The Senate is one of the chambers of Congress that comprises the Legislative Branch of the United States government. The other chamber is the House of Representatives. Having two chambers of Congress is called a "bicameral" legislature. The Senate is sometimes called the "upper" house of the Congress.
U.S. Senate, 111th Congress from the Senate Photo Studio
How many Senators are there?
There are exactly 100 Senators in the Senate. Each state elects two Senators to represent their state. It doesn't matter how big or small the state is.
How long can someone be a Senator?
Each Senator is elected for a term of six years, but there no limits as to how many terms a person can be a Senator. This means a person can be a Senator for as long as they keep getting elected.
Who can become a Senator?
The requirements for being a Senator are described in Article I of the Constitution:
1) must be at least 30 years old
2) must have been a citizen of the U.S. for the last 9 years
3) must be a resident of the state that they represent
Where does the Senate meet?
The Senate meets in the Senate Chamber in the north wing of the U.S. Capitol Building. Each Senator has an individual desk. The desks are arranged in a large semicircle with the leaders sitting in the center of the circle. There is a visitor's gallery that overlooks the chamber.
Senate Leadership
President: The United States Vice-President also serves as President of the Senate. The Vice-President only votes on new laws in the case of a tie in the Senate.
President pro tempore - The Senate elects the President pro tempore who presides over the Senate when the Vice-President doesn't attend. Today, the Vice-President seldom presides over the Senate.
Majority Leader - The Majority Leader is elected by the political party with the most Senators (today this is the Democrats or Republicans). The majority leader has significant powers in the Senate including setting the agenda and scheduling debates and votes.
Minority Leader - The Minority Leader is elected by the political party with the second most Senators.
Whips - Each party also has an assistant leader called the party whip. The whip tries to keep the members of the party in line so they will vote along with the rest of the party.
Debates and Filibusters
When a bill is up for a vote, the Senate will debate the pros and cons of the bill. When a Senator speaks they talk to the presiding officer. They are not allowed to use the names of other Senators, but refer to them by their position such as "the distinguished Senator from Georgia."
There is no restrictions on how long a debate can last in the Senate. As a result, sometimes Senators will try to delay the vote on a bill by giving a really long speech. This is called a filibuster. A filibuster can be stopped if three-fifths of the Senators vote to end it. This is called cloture.
Special Senate Powers
The main job of the Senate is to vote on new laws along with the House of Representatives. However, the Senate has some unique powers that the House does not have:
They approve some appointments made by the President including Cabinet members, Supreme Court Justices, and high-ranking military commanders.
They ratify treaties with foreign governments.
They try cases of impeachment of federal officers that have been impeached by the House.
They select the Vice President if there is no majority in the Electoral College.
Interesting Facts about the Senate
Elections for Senators are staggered so that one-third of the Senate is elected every two years.
Senators are paid a salary of $174,000 each year (2013). They also receive retirement and health benefits.
Senators were originally elected by the state legislature. This was changed by the Seventeenth Amendment so the people of the state elected the Senators.
