Dean of the United States Senate
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| This article is part of the series: United States Senate  |
| Members |
|---|
| Current (by seniority · by age · by class) Former Hill committees (DSCC, NRSC) President pro tempore (list) Dean · Presiding officer Party leaders and Assistants |
| Politics and procedure |
| Advice and consent Closed session (list) Cloture · Committees (list) Executive session · Filibuster History · Quorum · Quorum call Recess appointment · Salaries Seal · Standing Rules · Traditions Unanimous consent VPs' tie-breaking votes |
| Places |
| United States Capitol Senate office buildings (Dirksen · Hart · Russell) |
The Dean of the United States Senate is the longest-serving (in consecutive terms) United States Senator. The current Dean is Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia. This is not an actual position in the United States Senate and has not been used in everyday language.
It is often used as a synonym for President pro tempore, an actual officer who is typically the senior-most member of the majority party. The difference is that that the President pro tempore is typically the most senior member of the majority party, while the Dean is simply the most senior member of the Senate regardless of party.
