The Senate

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The Senate

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The Basics

• 2 Senators from each state 100 total
• Represent entire State, not districts
• 6 year term continuous body
• Elected by the voters of the State they represent
  
• Qualifications 30 yrs old, citizen for 9 years,
  live in the State they represent

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House Senate are VERY different

• Senate is smaller only a few Senators attend
  sessions
• SENATE IS MORE INFORMAL
• Senate has fewer rules the ones they do have
  are more flexible
• Debates last longer in the Senate

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LEADERSHIP President of the Senate

• Senate does NOT have a Speaker like the House
• Do NOT get to pick their presiding officer like H
  of R
• Vice President of U.S. presides over the Senate
• Not an actual member like the Speaker of the
  House
• cant vote unless a tie can NOT take part in
  debates
• can recognize members put questions to a vote
• does influence Senators through their personal
  relationships

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LEADERSHIP President Pro Tempore

• If the President of the Senate is absent the
  PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE presides
• President Pro Tempore is elected from the
  majority party
• Typically is the most senior Senator from the
  majority party
• Follows the Speaker of the House in line of
  presidential succession

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LEADERSHIP Majority Minority Leaders

• Most important officers in the Senate
• Do not hold an official position- they are
  elected by their political parties

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LEADERSHIP Majority leaders main job

• get their partys bills through Senate
• they plan the schedule agenda with the minority
  leader
• responsible for making sure their partys
  Senators are there for important sessions
  support key bills

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LEADERSHIP Minority leaders main job

• develop criticisms of the majority partys bills
• try to keep their partys Senators working
  together

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LEADERSHIP Whips Assistant Whips

• Basically Assistant Floor Leaders
• Chosen by the Party Caucus
• Middle man between the Senators the Party
  Leaders
• Make sure Senators are there for important votes

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Introducing A Bill In The SENATE

• Any member of the Senate can introduce a bill
• but its much more informal than in the House b/c
  of their size

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RULES COMMITTEE

• No Rules Committee in the Senate
• Senate leaders control the flow of bills to
  committees to the floor

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CALENDARS

• Senate only has 2 Calendars
• Calendar of General Orders (lists all the bills
  the Senate will consider)
• Executive Calendar (schedules treaties
  nominations)
• Senate brings bills to the floor by Unanimous
  consent of all the members present at the time

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FILIBUSTER

• One way to oppose a bill is to filibuster against
  it
• Filibuster can be stopped when 3/5th of the
  Senate vote for cloture
• Cloture- usually difficult to get