Sanders' leadership role in the Democratic Caucus.
There seems to be a lot of confusion about Senate committees vs. Senate Democratic Caucus/Conference committees. Here's some basic information on the difference.
Here is a list of all US Senate Committees
Standing
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Energy and Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans' Affairs
Special, Select, and Other
Indian Affairs
Select Committee on Ethics
Select Committee on Intelligence
Special Committee on Aging
Joint
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee on the Library
Joint Economic Committee
https://www.senate.gov/committees/committees_home.htm
Here are the Democratic Caucus/Conference committees and their leaders:
Democratic Leader
Charles E. Schumer
Assistant Democratic Leader
Dick Durbin
Assistant Democratic Leader
Patty Murray
Chairwoman of Policy and Communications Committee
Debbie Stabenow
Vice Chair of Conference
Elizabeth Warren
Vice Chair of Conference
Mark Warner
Chair of Steering Committee
Amy Klobuchar
Chairman of Outreach
Bernard Sanders
Vice Chairman of Policy and Communications Committee
Joe Manchin
Secretary of the Conference
Tammy Baldwin
Chairman of Campaign Committee
Chris Van Hollen
https://democrats.senate.gov/leadership/#.WPpO7bihhec
From the Wiki on the Democratic Caucus:
The Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate (sometimes referred to as the Democratic Conference) is the formal organization of all senators who are part of the Democratic Party in the United States Senate. For the makeup of the 115th Congress, the Conference additionally includes two independent senators (Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine) who formally caucus with the Democrats for the purpose of committee assignments and structural organization, bringing the current total to 48 members. The central organizational front for Democrats in the Senate, its primary function is communicating the party's message to all of its members under a single banner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Caucus_of_the_United_States_Senate
Here’s what Senator Sanders had to say about his new role shortly after he was named Chair of Outreach:
“I was named today part of the leadership, I think my title is to head of outreach efforts and that is something that I take very seriously," he said, "so I think again whether it’s the Supreme Court, the fight against bigotry, the fight for climate change our job is to bring millions of people together.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/11/16/senate-democrats-tap-bernie-sanders-lead-outreach/93960822/
