Chuck Schumer
Senate Minority Leader
RECORD LOCKED · 119TH CONGRESSWhy this seat is in the Gang of Eight
Holds a Gang of Eight seat as Senate Minority Leader. Because the statute names both Senate leaders, a change in party control moves a member between seats rather than out of the group.
Statutory basis
The minority leader of the Senate is named in 50 U.S.C. § 3093(c)(2).
Background
Chuck Schumer has represented New York in the Senate since 1999 and has led Senate Democrats since 2017, serving as Majority Leader from 2021 to 2025 and as Minority Leader since the start of the 119th Congress. He has held a Gang of Eight seat continuously across that transition, because the statute names both the majority and minority leader.
Role in intelligence oversight
As minority leader, Schumer designates the Democratic membership of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, including its vice chairman.
Record
| Full name | Charles Ellis Schumer |
|---|---|
| Gang of Eight seat | Senate Minority Leader |
| Basis of seat | Congressional Leadership |
| Party | Democrat |
| Represents | New York |
| Congressional service | Elected to the Senate in 1998; House service 1981–1999 |
| Holding this seat since | January 3, 2025 (as Minority Leader); Senate Democratic Leader since January 3, 2017 |
| Predecessor in seat | Held the Democratic leadership through the transition from majority to minority |
| Official site | www.schumer.senate.gov |
| Record covers | 119th Congress (January 3, 2025 – January 3, 2027) |
| Last verified | August 27, 2026 |
What this page does not claim
Nothing on this page asserts that this officeholder received any particular briefing, or describes the contents of any classified notification. Gang of Eight notifications are, by design, not public. This is a record of the seat and the authority attached to it.