Senate Chairs
Though the Democrats lost six of their 59 Senate seats in the November election, they still entered the 112th Congress in control of the upper chamber and its 16 committees. Fourteen sitting chairs from the 111th Congress will continue to lead their panels, while vacancies resulting from the retirement of Sen. Chris Dodd and the defeat of Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas will leave two panels — Banking and Agriculture — with new chairs.
