seniority rule

American  

noun

U.S. Politics.

1. the custom in Congress providing for the assignment of a committee chairpersonship to that member of the majority party who has served on the committee the longest.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

seniority rule

The seniority rule is, in fact, an unwritten custom.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2016

Recall that the chairman of each of the standing committees is chosen according to the seniority rule.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2016

Defenders of the seniority rule argue that it ensures that a powerful and experienced member will head each committee.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2016

The seniority rule thus gives the U.S. the peculiar distinction of having the only legislative gerontocracy on the globe.

From Time Magazine Archive

I had to have, under the seniority rule of the service, a wooden man for its commander.

From Sword and Pen Ventures and Adventures of Willard Glazier by Owens, John Algernon