List of presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate

The president pro tempore of the United States Senate (also president pro tem) is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. Article I, Section Three of the United States Constitution provides that the vice president of the United States, despite not being a senator, is the president of the Senate. It also establishes that the Senate must choose a president pro tempore to act in the absence of the vice president:[1]

The Senate shall choose their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he or she shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

In practice, neither the vice president nor the president pro tempore usually presides; instead, the duty of presiding officer is rotated among junior senators of the majority party to give them experience in parliamentary procedure.

The president pro tempore is third in the line of succession to the presidency, after the vice president and the speaker of the House of Representatives and ahead of the secretary of state.[2]

Since 1890, the most senior senator in the majority party has generally been chosen to be president pro tempore,[3] and holds the office continuously until the election of another president pro tempore.[3] During most of the 62nd Congress, following William Frye's resignation on April 27, 1911, five senators—Augustus Bacon, Charles Curtis, Jacob Gallinger, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Frank Brandegee—alternated as president pro tempore.

Since the office was created in 1789, 92 individuals, from 39 of the 50 states, have served as president pro tempore of the Senate. The current president pro tempore is Patty Murray of Washington, who assumed office on January 3, 2023, at the start of the 118th Congress. In 2001, the honorary title of president pro tempore emeritus was created, and it has been given to a senator of the minority party who has previously served as president pro tempore. This title is currently held by Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

Every president pro tempore but one has been a member of a political party or faction; the number affiliated with each is:

  Democratic – 32;   Republican – 25;   Democratic-Republican – 15;[a][b]   Federalist – 10;   Jacksonian – 3;[b]   Anti-Administration – 2;[a]   National Republican – 2;   Pro-Administration – 2;   Whig – 2;   Independent – 1.

Presidents pro tempore

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PortraitNameStatePartyTermCongress
John Langdon[c]New HampshirePro-AdministrationApril 6–21, 1789 1st Congress
August 7–9, 1789
Richard Henry LeeVirginiaAnti-AdministrationApril 18 – October 8, 1792 2nd Congress
John LangdonNew HampshirePro-AdministrationNovember 5 – December 4, 1792
March 1–3, 1793
March 4 – December 2, 1793 3rd Congress
Ralph IzardSouth CarolinaPro-AdministrationMay 31 – November 9, 1794
Henry TazewellVirginiaAnti-AdministrationFebruary 20, 1795 – June 7, 1795
Democratic-Republican 4th Congress
December 7–8, 1795
Samuel LivermoreNew HampshireFederalistMay 6 – December 4, 1796
William BinghamPennsylvaniaFederalistFebruary 16 – March 3, 1797
William BradfordRhode IslandFederalistJuly 6 – October 1797 5th Congress
Jacob ReadSouth CarolinaFederalistNovember 22 – December 12, 1797
Theodore SedgwickMassachusettsFederalistJune 27 – December 5, 1798
John LauranceNew YorkFederalistDecember 6–27, 1798
James RossPennsylvaniaFederalistMarch 1 – December 1, 1799
Samuel LivermoreNew HampshireFederalistDecember 2–29, 1799 6th Congress
Uriah TracyConnecticutFederalistMay 14 – November 16, 1800
John E. HowardMarylandFederalistNovember 21–27, 1800
James HillhouseConnecticutFederalistFebruary 28 – March 3, 1801
Abraham BaldwinGeorgiaDemocratic-RepublicanDecember 7, 1801 – January 14, 1802 7th Congress
April 17 – December 13, 1802
Stephen R. BradleyVermontDemocratic-RepublicanDecember 14, 1802 – January 18, 1803
February 25, 1803
March 2 – October 16, 1803
John BrownKentuckyDemocratic-RepublicanOctober 17 – December 6, 1803 8th Congress
January 23 – February 26, 1804
Jesse FranklinNorth CarolinaDemocratic-RepublicanMarch 10 – November 4, 1804
Joseph AndersonTennesseeDemocratic-RepublicanJanuary 15 – February 3, 1805
February 28 – March 2, 1805
March 2 – December 1, 1805
Samuel SmithMarylandDemocratic-RepublicanDecember 2–15, 1805 9th Congress
March 18 – November 30, 1806
March 2 – October 25, 1807
April 16 – November 6, 1808 10th Congress
Stephen R. BradleyVermontDemocratic-RepublicanDecember 28, 1808 – January 8, 1809
John MilledgeGeorgiaDemocratic-RepublicanJanuary 30 – March 3, 1809
March 4 – May 21, 1809 11th Congress
Andrew GreggPennsylvaniaDemocratic-RepublicanJune 26 – December 18, 1809
John GaillardSouth CarolinaDemocratic-RepublicanFebruary 28 – March 2, 1810
April 17 – December 11, 1810
John PopeKentuckyDemocratic-RepublicanFebruary 23 – November 3, 1811
William H. Crawford[d]GeorgiaDemocratic-RepublicanMarch 24, 1812 – March 3, 1813 12th Congress
March 4–23, 1813 13th Congress
Joseph B. VarnumMassachusettsDemocratic-RepublicanDecember 6, 1813 – February 3, 1814
John Gaillard[e]South CarolinaDemocratic-RepublicanApril 18 – November 25, 1814
November 25, 1814 – December 3, 1815
December 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 14th Congress
March 4, 1817 15th Congress
March 6, 1817 – February 18, 1818
March 31, 1818 – January 5, 1819
James BarbourVirginiaDemocratic-RepublicanFebruary 15 – December 5, 1819
December 6–26, 1819 16th Congress
John GaillardSouth CarolinaDemocratic-RepublicanJanuary 25, 1820 – December 2, 1821
December 3–27, 1821 17th Congress
February 1 – December 2, 1822
February 19 – November 30, 1823
December 1, 1823 – January 20, 1824 18th Congress
May 21, 1824 – March 3, 1825
March 9 – December 4, 1825 19th Congress
Nathaniel MaconNorth CarolinaDemocratic-RepublicanMay 20 – December 3, 1826
January 2 – February 13, 1827
March 2 – December 2, 1827
Samuel SmithMarylandJacksonianMay 15 – December 18, 1828 20th Congress
March 13 – December 10, 1829 21st Congress
May 20 – December 31, 1830
March 1 – December 4, 1831
December 5–11, 1831 22nd Congress
Littleton TazewellVirginiaJacksonianJuly 9–16, 1832
Hugh Lawson White[f]TennesseeJacksonianDecember 3, 1832 – December 1, 1833
December 2–15, 1833 23rd Congress
George PoindexterMississippiNational RepublicanJune 28 – November 30, 1834
John TylerVirginiaNational RepublicanMarch 3 – December 6, 1835 24th Congress
William R. KingAlabamaDemocraticJuly 1 – December 4, 1836
January 28 – March 3, 1837
March 7 – September 3, 1837 25th Congress
October 13 – December 3, 1837
July 2 – December 18, 1838
February 25 – December 1, 1839
December 2–26, 1839 26th Congress
July – December 15, 1840
March 3, 1841
March 4, 1841 27th Congress
Samuel Southard[g]New JerseyWhigMarch 11, 1841 – May 31, 1842
Willie P. Mangum[g]North CarolinaWhigMay 31, 1842 – December 3, 1843
December 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845 28th Congress
March 4, 1845 29th Congress
Ambrose H. Sevier[h]ArkansasDemocraticDecember 27, 1845
David R. AtchisonMissouriDemocraticAugust 8 – December 6, 1846
January 11–13, 1847
March 3 – December 5, 1847
February 2–8, 1848 30th Congress
June 1–14, 1848
June 26 – July 29, 1848
July 29 – December 4, 1848
December 26, 1848 – January 1, 1849
March 2–4, 1849
March 5, 1849 31st Congress
March 16 – December 2, 1849
William R. King[i]AlabamaDemocraticMay 6–19, 1850
July 11, 1850 – March 3, 1851
March 4, 1851 – December 20, 1852 32nd Congress
David R. Atchison[i][j]MissouriDemocraticDecember 20, 1852 – March 3, 1853
March 4, 1853 – December 4, 1854 33rd Congress
Lewis Cass[j]MichiganDemocraticDecember 4, 1854
Jesse D. Bright[j]IndianaDemocraticDecember 5, 1854 – December 2, 1855
December 5, 1855 –June 9, 1856 34th Congress
Charles E. Stuart[j]MichiganDemocraticJune 9 – June 10, 1856
Jesse D. Bright[j]IndianaDemocraticJune 11, 1856 – January 6, 1857
James M. Mason[j]VirginiaDemocraticJanuary 6 – March 3, 1857
March 4, 1857 35th Congress
Thomas J. RuskTexasDemocraticMarch 14 – July 29, 1857
Benjamin FitzpatrickAlabamaDemocraticDecember 7–20, 1857
March 29 – May 2, 1858
June 14 – December 5, 1858
January 19, 1859
January 25 – February 9, 1859
March 9 – December 4, 1859 36th Congress
December 19, 1859 – January 15, 1860
February 20–26, 1860
Jesse D. BrightIndianaDemocraticJune 12 – June 26, 1860
Benjamin FitzpatrickAlabamaDemocraticJune 26 – December 2, 1860
Solomon FootVermontRepublicanFebruary 16–17, 1861
March 23 – July 3, 1861 37th Congress
July 18 – December 1, 1861
January 15, 1862
March 31 – May 21, 1862
June 19 – December 12, 1862
February 18 – March 3, 1863
March 4 – December 6, 1863 38th Congress
December 18–20, 1863
February 23, 1864
March 11–13, 1864
April 11–13, 1864
Daniel ClarkNew HampshireRepublicanApril 26, 1864 – January 4, 1865
February 9–19, 1865
Lafayette S. Foster[k]ConnecticutRepublicanMarch 7, 1865 – March 2, 1867 39th Congress
Benjamin F. Wade[k]OhioRepublicanMarch 2–3, 1867
March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869 40th Congress
Henry B. AnthonyRhode IslandRepublicanMarch 23–28, 1869 41st Congress
April 9 – December 5, 1869
May 28 – June 2, 1870
July 1–5, 1870
July 14 – December 4, 1870
March 10–12, 1871 42nd Congress
April 17 – May 9, 1871
May 23 – December 3, 1871
December 21, 1871 – January 7, 1872
February 23–25, 1872
June 8 – December 1, 1872
December 4–8, 1872
December 13–15, 1872
December 20, 1872 – January 5, 1873
January 24, 1873
Matthew H. CarpenterWisconsinRepublicanMarch 12–13, 1873 43rd Congress
March 26 – November 30, 1873
December 11, 1873 – December 6, 1874
December 23, 1874 – January 4, 1875
Henry B. AnthonyRhode IslandRepublicanJanuary 25–31, 1875
February 15–17, 1875
Thomas W. Ferry[l]MichiganRepublicanMarch 9–10, 1875 44th Congress
March 19 – December 20, 1875
December 20, 1875 – March 4, 1877
March 5, 1877 45th Congress
February 26 – March 3, 1878
April 17 – December 1, 1878
March 3–17, 1879
Allen G. ThurmanOhioDemocraticApril 15 – November 30, 1879 46th Congress
April 7–14, 1880
May 6 – December 5, 1880
Thomas F. Bayard, Sr.[m]DelawareDemocraticOctober 10–13, 1881 47th Congress
David Davis[m]IllinoisIndependentOctober 13, 1881 – March 3, 1883
George F. Edmunds[m]VermontRepublicanMarch 3 – December 2, 1883
December 3, 1883 – January 14, 1884 48th Congress
January 14, 1884 – March 3, 1885
John Sherman[n]OhioRepublicanDecember 7, 1885 – February 26, 1887 49th Congress
John James Ingalls[n]KansasRepublicanFebruary 26 – December 4, 1887
December 5, 1887 – March 3, 1889 50th Congress
March 7–17, 1889 51st Congress
April 2 – December 1, 1889
December 5–10, 1889
February 28 – March 18, 1890
April 3, 1890 – March 2, 1891
Charles F. MandersonNebraskaRepublicanMarch 2 – December 6, 1891
December 7, 1891 – March 3, 1893 52nd Congress
March 4–22, 1893 53rd Congress
Isham G. HarrisTennesseeDemocraticMarch 22, 1893 – January 7, 1895
Matt W. RansomNorth CarolinaDemocraticJanuary 7–10, 1895
Isham G. HarrisTennesseeDemocraticJanuary 10 – March 3, 1895
William P. Frye[o][p]MaineRepublicanFebruary 7, 1896 – March 3, 1897 54th Congress
March 4, 1897 – December 3, 1899 55th Congress
December 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901 56th Congress
March 7, 1901 – March 4, 1903 57th Congress
March 5, 1903 – March 3, 1905 58th Congress
March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1907 59th Congress
December 5, 1907 – March 3, 1909 60th Congress
March 4, 1909 – April 3, 1911 61st Congress
April 4–27, 1911 62nd Congress
Augustus O. BaconGeorgiaDemocraticAugust 14, 1911
Charles CurtisKansasRepublicanDecember 4–12, 1911
Augustus O. BaconGeorgiaDemocraticJanuary 15–17, 1912
Jacob H. GallingerNew HampshireRepublicanFebruary 12–14, 1912
Augustus O. BaconGeorgiaDemocraticMarch 11–12, 1912
Frank B. BrandegeeConnecticutRepublicanMarch 25–26, 1912
Augustus O. BaconGeorgiaDemocraticApril 8, 1912
Jacob H. GallingerNew HampshireRepublicanApril 26–27, 1912;
May 7, 1912
Augustus O. BaconGeorgiaDemocraticMay 10, 1912
Henry Cabot LodgeMassachusettsRepublicanMay 25, 1912
Augustus O. BaconGeorgiaDemocraticMay 30 – June 3, 1912;
June 13 – July 5, 1912
Jacob H. GallingerNew HampshireRepublicanJuly 6–31, 1912
Augustus O. BaconGeorgiaDemocraticAugust 1–10, 1912
Jacob H. GallingerNew HampshireRepublicanAugust 12–26, 1912
Augustus O. Bacon[q]GeorgiaDemocraticAugust 27 – December 15, 1912
Jacob H. Gallinger[q]New HampshireRepublicanDecember 16, 1912, and
January 4, 1913
Augustus O. Bacon[q]GeorgiaDemocraticJanuary 5–18, 1913
Jacob H. Gallinger[q]New HampshireRepublicanJanuary 19 – February 1, 1913
Augustus O. Bacon[q]GeorgiaDemocraticFebruary 2–15, 1913
Jacob H. Gallinger[q]New HampshireRepublicanFebruary 16 – March 3, 1913
James Paul ClarkeArkansasDemocraticMarch 13, 1913 – March 3, 1915 63rd Congress
December 6, 1915 – October 1, 1916 64th Congress
Willard Saulsbury Jr.DelawareDemocraticDecember 14, 1916 – March 4, 1917
March 5, 1917 – March 3, 1919 65th Congress
Albert B. Cummins[r]IowaRepublicanMay 19, 1919 – March 3, 1921 66th Congress
March 7, 1921 – December 2, 1923 67th Congress
December 3, 1923 – March 3, 1925 68th Congress
March 4–6, 1925 69th Congress
George H. MosesNew HampshireRepublicanMarch 6, 1925 – March 4, 1927
December 15, 1927 – March 3, 1929 70th Congress
March 4, 1929 – December 6, 1931 71st Congress
December 7, 1931 – March 3, 1933 72nd Congress
Key PittmanNevadaDemocraticMarch 9, 1933 – January 2, 1935 73rd Congress
January 7, 1935 – January 4, 1937 74th Congress
January 5, 1937 – January 2, 1939 75th Congress
January 3, 1939 – November 10, 1940 76th Congress
William H. KingUtahDemocraticNovember 19, 1940 – January 3, 1941
Pat HarrisonMississippiDemocraticJanuary 6 – June 22, 1941 77th Congress
Carter GlassVirginiaDemocraticJuly 10, 1941 – January 5, 1943
January 14, 1943 – January 2, 1945 78th Congress
Kenneth McKellar[s]TennesseeDemocraticJanuary 6, 1945 – January 2, 1947 79th Congress
Arthur H. Vandenberg[s]MichiganRepublicanJanuary 4, 1947 – January 2, 1949 80th Congress
Kenneth McKellar[s]TennesseeDemocraticJanuary 3, 1949 – January 2, 1951 81st Congress
January 3, 1951 – January 2, 1953 82nd Congress
Styles BridgesNew HampshireRepublicanJanuary 3, 1953 – January 4, 1955 83rd Congress
Walter F. GeorgeGeorgiaDemocraticJanuary 5, 1955 – January 2, 1957 84th Congress
Carl Hayden[t]ArizonaDemocraticJanuary 3, 1957 – January 6, 1959 85th Congress
January 7, 1959 – January 2, 1961 86th Congress
January 3, 1961 – January 8, 1963 87th Congress
January 9, 1963 – January 3, 1965 88th Congress
January 4, 1965 – January 9, 1967 89th Congress
January 10, 1967 – January 2, 1969 90th Congress
Richard Russell Jr.GeorgiaDemocraticJanuary 3, 1969 – January 3, 1971 91st Congress
January 3, 1971 – January 21, 1971 92nd Congress
Allen J. EllenderLouisianaDemocraticJanuary 22, 1971 – July 27, 1972
James Eastland[u][v]MississippiDemocraticJuly 28, 1972 – January 2, 1973
January 3, 1973 – January 13, 1975 93rd Congress
January 14, 1975 – January 3, 1977 94th Congress
January 4, 1977 – December 27, 1978 95th Congress
Warren MagnusonWashingtonDemocraticJanuary 15, 1979 – December 4, 1980 96th Congress
Milton YoungNorth DakotaRepublicanDecember 5, 1980
Warren MagnusonWashingtonDemocraticDecember 6, 1980 – January 4, 1981
Strom ThurmondSouth CarolinaRepublicanJanuary 5, 1981 – January 2, 1983 97th Congress
January 3, 1983 – January 2, 1985 98th Congress
January 3, 1985 – January 5, 1987 99th Congress
John C. StennisMississippiDemocraticJanuary 6, 1987 – January 3, 1989 100th Congress
Robert ByrdWest VirginiaDemocraticJanuary 3, 1989 – January 2, 1991 101st Congress
January 3, 1991 – January 4, 1993 102nd Congress
January 5, 1993 – January 3, 1995 103rd Congress
Strom ThurmondSouth CarolinaRepublicanJanuary 4, 1995 – January 6, 1997 104th Congress
January 7, 1997 – January 6, 1999 105th Congress
January 7, 1999 – January 3, 2001 106th Congress
Robert ByrdWest VirginiaDemocraticJanuary 3–20, 2001 107th Congress
Strom ThurmondSouth CarolinaRepublicanJanuary 20 – June 6, 2001
Robert ByrdWest VirginiaDemocraticJune 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Ted StevensAlaskaRepublicanJanuary 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005 108th Congress
January 3, 2005 – January 4, 2007 109th Congress
Robert ByrdWest VirginiaDemocraticJanuary 4, 2007 – January 3, 2009 110th Congress
January 3, 2009 – June 28, 2010 111th Congress
Daniel InouyeHawaiiDemocraticJune 28, 2010 – January 5, 2011
January 5, 2011 – December 17, 2012 112th Congress
Patrick LeahyVermontDemocraticDecember 17, 2012 – January 3, 2013
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015 113th Congress
Orrin HatchUtahRepublicanJanuary 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 114th Congress
January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 115th Congress
Chuck GrassleyIowaRepublicanJanuary 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021 116th Congress
January 3, 2021 – January 20, 2021 117th Congress
Patrick LeahyVermontDemocraticJanuary 20, 2021 – January 3, 2023
Patty MurrayWashingtonDemocraticJanuary 3, 2023 – present 118th Congress

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Henry Tazewell was affiliated with the Anti-Administration bloc prior to formation of the Democratic-Republican Party.
  2. ^ a b Samuel Smith was a member of the Democratic–Republican Party until it became fractured, at which time he sided with its pro-Jackson faction.
  3. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, April 6–21, 1789, prior to the inauguration of John Adams.
  4. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, April 20, 1812–March 4, 1813, following the death of George Clinton.
  5. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, November 23, 1814–March 4, 1817, following the death of Elbridge Gerry.
  6. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, December 28, 1832–March 4, 1833, following the resignation of John C. Calhoun.
  7. ^ a b Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, April 4, 1841–March 4, 1845, after John Tyler succeeded to the presidency.
  8. ^ Ambrose H. Sevier was not elected as president pro tempore in an official manner, but permitted to occupy the chair for the day.
  9. ^ a b Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, July 9, 1850–March 4, 1853, after Millard Fillmore succeeded to the presidency.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, April 18, 1853–March 4, 1857, following the death of William R. King.
  11. ^ a b Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, April 15, 1865–March 4, 1869, after Andrew Johnson succeeded to presidency.
  12. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, November 22, 1875–March 4, 1877, following the death of Henry Wilson.
  13. ^ a b c Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, September 19, 1881–March 4, 1885, after Chester A. Arthur succeeded to presidency.
  14. ^ a b Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, November 25, 1885–March 4, 1889, following the death of Thomas A. Hendricks.
  15. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, November 21, 1899–March 4, 1901, following the death of Garret Hobart.
  16. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, September 14, 1901–March 4, 1905, after Theodore Roosevelt succeeded to presidency.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, October 30, 1912–March 4, 1913, following the death of James S. Sherman.
  18. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, August 2, 1923–March 4, 1925, after Calvin Coolidge succeeded to presidency.
  19. ^ a b c Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, April 12, 1945–January 20, 1949, after Harry S. Truman succeeded to presidency.
  20. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, November 22, 1963–January 20, 1965, after Lyndon B. Johnson succeeded to presidency.
  21. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, October 10, 1973–December 6, 1973, following the resignation of Spiro Agnew.
  22. ^ Served during a vacancy in the vice presidency, August 9, 1974–December 19, 1974, after Gerald Ford succeeded to presidency.

President pro tempore emeritus

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In 2001, the honorary title of president pro tempore emeritus was created. It has subsequently been bestowed upon a senator of the minority party who has previously served as president pro tempore.[3]

PortraitNameStatePartyTermCongress
Strom ThurmondSouth CarolinaRepublicanJune 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003107th Congress
Robert ByrdWest VirginiaDemocraticJanuary 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007108th Congress
109th Congress
Ted StevensAlaskaRepublicanJanuary 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009110th Congress
Vacant January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2015
(No senator was eligible for the position.)
111th Congress
112th Congress
113th Congress
Patrick LeahyVermontDemocraticJanuary 3, 2015 – January 20, 2021114th Congress
115th Congress
116th Congress
117th Congress
Chuck GrassleyIowaRepublicanJanuary 20, 2021 – present117th Congress
118th Congress

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Gill, Kathy. "US Senate Organization". The New York Times Company. Retrieved October 19, 2009 – via About.com.
  2. ^ Mount, Steve. "Constitutional Topic: Presidential Line of Succession". USConstitution.net. Steve Mount. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c Davis, Christopher M. (December 20, 2012). The President Pro Tempore of the Senate: History and Authority of the Office (Report). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved February 23, 2015.

 This article incorporates public domain material from About the President Pro Tempore. United States Senate.