Sanchez is the second-ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee.

He is chairman of his human resources subcommittee and is the second-ranking Democrat on the Select Committee on Aging.

Senator Chris Dodd, the committee's second-ranking Democrat, is his party's chairman.

Mr. Cranston was the Senate's second-ranking Democrat for more than a decade; he did not seek re-election to the job of majority whip last year.

He also has a seat on the influential Banking Committee, but he is only the second-ranking Democrat on that panel.

By the time of her retirement from Congress, she was the second-ranking Democrat on the committee.

As a majority leader, Kessler was the second-ranking Democrat in the state House.

He was also the second-ranking Democrat on the Agriculture Committee.

"We've heard a lot of talk about revolution the past eight months," said Mr. Bonior, the second-ranking Democrat in the House.

The majority leader, Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, the second-ranking Democrat, leans toward opposing the agreement.