The Senate created Democratic and Republican Policy Committees in 1947. Until 2000, the Democratic Policy Committee was chaired by the party floor leader, who also served as chair of the Democratic Conference. A co-chair position was added in 1989. In the 106th Congress, the majority leader dropped his co-chair status and the chair of the policy committee is now an elected post. The Republican Policy Committee elects its chairperson separate from the party floor leader.

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Robert A. Taft (OH)
Term: 1947-1952

William F. Knowland (CA)
Term: 1953

Homer Ferguson (MI)
Term: 1954

Styles Bridges (NH)
Term: 1955-1961

Bourke B. Hickenlooper (IA)
Term: 1962-1968

Gordon Allott (CO)
Term: 1969-1972

John Tower (TX)
Term: 1973-1985

William Armstrong (CO)
Term: 1985-1990

Donald Lee Nickles (OK)
Term: 1991-1996

Larry Craig (ID)
Term: 1996-2003

Jon Kyl (AZ)
Term:  2003-2007

Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Term:  2007- 2009

John Ensign (NV)
Term: 2009- June 2009

John Thune (SD)
Term: 2009- present

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Alben W. Barkley (KY)
Term: 1947-1949

Scott W. Lucas (IL)
Term: 1949-1951

Ernest W. McFarland (AZ)
Term: 1951-1953

Lyndon B. Johnson (TX)
Term: 1953-1961

Michael J. Mansfield (MT)
Term: 1961-1977

Robert C. Byrd (WV)
Term: 1977-1989

George J. Mitchell (ME)
Term: 1989-1995

Co-chair: Thomas Daschle (SD)
Term: 1989-1995

Thomas Daschle (SD)
Term: 1995-present

Co-Chair: Harry Reid (NV)
Term: 1995-1999

Byron Dorgan (ND)
Term: 1999-present