Senate Seniority

Already the longest serving U.S. Senator in Indiana history, Senator Dick Lugar is now the most senior Republican in the U.S. Senate.

Sworn in on January 3, 1977, Senator Lugar is recognized by the Secretary of the Senate as the 1,705th person to serve in the U.S. Senate. The Senate Historical Office has published a historical seniority list .

Senator Lugar is now the fifth most senior member in the U.S. Senate. The four Senators preceding Senator Lugar are (in order): Robert Byrd (D-WV) #1579 sworn in on January 3, 1959, Ted Kennedy (D-MA) #1608 sworn in on November 7, 1962, Daniel Inouye (D-HI) #1614 sworn in on January 3, 1963, and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) #1692 sworn in on January 3, 1975. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) was sworn in on the same day as Senator Lugar and is listed as the sixth most senior member and the 1,708th person to serve in the U.S. Senate.