Weekly Column: Idaho's Desk In The U.S. Senate

Through regular guest columns, I often inform Idahoans about important efforts in the Senate on their behalf.  Every so often, I also delve into sharing a bit about some of the history and tradition of the U.S. Senate for those who are interested.  The historic desks used by senators on the floor of the Senate Chamber, including the desk I use on Idaho’s behalf, have been used throughout the building of our great country and are emblematic of our republic at work.

Each senator has a desk in the Senate Chamber to work from when on the floor speaking, voting and conducting business.  Republican Senators typically sit to the left of the presiding officer, while Democrats sit to the right.   At the start of each Congress, desks are shifted in the Chamber based on the number of senators elected in each party.  Senators choose their desks based on seniority, and desk occupancy can also change when new senators join the Senate.

Senate historians report that 48 desks, still in use today, were procured from cabinetmaker Thomas Constantine after the Senate Chamber was rebuilt following the British setting fire to the U.S. Capitol on August 24, 1814.  Since then, Senate desks, built by private cabinetmakers, and later the Senate Sergeant at Arms Cabinet Shop, have been added to the Senate floor as states entered the union. 

During my time serving Idahoans in the U.S. Senate, I have worked from four Senate Chamber desks on Idaho’s behalf.  All four desks are Constantine desks.  Two of the desks I have used were also used on Idaho’s behalf by two past Idaho Senators: Leonard Jordan and Dirk Kempthorne.  My current desk is now located next to fellow Idaho Senator Jim Risch.

I have worked from Desk 74 for most of my time serving Idahoans in the U.S. Senate.  Senate historians informed me it is highly likely I have been the longest occupant of that particular desk.  Historians also shared the following information about Desk 74’s more than 200 years of use over the course of our country’s developments and milestones:

• The first Senator to sign Desk 74 was Allen Ellender of Louisiana, and this was possibly his first desk.  Although Ellender was a Democrat, he was considered one of the most conservative Senators of his era.  It is possible that Ellender voted from Desk 74 when he voted against the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937, popularly known as the “court-packing plan” supported by President Franklin Roosevelt.

• And Desk 74 was Senator Bill Frist’s (R-Tennessee) when he was first selected to serve as Senate Leader.  

How do we know who has occupied each desk over the years?  Senate historians share:

“The Senate began routinely documenting Senate Chamber desk occupancy assignments in 1985.  Information about desk occupancy prior to 1985 has been determined from the inscriptions of senators’ names found in the desk drawers.  The tradition of inscribing the desk drawers began around 1900, but not all senators have chosen to do it.  Therefore, only senators whose names appear in the drawers are identified as having occupied a desk prior to 1985.  Since that time, contemporary recordkeeping has eliminated the need to use inscriptions to verify desk occupancy.”

More than 1,800 senators have occupied these historic desks in the Senate Chamber.  Lists of known occupants for each desk and more about the tradition and history of these historic pieces of current day Senate work can be found at: https://www.senate.gov/art-artifacts/decorative-art/furniture/senate-chamber-desks/overview.htm.  I am deeply honored to work from our Senate Chamber desk on your behalf. 

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