House Democratic Caucus


The House Democratic Caucus is a congressional caucus composed of all Democratic representatives in the United States House of Representatives, voting and non-voting, and is responsible for nominating and electing the Democratic Party leadership in the chamber. In its roles as a party conference, the caucus writes and enforces rules of conduct and discipline for its members, approves committee assignments, and serves as the primary forum for development of party policy and legislative priorities. It hosts weekly meetings for these purposes and to communicate the party's message to members.
When the caucus holds the majority of seats, it is usually led by the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who is assisted on the floor by the House majority leader and the party's chief whip. When in the minority, it is led by the House minority leader, assisted by the chief whip. The caucus has a Caucus chairman and Caucus vice-chair. For the 119th Congress, Hakeem Jeffries was elected as the minority leader, Katherine Clark became the minority whip and Pete Aguilar was chosen as the Caucus chairman.

Current hierarchy

Effective with the start of the 119th Congress, the chain of command conference leadership is as follows :
The House Democratic Caucus, through its institutional antecedent, the Democratic-Republican caucus, was established on April 2, 1796, to stop a treaty with Great Britain which unfairly treated American sailors. For many years, through 1820, it nominated presidential candidates.
Since 2023, the House Democratic leader has been Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York . He was elected to succeed longtime Democratic leader and the first woman speaker of the House in U.S. history Nancy Pelosi.
At the Organizational Meeting on November 18, 2008, of the Democratic Caucus for the 111th Congress, Representative John B. Larson was elected Caucus chairman by acclamation. The election was presided over by the outgoing chairman of the Democratic Caucus for the 110th Congress, former representative Rahm Emanuel. Rep. Larson officially assumed the position of chairman on the first day of the 111th Congress, January 3, 2009.
After his election as chairman at the Organizational Meeting on November 18, Chairman Larson presided over the election of Rep. Xavier Becerra, who defeated Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio by a vote count of 175 to 67. Rep. Becerra likewise assumed his vice-chairmanship on January 3.

Leaders of the House Democratic Caucus

List of chairs

Chairs are currently limited to two consecutive terms.
OfficeholderStateCongressTerm
James ThompsonPennsylvania31st1849–1851
N/A32nd1851–1853
Edson B. OldsOhio33rd1853–1855
George Washington JonesTennessee34th1855–1857
N/A35th1857–1859
George S. HoustonAlabama36th1859–1861
N/A37th–40th1861–1869
William E. Niblack,
Samuel J. Randall		Indiana,
Pennsylvania		41st1869–1871
N/A42nd1871–1873
William E. NiblackIndiana43rd1873–1875
Lucius Q.C. LamarMississippi44th1875–1877
Hiester ClymerPennsylvania45th1877–1879
John F. HouseTennessee46th1879–1881
N/A47th1881–1883
George W. GeddesOhio48th1883–1885
J. Randolph TuckerVirginia49th1885–1887
Samuel S. CoxNew York50th1887–1889
William S. HolmanIndiana51st–53rd1889–1895
David B. CulbersonTexas54th1895–1897
James D. RichardsonTennessee55th1897–1899
James HayVirginia56th–58th1899–1905
Robert L. HenryTexas59th1905–1907
Henry D. ClaytonAlabama60th–61st1907–1911
Albert S. BurlesonTexas62nd1911–1913
A. Mitchell PalmerPennsylvania63rd1913–1915
Edward W. SaundersVirginia64th–65th1915–1919
Arthur G. DeWaltPennsylvania66th1919–1921
Sam RayburnTexas67th1921–1923
Henry T. RaineyIllinois68th1923–1925
Charles D. CarterOklahoma69th1925–1927
Arthur H. GreenwoodIndiana70th1927–1929
David H. KincheloeKentucky71st1929–1930
William W. ArnoldIllinois72nd1931–1933
Clarence F. LeaCalifornia73rd1933–1935
Edward T. TaylorColorado74th1935–1937
Robert L. DoughtonNorth Carolina75th1937–1939
John W. McCormackMassachusetts76th1939–1940
Richard M. DuncanMissouri77th1941–1943
Harry R. SheppardCalifornia78th1943–1945
Jere CooperTennessee79th1945–1947
Aime J. ForandRhode Island80th1947–1949
Francis E. WalterPennsylvania81st1949–1951
Jere CooperTennessee82nd1951–1953
Wilbur D. MillsArkansas83rd1953–1955
John J. RooneyNew York84th1955–1957
Melvin PriceIllinois85th–86th1957–1961
Francis E. WalterPennsylvania87th–88th1961–1963
Albert ThomasTexas88th1964–1965
Eugene KeoghNew York89th1965–1967
Dan RostenkowskiIllinois90th–91st1967–1971
Olin TeagueTexas92nd–93rd1971–1975
Phillip BurtonCalifornia94th1976–1977
Thomas S. FoleyWashington95th–96th1977–1981
Gillis W. LongLouisiana97th–98th1981–1985
Richard A. GephardtMissouri99th–100th1985–1989
William H. Gray IIIPennsylvania101st1989
Steny H. HoyerMaryland101st–103rd1989–1995
Vic FazioCalifornia104th–105th1995–1999
Martin FrostTexas106th–107th1999–2003
Bob MenendezNew Jersey108th–109th2003–2006
James ClyburnSouth Carolina109th2006–2007
Rahm EmanuelIllinois110th2007–2009
John B. LarsonConnecticut111th–112th2009–2013
Xavier BecerraCalifornia113th–114th2013–2017
Joe CrowleyNew York115th2017–2019
Hakeem JeffriesNew York116th–117th2019–2023
Pete AguilarCalifornia118th–119th2023–present

List of vice-chairs

The vice-chair of the Democratic Caucus ranks just below the Chair of the House Democratic Caucus. In addition to other duties, the vice-chair has a seat on the Steering and Policy Committee.
  • Mary Rose Oakar
  • Steny Hoyer
  • Vic Fazio
  • Barbara B. Kennelly
  • Bob Menendez
  • Jim Clyburn
  • John B. Larson
  • Xavier Becerra
  • Joe Crowley
  • Linda Sánchez
  • Katherine Clark
  • Pete Aguilar
  • Ted Lieu

    List of secretaries

The office of secretary of the Democratic Caucus preceded the office of vice-chair. Until its elimination in 1987, the office of secretary was reserved for a female member of the House.
  • Chase G. Woodhouse
  • Edna F. Kelly
  • Leonor K. Sullivan
  • Patsy Mink
  • Shirley Chisholm
  • Geraldine Ferraro
  • Mary Rose Oakar