Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate

The Sergeant at Arms of the Senate or originally known as the Doorkeeper of the Senate[1] from the First Congress until the Eighth Congress (April 7, 1789 – March 3, 1803) is the highest-ranking federal law enforcement officer in the Senate of the United States. One of the chief roles of the sergeant at arms is to hold the gavel used at every session.[2] The sergeant at arms can also compel the attendance of an absent senator when ordered to do so by the Senate.[1]

With the Architect of the Capitol and the House Sergeant at Arms, he serves on the Capitol Police Board, responsible for security around the building.

The sergeant at arms can, upon orders of the Senate, arrest and detain any person who violates Senate rules.[3]

The sergeant at arms is also the executive officer for the Senate and provides senators with computers, equipment, and repair and security services.[4]

In March 2014, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that Terrance W. Gainer was planning on retiring as Senate Sergeant at Arms, and would be replaced by Senate Deputy Sergeant at Arms Andrew B. Willison. [5] On January 6, 2015, the Senate swore in the sergeant at arms for its current term, Frank J. Larkin.[6]

On April 16, 2018, after Frank J. Larkin retired, Michael C. Stenger was nominated as the 41st sergeant at arms under Senate Resolution 465, put forth by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. This resolution was submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment by unanimous consent.[7]

Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer (right) escorting President Obama to his 2011 State of the Union Address

Staff and organization

The office of the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate has between 800 and 900 staff, of the approximately 4300 working for the Senate overall. Its budget is on the order of $200 million per year. Top officials reporting to the sergeant at arms include a deputy; a chief of staff; assistant sergeant at arms for intelligence and protective services; a CIO; an operations chief; Capitol operations; a general counsel; two legislative liaisons; and a CFO.[8]

The main office of the sergeant at arms is in the Postal Square Building in Washington, D.C. The core computer operations are in that building, and the staff manage Internet and intranet connections to offices of senators both in the Capitol complex and back in their home states.[8][9]

List of the Sergeants at Arms of the Senate

Officer Tenure
James Mathers April 7, 1789 – September 2, 1811
Mountjoy Bayly November 6, 1811 – December 9, 1833
John Shackford December 9, 1833 – 1837
Stephen Haight September 4, 1837 – June 7, 1841
Edward Dyer June 7, 1841 – December 9, 1845
Robert Beale December 9, 1845 – March 17, 1853
Dunning R. McNair March 17, 1853 – July 6, 1861
George Brown July 6, 1861 – March 22, 1869
John R. French March 22, 1869 – March 24, 1879
Richard Bright March 24, 1879 – December 18, 1883
William Canaday December 18, 1883 – June 30, 1890
Edward K. Valentine June 30, 1890 – August 7, 1893
Richard Bright August 8, 1893 – February 1, 1900
Daniel Ransdell February 1, 1900 – August 26, 1912
Livingston Cornelius December 10, 1912 – March 4, 1913
Charles Higgins March 13, 1913 – March 3, 1919
David S. Barry May 19, 1919 – February 7, 1933
Chesley Jurney March 9, 1933 – January 31, 1943
Wall Doxey February 1, 1943 – January 3, 1947
Edward McGinnis January 4, 1947 – January 2, 1949
Joseph Duke January 3, 1949 – January 2, 1953
Forest Harness January 3, 1953 – January 4, 1955
Joseph Duke January 5, 1955 – December 30, 1965
Robert Dunphy January 14, 1966 – June 30, 1972[10]
William Wannall July 1, 1972 – December 17, 1975
Nordy Hoffmann December 18, 1975 – January 4, 1981
Howard Liebengood January 5, 1981 – September 12, 1983
Larry Smith September 13, 1983 – June 2, 1985
Ernest Garcia June 3, 1985 – January 5, 1987
Henry Giugni January 6, 1987 – December 31, 1990
Martha Pope January 3, 1991 – April 14, 1994
Robert Benoit April 15, 1994 – January 3, 1995
Howard Greene January 4, 1995 – September 6, 1996
Gregory Casey September 6, 1996 – November 9, 1998
James Ziglar November 9, 1998 – September 3, 2001
Alfonso E. Lenhardt September 4, 2001 – March 16, 2003
William H. Pickle March 17, 2003 – January 3, 2007
Terrance W. Gainer January 4, 2007 – May 2, 2014
Andrew B. Willison May 5, 2014 – January 5, 2015
Frank J. Larkin January 6, 2015 – April 16, 2018
Michael C. Stenger April 16, 2018 – Present[11]

See also

References[12]

  1. 1 2 "Sergeant at Arms". United States Senate. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper". United States Senate. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Senate: Sergeant At Arms". www.senate.gov.
  4. ↑ "Sergeant at Arms". United States Senate. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  5. ↑ Berman, Russell (March 20, 2014). "Senate sergeant at arms to retire".
  6. ↑ "Frank J. Larkin". United States Senate. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  7. ↑ Mitch, McConnell, (2018-04-16). "S.Res.465 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): A resolution electing Michael C. Stenger as Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  8. 1 2 Testimony of Frank J. Larkin, Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate to the Senate Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, Committee on Appropriations. March 1, 2016
  9. ↑ https://www.securityarchitecture.com/senate-sees-exponential-rise-in-computer-attacks-might-be-time-to-rethink-security-posture-not-just-spend-more-to-respond/
  10. ↑ Obituaries, Washington Post, January 21, 2006; Page B05
  11. ↑ , United States Congress, April 16, 2018; 115th Congress
  12. ↑ Mitch, McConnell, (2018-04-16). "S.Res.465 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): A resolution electing Michael C. Stenger as Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
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