What Inouye’s Death Means for the Senate

The Washington Post notes that less than two hours after Sen. Daniel Inouye died, the Senate passed a resolution naming Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) as the new president pro tempore.

Inouye’s death “also marks a significant generational shift in Senate history: Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) will be the only — and likely the final — veteran of World War II serving in the Senate next year.”

“The death of Hawaii’s senior senator also creates a vacancy atop the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. Here too Leahy is next in line, giving him the right of first refusal to the chairman’s gavel.”