[1] The Armed Services Committee was created as a result of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 following the U.S. victory in World War II.

[1] Considered one of the most powerful Senate committees, its broad mandate allowed it to report some of the most extensive and revolutionary legislation during the Cold War years, including the National Security Act of 1947.

[2] The committee's regular legislative product is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has been passed by Congress and signed into law annually since 1962.

[3] The current chair is Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and the Ranking Member is Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

According to the Standing Rules of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects are referred to the Armed Services Committee:[4] Source: 2010 Congressional Record, Vol.