

John Gaillard (Republican-SC) December 1, 1823 - January 20, 1824
John Gaillard (Republican-SC) May 21, 1824 - March 3, 1825

19th Congress (1825-1827)

John Gaillard (Republican-SC) March 9 - December 4, 1825
Nathaniel Macon (Republican-NC) May 20 - December 3, 1826
Nathaniel Macon (Republican-NC) January 2 - February 13, 1827
Nathaniel Macon (Republican-NC) March 2 - December 2, 1827

20th Congress (1827-1829)

Samuel Smith (Jacksonian-MD) May 15 - December 18, 1828

21st Congress (1829-1831)

Samuel Smith (Democrat-MD) March 13 - December 10, 1829
Samuel Smith (Democrat-MD) May 20 - December 31, 1830
Samuel Smith (Democrat-MD) March 1 - December 4, 1831

22nd Congress (1831-1833)

Samuel Smith (Democrat-MD) December 5 - December 11, 1831
Littleton Tazewell (Democrat-MD) July 9 - July 16, 1832
Hugh L. White (Democrat-TN) December 3, 1832 - December 1, 1833

23rd Congress (1833-1835)

Hugh L. White (Democrat-TN) December 2 - December 15, 1833
George Poindexter (Whig-MS) June 28 - November 30, 1834
John Tyler (Whig-VA) March 3 - December 6, 1835

24th Congress (1835-1837)

William R. King (Democrat-AL) July 1 - December 4, 1836
William R. King (Democrat-AL) January 28 - March 3, 1837

25th Congress (1837-1839)

William R. King (Democrat-AL) March 7 - September 3, 1837
William R. King (Democrat-AL) October 13 - December 3, 1837
William R. King (Democrat-AL) July 2 - December 18, 1838
William R. King (Democrat-AL) February 25 - December 1, 1839

26th Congress (1839-1841)

William R. King (Democrat-AL) December 2 - December 26, 1839
William R. King (Democrat-AL) July 3 - December 15, 1840
William R. King (Democrat-AL) March 3, 1841

27th Congress (1841-1843)

William R. King (Democrat-AL) March 4, 1841
Samuel Southard (Whig-NJ) March 11 - May 31, 1842
Willie P. Mangum (Whig-NC) May 31, 1842 - December 3, 1843

28th Congress (1843-1845)

Willie P. Mangum (Whig-NC) December 4, 1843 - March 3, 1845

29th Congress (1845-1847)

Willie P. Mangum (Whig-NC) March 4, 1845
Ambrose H. Sevier (Democrat-AR) December 27, 1845
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) August 8 - December 6, 1846
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) January 11 - January 13, 1847
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) March 3 - December 5, 1847

30th Congress (1847-1849)

David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) February 2 - February 8, 1848
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) June 1 - June 14, 1848
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) June 26 - June 29, 1848
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) July 29 - December 4, 1848
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) December 26, 1848 - January 1, 1849
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) March 2 - March 4, 1849

31st Congress (1849-1851)

David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) March 5, 1849
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) March 16 - December 2, 1849
William R. King (Democrat-AL) May 6 - May 19, 1850
William R. King (Democrat-AL) July 11, 1850 - March 3, 1851

32nd Congress (1851-1853)

William R. King (Democrat-AL) March 4, 1851 - December 20, 1852
David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) December 20, 1852 - March 3, 1853

33rd Congress (1853-1855)

David R. Atchison (Democrat-MO) March 4, 1853 - December 4, 1854
Lewis Cass (Democrat-MI) December 4, 1854
Jesse D. Bright (Democrat-IN) December 5, 1854 - December 2, 1855

34th Congress (1855-1857)

Jesse D. Bright (Democrat-IN) December 3, 1855 - June 9, 1856
Charles E. Stuart (Democrat-MI) June 9 - June 10, 1856
Jesse D. Bright (Democrat-IN) June 11, 1856 - January 6, 1857
James M. Mason (Democrat-VA) January 6 - March 3, 1857

35th Congress (1857-1859)

James M. Mason (Democrat-VA) March 4, 1857
Thomas J. Rusk (Democrat-TX) March 14 - July 29, 1857
Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) December 7 - December 20, 1857
Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) March 29 - May 2, 1858
Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) June 14 - December 5, 1858
Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) January 19, 1859
Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) January 25 - February 9, 1859

36th Congress (1859-1861)

Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) March 9 - December 4, 1859
Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) December 19, 1859 - January 15, 1860
Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) February 20 - February 26, 1860
Jesse D. Bright (Democrat-IN) June 12 - June 13, 1860
Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Democrat-AL) June 26 - December 2, 1860
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) February 16 - February 17, 1861

37th Congress (1861-1863)

Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) March 23 - July 3, 1861
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) July 18 - December 1, 1861
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) January 15, 1862
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) March 31 - May 21, 1862
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) June 19 - December 12, 1862
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) February 18 - March 3, 1863

38th Congress (1863-1865)

Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) March 4 - December 6, 1863
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) December 18 - December 20, 1863
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) February 23, 1864
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) March 11 - March 13, 1864
Solomon Foot (Republican-VT) April 11 - April 13, 1864
Daniel Clark (Republican-NH) April 26, 1864 - January 4, 1865
Daniel Clark (Republican-NH) February 9 - February 19, 1865

39th Congress (1865-1867)

Lafayette S. Foster (Republican-CT) May 7, 1865 - March 2, 1867
Benjamin F. Wade (Republican-OH) March 2 - March 3, 1867

40th Congress (1867-1869)

Benjamin F. Wade (Republican-OH) March 4, 1867 - March 3, 1869

41st Congress (1869-1871)

Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) March 23-28, 1869
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) April 9-December 5, 1869
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) May 28-June 2, 1870
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) July 1-5, 1870
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) July 14-December 4, 1870

42nd Congress (1871-1873)

Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) March 10-12, 1871
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) April 17-May 9, 1871
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) May 23-December 3, 1871
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) December 21, 1871 - January 7, 1872
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) February 23-25, 1872
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) June 8-December 1, 1872
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) December 4-8, 1872
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) December 13-15, 1872
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) December 20, 1872 - January 5, 1873
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) January 24, 1873

43rd Congress (1873-1875)

Matthew H. Carpenter (R-WI) March 12-13, 1873
Matthew H. Carpenter (R-WI) March 26-November 30, 1873
Matthew H. Carpenter (R-WI) December 11, 1873 - December 6, 1874
Matthew H. Carpenter (R-WI) December 23, 1874 - January 4, 1875
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) January 25-31, 1875
Henry B. Anthony (R-RI) February 15-17, 1875

44th Congress (1875-1877)

Thomas W. Ferry (R-MI) March 9-10, 1875
Thomas W. Ferry (R-MI) March 19, 1875 - March 4, 1877

45th Congress (1877-1879)

Thomas W. Ferry (R-MI) March 5, 1877
Thomas W. Ferry (R-MI) February 26-March 3, 1878
Thomas W. Ferry (R-MI) April 17-December 1, 1878
Thomas W. Ferry (R-MI) March 3-17, 1879

46th Congress (1879-1881)

Allen G. Thurman (D-OH) April 15-November 30, 1879
Allen G. Thurman (D-OH) April 7-14, 1880
Allen G. Thurman (D-OH) May 6-December 5, 1880

47th Congress (1881-1883)

Thomas F. Bayard (D-DE) October 10-13, 1881
David Davis (Independent-IL) October 13, 1881-March 3, 1883
George F. Edmunds (R-VT) March 3-December 2, 1883

48th Congress (1883-1885)

George F. Edmunds (R-VT) December 3, 1883 - March 3, 1885

49th Congress (1885-1887)

John Sherman (R-OH) December 7, 1885 - February 26, 1887
John J. Ingalls (R-KS) February 26-December 4, 1887

50th Congress (1887-1889)

John J. Ingalls (R-KS) December 5, 1887 - March 3, 1889

51st Congress (1889-1891)

John J. Ingalls (R-KS) March 17-17, 1889
John J. Ingalls (R-KS) April 2-December 1, 1889
John J. Ingalls (R-KS) December 5-10, 1889
John J. Ingalls (R-KS) February 28-March 18, 1890

At this point, it was decided that presidents pro tempore should serve until a new one was elected. They were as follows:

John J. Ingalls (R-KS) April 3, 1890 - March 2, 1891
Charles F. Manderson (R-NE) March 2, 1891 - March 22, 1893
Isham G. Harris (D-TN) March 22, 1893 - January 7, 1895
Matt W. Ransom (D-NC) January 7-10, 1895
Isham G. Harris (D-TN) January 10-March 3, 1895
William P. Frye (R-ME) February 7, 1896 - April 27, 1911

on Frye's death, it proved difficult to elect a successor. For the remainder of the 62nd Congress (1911-1913), the position alternated among:

Augustus O. Bacon (D-GA)
Charles Curtis (R-KS)
Jacob H. Gallinger (R-NH)
Frank B. Brandegee (R-CT) and
Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA)

In the next Congress, things returned to normal:

James P. Clarke (D-AR) March 13, 1913 - October 1, 1916
Willard Saulsbury (D-DE) December 14, 1916 - March 3, 1919
Albert B. Cummins (R-IA) May 19, 1919 - March 6, 1925
George H. Moses (R-NH) March 6, 1925 - March 3, 1933
Key Pittman (D-NV) March 9, 1933 - November 10, 1940
William H. King (D-UT) November 19, 1940 - January 3, 1941
Pat Harrison (D-MS) January 6 - June 22, 1941
Carter Glass (D-VA) July 10, 1941 - January 2, 1945
Kenneth McKellar (D-TN) January 6, 1945 - January 2, 1947
Arthur H. Vandenberg (R-MI) January 4, 1947 - January 2, 1949
Kenneth McKellar (D-TN) January 3, 1949 - January 2, 1953
Styles Bridges (R-NH) January 3, 1953 - January 4, 1955
Walter F. George (D-GA) January 5, 1955 - January 2, 1957
Carl T. Hayden (D-AZ) January 3, 1957 - January 2, 1969
Richard B. Russell (D-GA) January 3, 1969 - January 21, 1971
Allen J. Ellender (D-LA) January 22, 1971 - July 27, 1972
James O. Eastland (D-MS) July 28, 1972 - December 27, 1978
Warren G. Magnuson (D-WA) January 15, 1979 - December 4, 1980
Milton R. Young (R-ND) December 5, 1980
Warren G. Magnuson (D-WA) December 6, 1980 - January 4, 1981
Strom Thurmond (R-SC) January 5, 1981 - January 5, 1987
John C. Stennis (D-MS) January 6, 1987 - January 2, 1989
Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) January 3, 1989 - January 3, 1995
Strom Thurmond (R-SC) January 4, 1995 - January 3, 2001
Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) January 3-20, 2001
Strom Thurmond (R-SC) January 20-June 6, 2001
Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) June 6, 2001 - January 3, 2003
Ted Stevens (R-AK) January 3, 2003 - Present