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| Secretary of United States Senate | |
|---|---|
| United States Senate | |
| Seat | Senate chamber, United States Capitol, Washington, D.C. |
| Nominator | Senate Majority Leader |
| Appointer | Elected by the Senate |
| Formation | April 8, 1789 |
| First holder | Samuel Allyne Otis |
| Deputy | Assistant Secretary of the United States Senate |
| Salary | US$172,500 per year |
| Website | www.senate.gov |
| This article is part of a series on the |
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The secretary of the Senate is an officer of the United States Senate. The secretary supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body. The office is somewhat analogous to that of the clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
The first secretary was chosen on April 8, 1789, two days after the Senate achieved its first quorum for business at the beginning of the 1st United States Congress.[1] From the start, the secretary was responsible for keeping the minutes and records of the Senate, including the records of senators' election, and for receiving and transmitting official messages to and from the president and the House of Representatives, as well as for purchasing supplies.[1] As the Senate grew to become a major national institution, numerous other duties were assigned to the secretary, whose jurisdiction now encompasses clerks, curators, and computers; disbursement of payrolls; acquisition of stationery supplies; education of the Senate pages; and the maintenance of public records.[1] Today, the secretary coordinates two of the largest technology initiatives in Senate history, both designed to bring state-of-the-art efficiency to management of legislative and financial information. The secretary's responsibilities include both legislative and administrative functions.
By agreement of the two parties, the majority leader selects the secretary of the senate, and the election is merely ceremonial. The Senate Officers Clause of Article I, Section III states "The Senate shall chuse their other Officers".[2] The Oath or Affirmation Clause of Article VI provides that "all ... Officers ... of the United States ... shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution",[3] and pursuant to Article VI, the 1st United States Congress passed the Oath Administration Act (that remains in effect) which provides that "the [S]ecretary of the Senate... shall... [take] the oath or affirmation [required by the sixth article of the Constitution of the United States]".[4]
The current secretary (for the 118th United States Congress) is Sonceria "Ann" Berry.[5]
- ^ a b c "U.S. Senate: Secretary of the Senate". senate.gov. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ Rossiter, Clinton, ed. (2003). The Federalist Papers. Signet Classics. p. 544. ISBN 9780451528810.
- ^ Rossiter, Clinton, ed. (2003). The Federalist Papers. Signet Classics. pp. 555–556. ISBN 9780451528810.
- ^ 1 Stat. 23, 1 Stat. 24, Pub. L. 1–1
- ^ "Schumer Announces Sonceria "Ann" Berry To Serve As 35th Secretary Of The Senate | Senate Democratic Leadership". www.democrats.senate.gov. Retrieved 2021-02-07.