Senate

The Senate at Work

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All states are equally represented by 2 Senators
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Deliberative body that deliberates, or formally discusses, public
policies

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Senators are expected to be knowledgeable about many issues
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Represent an entire state, not just a district

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Senate is much smaller
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Only 100 desks

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Few senators present at one time

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Assistants stay in or near the Senate Chamber at all times

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Rules are more flexible
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Allow for more freedom to express their ideas

The Vice President

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Vice President
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The Senate has no speaker, but the Vice President presides
over the Senate to break a tie, if needed.

●Does not have the same role or power as the speaker
of the House

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May recognize members and put questions to vote, but can
not cast a vote.

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Most VP’s devote their time to executive duties instead of
legislative

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President pro tempore: the Senate member, elected by the
Senate, who stands in as president of the Senate in the
absence of the Vice President
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117th Congress - Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

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3rd in line for presidential succession behind VP and Speaker
of the House

Kamala Harris
Vice President

Biden Administration

Leadership in Senate

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Majority Leader
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117th Congress = Charles E. Schumer
(D-NY)

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Steer the party’s bills through

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Planning the work schedule

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Creating agenda

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Minority Leader
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117th Congress = Mitch McConnell
(R-KY)

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Critiquing the majority party’s bills

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Keeping his or her own party united

Lawmaking in the Senate

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Supermajority
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⅔ of the Senate is required to approve treaties,
overturn presidential vetoes, and remove federal
officials from office

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Senate does not require a rules committee

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There are two Senate calendars
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Calendar of General Orders - lists all the bills the
Senate will consider

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Executive Calendar - schedules treaties and
nominations

What happens if the President

vetoes a bill?

Lawmaking in the Senate (Continued)

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One Senator can object and slow down or stop the pending
process.
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Hold: a motion placed on a bill in Senate

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The hold alerts party leaders that if unanimous consent were
to be sought, they would object

●Unanimous Consent: a motion by all members to set
aside formal rules and consider a bill from the calendar

Lawmaking in the Senate (Continued)

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Most bills need the votes of 60 senators to pass the Senate

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This is because of atactic called the filibuster
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Filibuster: a method of defeating a bill in the Senate by
stalling the legislative process and preventing a vote.

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If the bill is filibustered, it is set aside and the Senate moves on
to other business

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End a filibuster by voting for a cloture resolution
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Cloture Resolution: a procedure that allows each senator to
speak only one hour on a bill under debate

Strom Thurmond

Made the longest

single-person filibuster in

U.S. Senate history (24
hours and 18 minutes)