US Senate Timeline

1834 Mar 28 The U.S. Senate censure Jackson for his action in removing U.S. funds from the Bank of The United States
The U.S. Senate censured Jackson on March 28, 1834, for his action in removing U.S. funds from the Bank of the United States. When the Jacksonians had a majority in the Senate, the censur...
1846 Douglas Joins the U.S. Senate
After three years in the House of Representatives, Douglas was eager to move on to the Senate. By 1846, his base in the Illinois state legislature was strong enough to secure his election...
1861 Jan 21 Davis Delivers Last Speech before the U.S. Senate
His renewed service in the Senate was interrupted by an illness that threatened him with the loss of his left eye. Still nominally serving in the Senate, Davis spent the summer of 1858 in...
1870 Feb 25 Hiram Revels Becomes the First African American Elected to US Senate
At the time, the state legislature elected US senators. Revels was elected by a vote of 81 to 15 in the Mississippi State Senate to finish the term of one of the state's two seats in the ...
1948 Nov 2 Lyndon B. Johnson Wins Texas Senate Seat
Johnson defeats Republican candidate Jack Porter in the general election to win the Senate seat vacated by Senator W. Lee “Pappy” O'Daniel. During the dramatic 1948 campaign, he travels b...
1952 Nov John F. Kennedy is Elected to the U.S. Senate
When he returned home, Jack was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his leadership and courage. With the war finally coming to an end, it was time to choose the kind of work he wa...
1962 Nov 2 Jimmy Carter Wins Election to the Georgia Senate
1962 October 1: Carter tells Rosalynn he plans to run for the state senate. October 16: Carter loses the primary by 139 votes to Homer Moore, and decides to ask for a recount. No...
1972 Nov 7 Joe Biden wins US Senate election in Delaware
In 1969, Biden began practicing law in Wilmington, Delaware, first as a public defender and then with his own firm, Biden and Walsh. But corporate law did not appeal to him and criminal l...
1981
to 1987
Joe Biden chairs US Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Biden was a long-time member of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which he chaired from 1987 until 1995 and on which he served as ranking minority member from 1981 until 1987 an...
1991 Jan 12 US Congress Authorizes the Use of Force to Expel Iraqi Troops from Kuwait
On 12 January 1991 the United States Congress authorized the use of military force to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. The votes were 52-47 in the US Senate and 250-183 in the US House of Repres...
1998 Oct 2 Sonia Sotomayor is Confirmed to the US Court of Appeals
With complete Democratic support, and support from 25 Republican senators including Judiciary chair Orrin Hatch, Sotomayor was confirmed on October 2, 1998, by a 67–29 vote. She received ...
2000 Nov 7 Hillary Rodham Clinton elected to US Senate from New York
The long-serving United States Senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, announced his retirement in November 1998. Several prominent Democratic figures, including Representative Ch...
2001
to 2003
Joe Biden chairs US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Biden was also a long-time member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. In 1997, he became the ranking minority member and chaired the committee from June 2001 through 2003. ...
2006 Nov 7 Hillary Rodham Clinton re-elected to US Senate from New York
In November 2004, Clinton announced that she would seek a second Senate term. The early frontrunner for the Republican nomination, Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, with...
2008 Dec 30 Governor Rod Blagojevich names Roland Burris to fill Obama's Senate Seat
"I've enjoyed the limelight the past couple of days" —Rod Blagojevich
2009 Jan 15 Roland Burris sworn in to US Senate
Roland Burris Sworn In as Obama Senate Successor After an initial snub from his Democratic colleagues, Burris is welcomed into the club Posted January 15, 2009 By LIZ SIDOTI Assoc...
2009 Feb 14 Illinois Congressman Jim Durkin refers Roland Burris' testimony to Sangamon County State's Attorney
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has changed his story again about what happened before ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed him to the Senate, and state Republican leaders said Saturday they want an...
2009 Feb 17 US Senate Ethics Committee opens investigation of Senator Roland Burris
The Senate Ethics Committee has opened a preliminary inquiry into Sen. Roland Burris’s (D-Ill.) conflicting testimony on the circumstances surrounding his appointment while Senate Dem...
2009 Feb 24 US Senator Dick Durbin asks Roland Burris to resign Burris refuses
Sen. Dick Durbin said today that he told Sen. Roland Burris that, if Durbin were in Burris' shoes, he would resign. But Burris, the junior and appointed senator from Illinois, told the...
2009 Feb 25 Attorney General Madigan issues opinion to cut Burris's term short with special election
"It is my opinion that the legislature may pass a law allowing the people of Illinois to elect a U.S. senator to fill the seat vacated by President Barack Obama. Such a law would be consis..." —Illinois Attorney General's Office
2009 Mar 1 Sen Dick Durbin D-IL suggests race was a factor in seating Burris
Sen. Dick Durbin, who advised Sen. Roland Burris last week to step down from the Senate, acknowledged Sunday that racial considerations were at play in the decision by majority Democrats ...
2009 Mar 2 Alexi Giannoulias opens exploratory bid for US Senate
"Some days you wake up and you say 'I feel like I can do a much better job than the person who's in there now." —Alexi Giannoulias
2009 Mar 6 Burris associate contradicts Senator's January 5th sworn statement
""There is more to be discovered. I know the key to finding the information out is through Fred (Lebed). That's the main point I wish to get across." —John Ruff
2009 Mar 7 Roland Burris hands over his side of story to Sangamon County State's Attorney
A document U.S. Sen. Roland Burris promised would explain how he got appointed by then- Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been sent to a prosecutor investigating perjury charges, the senator's att...
2009 Mar 19 Senator Dick Durbin testifies in both the Illinois state and Senate Ethics Committee investigations of Roland Burris
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) was interviewed Wednesday by the Senate Ethics Committee in its investigation of Sen. Roland Burris, appointed by now-ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to fil...
2009 Mar 20 Roland Burris sets up legal defense fund
Confronted with anticipated legal bills of upwards of $400,000, Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) is setting up a defense fund to solicit contributions to defray the costs of his struggle to ga...
2009 Apr 9 Blagojevich Prosecutors look into Jesse Jackson Jr.'s alleged attempts to buy Senate seat
Federal authorities have questioned a former chief of staff to ex- Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other cooperating witnesses about an attempt by friends of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to raise fund...
2009 Apr 19 Roland Burris holds first fundraiser as US Senator
Burris fundraising total: $845 U.S. Senator Roland Burris, the controversial appointee to the seat once held by President Barack Obama, is holding his first campaign fundraiser since h...
2009 May 26 Transcript of phone call between Roland Burris and Robert Blagojevich released to Senate Ethics Committee
"I will personally do something OK? And it will come to you before the 15th of December." —Roland Burris
2009 May 27 Chris Matthews grills Roland Burris on "Hardball"
2009 Jun 1 Political ethics group Democracy 21 calls for public hearings on Burris senatorial appointment
The ethics watchdog group "Democracy 21" is calling on the Senate ethics committee to hold public hearings on the circumstances surrounding the appointment of U.S. Sen. Roland Burris. Bu...
2009 Jun 9 Washington Post calls for Roland Burris' resignation
WE DON'T know where to begin with the latest mess that has ensnared Sen. Roland W. Burris (D-Ill.). No, "ensnared" isn't the right word. That would imply that he's blameless for his troub...
2009 Jun 10 U.S. Senate imposes regulations on cigarettes, tabacco
The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to impose federal regulations on cigarettes and other forms of tobacco. The move will empower the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to control these ...
2009 Jun 12 Rasmussen poll reveals 61% of people would likely vote against Roland Burris in a 2010 election
Sixty-one percent (61%) ofIllinois voters now say they would definitely vote against Democratic Senator Roland Burris if he runs for a full term in 2010, according to a new Rasmussen Repo...
2009 Jun 12 Senate Ethics Panel to send written questions to Roland Burris
The Senate Ethics Committee probe of Sen. Roland Burris is moving to its next phase, seeking information from Burris himself, after having interviewed Sen. Dick Durbin and Senate Majority...
2009 Jun 15 Sangamon County state's attorney interviews Sen. Roland Burris in probe of testimony
The Sangamon County state's attorney has interviewed Sen. Roland Burris in a probe into the senator's testimony before a legislative panel looking into his appointment by Gov. Rod Blagoje...
2009 Jun 17 Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan being prodded to run for Roland Burris's Senate Seat
The Obama White House is pushing to have Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan run for the U.S. Senate; she was at the White House last Friday meeting with President Obama, Chief of Staf...
2009 Jun 18 US Senate passes resolution to Apologize for Slavery
The Senate passed a resolution Thursday calling on the United States to apologize officially for the enslavement and segregation of millions of African-Americans and to acknowledge "the f...
2009 Jun 19 Roland Burris cleared of perjury charges by Sangamon (IL) County State's Attorney
Sangamon County State's Attorney John Schmidt declined to press perjury charges against U.S. Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) stemming from allegations he misled a legislative panel about the ...
2009 Jul 1 Dr. Eric Wallace announces candidacy for Obama's senate seat now held by Roland Burris
Black conservative joins the race for Obama’s US Senate seat ImageWallace For Illinois FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 1, 2009 Black conservative joins the race for Obama’s US Senat...
2009 Jul 2 Cheryle Jackson opens an exploratory committee for Illinois Senate bid
Cheryle Jackson, the president of the Chicago Urban League, is moving closer to a run for the U.S. Senate, opening an exploratory committee this week. Jackson told me she will decide i...
2009 Jul 5 Illinois Republican Congressman Mark Kirk raises more than $580,000 in second quarter 2009
Illinois Republican Rep. Mark Steven Kirk raised more than $580,000 in this year's second quarter and has more than $1 million in his campaign account -- funds he could use for a U.S. Sen...
2009 Jul 7 Al Franken sworn in as US Senator from Minnesota
Al Franken became a senator on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009, completing the transformation from comedian to politician. The Minnesota Democrat's swearing-in marked the end of an eight-month...
2009 Jul 8 Lisa Madigan decides not to run for Senate or Illinois Governor
Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan chose the political path of least resistance today, preserving her chance to ask voters for a promotion down the road, when state finances might be better...
2009 Jul 8 US Rep Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL) will run for US Senate, sources say
Rep. Mark Steven Kirk will run for the Senate next year, a Republican source confirmed Wednesday. Kirk’s willingness to give up his House seat is a sign that the GOP will seriously com...
2009 Jul 10 Alexi Giannoulias announces that he has raised $1.8 million to date for US Senate run
Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias raised $1.8 million to date for his Senate bid, while his likely Democratic rivals have zero dollars in their warchests. Giannoulias has been fund-...
2009 Jul 10 Roland Burris decides not to run in 2010
Illinois Senator Roland Burris, appointed to his position by impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich, decides not to run for election in 2010.
2009 Jul 13 Alexi Giannoulias releases first round of endorsements for US Senate seat
Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias today released an initial list of over 60 elected officials who have pledged to support his bid for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Endorsements for Gi...
2009 Jul 13 Alexi Giannoulias speaks at Fulton County Democratic Headquarters
Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat and the youngest state treasurer in the nation when elected to that post at age 30 in November 2006, discussed his intentions to run for t...
2009 Jul 13 Andy McKenna steps back from US Senate seat (Illinois) run and clears path for Mark Kirk to run
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna said today that he will step aside if Rep. Mark Kirk runs for the Senate, clearing the way for Congressman to claim the GOP nomination. ...
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