NationMaster - Encyclopedia: United States Senate

The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the other being the House of Representatives. It is known informally as the "upper house." Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countriesAtlas Politics Portal The United States has a federal government, with elected officials at federal (national), state and... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal United States presidential elections determine who serves as president and vice president of the United... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal Midterm elections are elections in the United States in which members of Congress, state legislatures, and... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal This list of political parties in the United States contains past and present... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas Politics Portal Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal Third parties in the United States are political parties other than the two... A state government is the government of a subnational entity in nation-states with federal forms of government, which shares political power with the federal government or national government. ... Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state or province. ... Current party control of Governors offices (2006). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal All United States states are required to possess a legislative branch. ... In the U.S., a state court has jurisdiction over disputes which occur in a state. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal Local government in the United States (sometimes referred to as municipal government) is generally structured... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... Image:WashingtonDC Capitol USA2. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party...

In the Senate, each state is represented by two members, in accordance with the New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson reached at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. The Senate's membership is therefore based on the equal representation of each state, regardless of population. The nine most populous states, with just over half of the total US population, together elect only eighteen of the hundred senators, while the smallest nine states, with about 2.5% of the total US population, also elect 18 senators. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... The New Jersey Plan was a proposal for the structure of the United States Government proposed by William Paterson on June 15, 1787. ... Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, by Howard Chandler Christy. ...

Since there are now fifty states, with two senators per state, the total membership of the body is now one hundred. Senators serve for six-year terms that are staggered so elections are held for approximately one-third of the seats (a "class") every second year. The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and serves as its presiding officer, but is not a senator and does not vote except to break ties. The Vice President rarely acts as President of the Senate unless casting a tie-breaking vote or during ceremonial occasions. As such, the duty of presiding usually falls to the President pro tempore, by tradition the most senior senator of the majority party, who almost always delegates the quotidian task of presiding over the Senate to junior senators from his party. The three classes of US Senators, each currently including 33 or 34 Senators (since Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, and until another state is admitted), are a means used by the United States Senate for describing the schedules of Senate seats elections, and of the expiration of the... The Vice President of the United States (sometimes referred to as VPOTUS[1] or Veep) is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the president. ... The President of the Senate is the title often given to the presiding officer, or chairman, of a senate. ... The Senate President only votes to break a tie. ... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... The term quotidian derives from the Latin word for daily and refers to repetitive daily actions, events or routines - yet in typical usage carries a vaguely negative overtone. ...

The Senate is regarded as a more deliberative body than the House of Representatives; the Senate is smaller and its members serve longer terms, allowing for a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere that is somewhat more insulated from public opinion than the House. The Senate has several exclusive powers enumerated in Article One of the Constitution not granted to the House; most significantly, the President cannot ratify treaties or, with rare exception, make important appointments—most significantly ambassadors, members of the federal judiciary (including the Supreme Court) and members of the Cabinet—without the advice and consent of the Senate. Wikisource has original text related to this article: Article One of the United States Constitution Article One of the United States Constitution describes the powers of the legislative branch of the United States government, known as Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Ratification is the act of giving official sanction to a formal document such as a treaty or constitution. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... A United States federal judge is a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article III of the United States Constitution. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the... Cabinet meeting on May 16, 2001. ... For the novel, see Advise and Consent. ...

History

The Framers of the Constitution created a bicameral Congress out of a desire to have two houses to be accountable to each other. One house was intended to be a "people's house" that would be very sensitive to public opinion. The other house was intended to represent the states. Senators were selected by the state legislatures, not by the voters, until 1913 with the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It was to be a more deliberate forum of elite wisdom where six year terms insulated the senators from public opinion. The Constitution provides that the approval of both chambers is necessary for the passage of legislation. The Senate of the United States was named after the ancient Roman Senate. The chamber of the United States Senate is located in the north wing of the Capitol building, in Washington, D.C., the national capital. The House of Representatives convenes in the south wing of the same building. Debate over Compromise of 1850 in the Old Senate Chamber. ... Amendment XVII in the National Archives Amendment XVII (the Seventeenth Amendment) of the United States Constitution was passed by the Senate on June 12, 1911 and by the House on May 13, 1912. ... The Roman Senate (Latin: Senatus) was the main governing council of both the Roman Republic, which started in 509 BC, and the Roman Empire. ... The United States Capitol is the capitol building that serves as the location for the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ...

Members and elections

Article One of the Constitution states that each state is entitled to two senators. Originally, each state legislature selected their senators; senators have been directly elected since the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913. The Constitution further stipulates that no constitutional amendment may deprive a state of its equal suffrage in the Senate without the consent of the state concerned. The District of Columbia and territories are not entitled to any representation. As there are presently 50 states, the Senate has 100 members. The senator from each state with the longer tenure is known as the "senior senator," and their counterpart is the "junior senator"; this convention, however, does not have any official significance. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (888x585, 26 KB) The 110th Congress Senate composition. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (888x585, 26 KB) The 110th Congress Senate composition. ... Amendment XVII in the National Archives Amendment XVII (the Seventeenth Amendment) of the United States Constitution was passed by the Senate on June 12, 1911 and by the House on May 13, 1912. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... An incorporated territory of the United States is a specific area under the jurisdiction of the United States, over which the United States Congress has determined that the United States Constitution is to be applied to the territorys local government and inhabitants in its entirety (e. ... Look up tenure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Senior Senator and Junior Senator are terms commonly used in the media to describe U.S. Senators. ... Senior Senator and Junior Senator are terms commonly used in the media to describe U.S. Senators. ...

Senators serve terms of six years each; the terms are staggered so that approximately one-third of the Senate seats are up for election every two years. The staggering of the terms is arranged such that both seats from a given state are never contested in the same general election. Senate elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, Election Day, and coincide with elections for the House of Representatives. Each senator is elected by his or her state as a whole. Generally, the Republican and Democratic parties choose their candidates in primary elections, which are typically held several months before the general elections. Ballot access rules for independent and third party candidates vary from state to state. For the general election, almost all states use simple plurality voting, under which the candidate with the most votes (not necessarily an absolute majority) wins. Exceptions include Louisiana, which use the two-round system. In some states, runoffs are held if no candidate wins a majority. Election Day in the United States is the day when polls most often open for the election of certain public officials. ... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... For other uses, see Primary. ... The first-past-the-post electoral system is a voting system for single-member districts, variously called first-past-the-post (FPTP or FPP), winner-take-all, plurality voting, or relative majority. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... An example of runoff voting. ... An example of runoff voting. ...

Once elected, a senator continues to serve until the end of his or her term, death, or resignation. Furthermore, the Constitution permits the Senate to expel any member by a two-thirds majority vote. Fifteen senators have been expelled in the history of the Senate; fourteen of them were removed in 1861 and 1862 for supporting the Confederate secession. No senator has been expelled since, although many senators have chosen to resign when faced with expulsion proceedings (most recently, Bob Packwood in 1995). The Senate has also passed several resolutions censuring members; censure requires only a simple majority and does not remove a senator from office. A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... The United States Constitution gives the Senate the power to expel any member by a two-thirds vote. ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861â€“April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Religion... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Robert William Bob Packwood (born September 11, 1932) is an American politician from Oregon and a member of the Republican Party. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The 17th Amendment provides that vacancies in the Senate, however they arise, may be filled by special elections. A special election for a Senate seat need not be held immediately after the vacancy arises; instead, it is typically conducted at the same time as the next biennial congressional election. If a special election for one seat happens to coincide with a general election for the state's other seat, then the two elections are not combined, but are instead contested separately. A senator elected in a special election takes office immediately and serves until the original six-year term expires, and not for a full term. Furthermore, the amendment provides that any state legislature may empower the Governor to temporarily fill vacancies. The interim appointee remains in office until the special election can be held. All states except Arizona and Alaska have passed laws authorizing the Governor to make temporary appointments.^[1] Amendment XVII in the National Archives Amendment XVII (the Seventeenth Amendment) of the United States Constitution was passed by the Senate on June 12, 1911 and by the House on May 13, 1912. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... Official language(s) None[1] Spoken language(s) English 85. ...

Senators are entitled to prefix "The Honorable" to their names. The annual salary of each senator, as of 2006, was $165,200;^[2] the President pro tempore and party leaders receive larger amounts. Analysis of financial disclosure forms by CNN in June 2003 revealed that at least 40 of the then senators were millionaires.^[3] In general, senators are regarded as more important political figures than members of the House of Representatives because there are fewer of them, and because they serve for longer terms, represent larger constituencies (except for House at-large districts, which also comprise entire states), sit on more committees, and have more staffers. The prestige commonly associated with the Senate is reflected by the background of presidents and presidential candidates; far more sitting senators have been nominees for the presidency than sitting representatives. The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable ( or formerly The Honble) is a title of quality attached to the names of certain classes of persons. ... Historical information on the salaries that United States Senators have been paid: 1789-1815 -- $6. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... Bloc voting (or block voting) refers to a class of voting systems which can be used to elect several representatives from a single multimember constituency. ...

Qualifications

Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution sets forth three qualifications for senators: each senator must be at least 30 years old, must have been a citizen of the United States for at least the past nine years, and must be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state he seeks to represent. The age and citizenship qualifications for senators are more stringent than those for representatives. In Federalist No. 62, James Madison justified this arrangement by arguing that the "senatorial trust" called for a "greater extent of information and stability of character." James Madison, author of Federalist No. ... Madison redirects here. ...

Furthermore, under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, any federal or state officer who takes the requisite oath to support the Constitution, but later engages in rebellion or aids the enemies of the United States, is disqualified from becoming a senator. This provision, which came into force soon after the end of the Civil War, was intended to prevent those who sided with the Confederacy from serving. The amendment, however, provides that a disqualified individual may still serve if two-thirds of both Houses of Congress vote to remove the disability. Amendment XIV in the National Archives The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (Amendment XIV) is one of the post-Civil War amendments (known as the Reconstruction Amendments), first intended to secure rights for former slaves. ...

Under the Constitution, the Senate (not the courts) is empowered to judge if an individual is qualified to serve. During its early years, however, the Senate did not closely scrutinize the qualifications of members. As a result, three individuals that were constitutionally disqualified due to age were admitted to the Senate: twenty-nine-year-old Henry Clay (1806), and twenty-eight-year-olds Armistead Mason (1816) and John Eaton (1818). Such an occurrence, however, has not been repeated since.^[4] In 1934, Rush Holt was elected to the Senate at the age of twenty-nine; he waited until he turned thirty to take the oath of office. Likewise, Joseph Biden was elected to the Senate shortly before his 30th birthday in 1972; he had passed his 30th birthday by the time the Senate conducted its swearing-in ceremony for that year's electees in January, 1973. Henry Clay, Sr. ... Armistead Thomson Mason Armistead Thomson Mason (August 4, 1787 â€“ February 6, 1819), the son of Stevens Thomson Mason, was a U.S. Senator from Virginia from 1816-1817. ... John Henry Eaton (June 18, 1790–November 17, 1856) was an American politician from Tennessee. ... Rush Dew Holt, Sr. ... Senator Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. ...

Officers

The party with a majority of seats is known as the majority party; if two or more parties in opposition are tied, the Vice President's affiliation determines which party is the majority party. The next-largest party is known as the minority party. The President pro tempore, committee chairmen, and some other officials are generally from the majority party; they have counterparts (for instance, the "ranking members" of committees) in the minority party. Independents and members of third parties (so long as they do not caucus with or support either of the larger parties) are not considered in determining which is the majority party. US Capitol in daylight, taken by Kmccoy 2004-05-04. ... US Capitol in daylight, taken by Kmccoy 2004-05-04. ... The United States Capitol is the capitol building that serves as the location for the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... â€œPolitical Partiesâ€ redirects here. ... A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. ...

The Constitution provides that the Vice President of the United States serves as the President of the Senate and holds a vote that can only be cast to break a tie. By convention, the Vice President presides over very few Senate debates, attending only on important ceremonial occasions (such as the swearing-in of new senators) or at times when his vote may be needed to break an equally divided tie vote. The Constitution also authorizes the Senate to elect a President pro tempore (Latin for "temporary president") to preside in the Vice President's absence; the most senior senator of the majority party is customarily chosen to serve in this position. The President pro tempore is Senator Robert Byrd (D) of West Virginia. Like the Vice President, the President pro tempore does not normally preside over the Senate. Instead, he typically delegates the responsibility of presiding to junior senators of the majority party. Frequently, freshmen senators (newly elected members) are allowed to preside so that they may become accustomed to the rules and procedures of the body. The President of the Senate is the title often given to the presiding officer, or chairman, of a senate. ... The Senate President only votes to break a tie. ... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... Robert Carlyle Byrd (born November 20, 1917) is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia and a member of the Democratic Party. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 kmÂ²) - Width 130 miles (210 km) - Length 240 miles (385 km) - % water 0. ...

The presiding officer sits in a chair in the front of the Senate chamber. The powers of the presiding officer are extremely limited; he primarily acts as the Senate's mouthpiece, performing duties such as announcing the results of votes. The Senate's presiding officer controls debates by calling on members to speak; the rules of the Senate, however, compel him to recognize the first senator who rises. The presiding officer may rule on any "point of order" (a senator's objection that a rule has been breached), but the decision is subject to appeal to the whole house. Thus, the powers of the presiding officer of the Senate are far less extensive than those of the Speaker of the House. A Point of Order is a matter raised during a debate concerning the rules of debating themselves. ... Dennis Hastert of Illinois, the current Speaker of the House (since January 6, 1999) The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. ...

Each party elects Senate party leaders. Floor leaders act as the party chief spokespeople. The Senate Majority Leader is, furthermore, responsible for controlling the agenda of the Senate; for example, he schedules debates and votes. Each party also elects a whip to assist the leader. A whip works to ensure that his party's senators vote as the party leadership desires. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders (also called Senate Floor Leaders) are two... The Senate Majority Leader is a member of the United States Senate who is elected by the party conference which holds the majority in the Senate to serve as the chief Senate spokesman for his or her party and to manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the... In politics, a whip is a member of a political party in a legislature whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ...

The Senate is also served by several officials who are not members. The Senate's chief administrative officer is the Secretary of the Senate, who maintains public records, disburses salaries, monitors the acquisition of stationery and supplies, and oversees clerks. The Secretary is aided in his work by the Assistant Secretary of the Senate. Another official is the Sergeant-at-Arms, who, as the Senate's chief law enforcement officer, maintains order and security on the Senate premises. The Capitol Police handles routine police work, with the Sergeant-at-Arms primarily responsible for general oversight. Other employees include the Chaplain, who is elected by the Senate, and Pages, who are appointed. The Secretary of the Senate, as an elected officer of the United States Senate, supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body. ... The Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate in is the law enforcer for the United States Senate. ... The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is a police force charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories. ... // Job description and selection Among his or her duties, the chaplains job is to open each session of the United States Senate with a prayer. ... A United States Senate Page (Senate Page or simply Page) is a non-partisan federal employee serving the United States Senate in Washington, DC. In many ways, Senate Pages are similar to their House counterparts. ...

Procedure

Like the House of Representatives, the Senate meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. At one end of the Chamber of the Senate is a dais from which the Presiding Officer (the Vice President, the President pro tempore, or one of the junior senators designated by the President pro tempore) presides. The lower tier of the dais is used by clerks and other officials. One hundred desks are arranged in the Chamber in a semicircular pattern; the desks are divided by a wide central aisle. By tradition, Democrats sit on the right of the center aisle, while Republicans sit on the left, as viewed from the presiding officer's chair. Each senator chooses a desk on the basis of seniority within his party; by custom, the leader of each party sits in the front row. Sessions of the Senate are opened with a special prayer or invocation, typically convening on weekdays. Sessions of the Senate are generally open to the public and are broadcast live on television by C-SPAN 2. Image File history File linksMetadata Senatedesk. ... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... The United States Capitol is the capitol building that serves as the location for the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Senate procedure depends not only on the rules, but also on a variety of customs and traditions. In many cases, the Senate waives some of its stricter rules by unanimous consent. Unanimous consent agreements are typically negotiated beforehand by party leaders. Any senator may block such an agreement, but, in practice, objections are rare. The presiding officer enforces the rules of the Senate, and may warn members who deviate from them. The presiding officer often uses the gavel of the Senate to maintain order. Unanimous consent, in parliamentary procedure, refers to situations in which a motion can pass if no one present objects. ... The Presiding Officer is majority-party Senator who presides over the United States Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senates rules, practices and precedents. ... A gavel is a hammer-like instrument used by judges and presiding officers. ...

A "hold" is placed when the Leader's office is notified that a senator intends to object to a request for unanimous consent from the Senate to consider or pass a measure. A hold may be placed for any reason and can be lifted by a senator at any time. A senator may place a hold simply to review a bill, to negotiate changes to the bill, or to kill the bill. A bill can be held for as long as the senator who objects to the bill wishes to block its consideration.

Holds can be overcome, but require time consuming procedures such as filing cloture. Holds are considered to be private communications between a senator and the Leader, and are sometimes referred to as "secret holds." A senator may disclose that he or she has placed a hold. A secret hold is a parliamentary procedure within the Standing Rules of the Senate within the United States Senate that allows one or more Senators to anonymously prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the Senate floor. ...

The Constitution provides that a majority of the Senate constitutes a quorum to do business. Under the rules and customs of the Senate, a quorum is always assumed to be present unless a quorum call explicitly demonstrates otherwise. Any senator may request a quorum call by "suggesting the absence of a quorum"; a clerk then calls the roll of the Senate and notes which members are present. In practice, senators almost always request quorum calls not to establish the presence of a quorum, but to temporarily delay proceedings. Such a delay may serve one of many purposes; often, it allows Senate leaders to negotiate compromises off the floor. Once the need for a delay has ended, any senator may request unanimous consent to rescind the Quorum Call. Look up quorum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A quorum call or call to quorum is a parliamentary procedure used to delay a vote or otherwise slow down the deliberations of a parliamentary body. ...

During debates, senators may only speak if called upon by the presiding officer. The presiding officer is, however, required to recognize the first senator who rises to speak. Thus, the presiding officer has little control over the course of debate. Customarily, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader are accorded priority during debates, even if another senator rises first. All speeches must be addressed to the presiding officer, using the words "Mr. President" or "Madam President." Only the presiding officer may be directly addressed in speeches; other Members must be referred to in the third person. In most cases, senators do not refer to each other by name, but by state, using forms such as "the senior senator from Virginia" or "the junior senator from California."

There are very few restrictions on the content of speeches; there is no requirement that speeches be germane to the matter before the Senate.

The rules of the Senate provide that no senator may make more than two speeches on a motion or bill on the same legislative day. (A legislative day begins when the Senate convenes and ends with adjournment; hence, it does not necessarily coincide with the calendar day.) The length of these speeches is not limited by the rules; thus, in most cases, senators may speak for as long as they please. Often, the Senate adopts unanimous consent agreements imposing time limits. In other cases (for example, for the Budget process), limits are imposed by statute. In general, however, the right to unlimited debate is preserved. The Standing Rules of the Senate detail the rules of order of the United States Senate. ...

The filibuster is a tactic used to defeat bills and motions by prolonging debate indefinitely. A filibuster may entail long speeches, dilatory motions, and an extensive series of proposed amendments. The Senate may end a filibuster by invoking cloture. In most cases, cloture requires the support of three-fifths of the Senate; however, if the matter before the Senate involves changing the rules of the body—most importantly, if it reduces the power of filibuster—a two-thirds majority is required. In current practice, the threat of filibuster is of more importance than its actual use; almost any motion that does not have the support of three-fifths of the Senate effectively fails. Cloture is invoked very rarely, particularly because bipartisan support is usually necessary to obtain the required supermajority, and a bill that already has bipartisan support is rarely subject to threats of filibuster in the first place. If the Senate does invoke cloture, debate does not end immediately; instead, further debate is limited to thirty additional hours unless increased by another three-fifths vote. The longest filibuster speech in the history of the Senate was delivered by Strom Thurmond, who spoke for over twenty-four hours in an unsuccessful attempt to block the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.^[5] As a form of obstructionism in a legislature or other decision making body, a filibuster is an attempt to extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay or completely prevent a vote on its passage. ... In parliamentary procedure, cloture (pr: KLO-cher) (also called closure, and sometimes a guillotine) is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. ... A supermajority or a qualified majority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level or type of support which exceeds a simple majority in order to have effect. ... James Strom Thurmond (December 5, 1902 â€“ June 26, 2003) was an American politician who served as governor of South Carolina and as a United States Senator representing that state. ... The Civil Rights Act of 1957, primarily a voting rights bill, was the first civil rights legislation enacted in the United States since Reconstruction. ...

When debate concludes, the motion in question is put to a vote. In many cases, the Senate votes by voice vote; the presiding officer puts the question, and Members respond either "Aye" (in favor of the motion) or "No" (against the motion). The presiding officer then announces the result of the voice vote. Any senator, however, may challenge the presiding officer's assessment and request a recorded vote. The request may be granted only if it is seconded by one-fifth of the senators present. In practice, however, senators second requests for recorded votes as a matter of courtesy. When a recorded vote is held, the clerk calls the roll of the Senate in alphabetical order; each senator responds when his or her name is called. Senators who miss the roll call may still cast a vote as long as the recorded vote remains open. The vote is closed at the discretion of the presiding officer, but must remain open for a minimum of 15 minutes. If the vote is tied, the Vice President, if present, is entitled to a tie-breaking vote. If the Vice President is not present, however, the motion fails. The Senate President only votes to break a tie. ...

On occasion, the Senate may go into what is called a secret or closed session. During a closed session, the chamber doors are closed, and the galleries are completely cleared of anyone not sworn to secrecy, not instructed in the rules of the closed session, or not essential to the session. Closed sessions are quite rare, and usually held only under very certain circumstances where the senate is discussing sensitive subject-matter such as information critical to national security, private communications from the President, or even to discuss Senate deliberations during impeachment trials. Any senator may call for and force a closed session as long as the motion is seconded by at least one other member. In the Congress of the United States, a closed session (formally a session with closed doors) is a parliamentary procedure for the Senate or the House of Representatives to discuss matters requiring secrecy. ...

Budget bills are governed under a special rule process called "Reconciliation" that disallows filibusters. Reconciliation was devised in 1974 but came into use in the early 1980s. Reconciliation is a legislative process of the United States Senate that is intended to allow a contentious budget bill to be considered without being subject to filibuster. ...

Committees

The Senate uses committees (as well as their subcommittees) for a variety of purposes, including the review of bills and the oversight of the executive branch. The appointment of committee members is formally made by the whole Senate, but the choice of members is actually made by the political parties. Generally, each party honors the preferences of individual senators, giving priority on the basis of seniority. Each party is allocated seats on committees in proportion to its overall strength. Dirksen Senate Building room 226 from http://judiciary. ... Dirksen Senate Building room 226 from http://judiciary. ... This Washington, DC congressional office building is named for former Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen (R-IL). ... The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary (informally Senate Judiciary Committee) is a standing committee of the United States Senate, the upper house of the United States Congress. ... A Congressional committee in the parlance of the United States Congress and politics of the United States is a legislative sub-organization that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress, making necessary and proper laws). ... The Senate Committee on Budget (ca. ...

Most committee work is performed by sixteen standing committees, each of which has jurisdiction over a specific field such as Finance or Foreign Relations. Each standing committee may consider, amend, and report bills that fall under its jurisdiction. Furthermore, each standing committee considers presidential nominations to offices related to its jurisdiction. (For instance, the Judiciary Committee considers nominees for judgeships, and the Foreign Relations Committee considers nominees for positions in the Department of State.) Committees have extensive powers with regard to bills and nominees; they may block nominees and impede bills from reaching the floor of the Senate. Finally, standing committees also oversee the departments and agencies of the executive branch. In discharging their duties, standing committees have the power to hold hearings and to subpoena witnesses and evidence. ... U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary (informally Senate Judiciary Committee) is a standing committee of the United States Senate, the upper house of the United States Congress. ... U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... Department of State redirects here. ... A subpoena is a command to appear at a certain time and place to give testimony upon a certain matter. ...

The Senate also has several committees that are not considered standing committees. Such bodies are generally known as select committees or special committees; examples include the Select Committee on Ethics and the Special Committee on Aging. Legislation is referred to some of these committees, though the bulk of legislative work is performed by the standing committees. Committees may be established on an ad hoc basis for specific purposes; for instance, the Senate Watergate Committee was a special committee created to investigate the Watergate scandal. Such temporary committees cease to exist after fulfilling their tasks. A select or special committee of the United States Congress is a Congressional committee appointed to perform a special function that is beyond the authority or capacity of a standing committee. ... A select or special committee of the United States Congress is a Congressional committee appointed to perform a special function that is beyond the authority or capacity of a standing committee. ... The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics is a select committee of the United States Senate charged with dealing with matters related to senatorial ethics. ... The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was initially established in 1961 as a temporary committee, and becaming a permanent committee in 1977. ... The Senate Watergate Committee was a special committee convened by the United States Senate to investigate the Watergate scandal after it was learned that the Watergate burglars had been directed to break into and wiretap the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee by CREEP, President Richard Nixons re-election... â€œWatergateâ€ redirects here. ...

Finally, the Congress includes joint committees, which include members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Some joint committees oversee independent government bodies; for instance, the Joint Committee on the Library oversees the Library of Congress. Other joint committees serve to make advisory reports; for example, there exists a Joint Committee on Taxation. Bills and nominees are not referred to joint committees. Hence, the power of joint committees is considerably lower than those of standing committees. The Joint Committee on the Library is a joint committee of the U.S. Congress devoted to the affairs and administration of the U.S. Library of Congress, which is both the private library of the federal legislature and Americas national library. ... Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building, from July 8, 1888 to May 15, 1894. ...

Each Senate committee and subcommittee is led by a chairman (usually a member of the majority party). Formerly, committee chairmanship was determined purely by seniority; as a result, several elderly senators continued to serve as chairmen despite severe physical infirmity or even senility. Now, committee chairmen are in theory elected, but in practice, seniority is very rarely bypassed. The chairman's powers are extensive; he controls the committee's agenda, and may prevent the committee from approving a bill or presidential nomination. Modern committee chairmen are typically not forceful in exerting their influence, although there have been some exceptions. The second-highest member, the spokesperson on the committee for the minority party, is known in most cases as the Ranking Member. In the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Select Committee on Ethics, however, the senior minority member is known as the Vice Chairman. The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the American Intelligence Communityâ€”the agencies and bureaus of the U.S. federal government who provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches. ...

Legislative functions

Most bills may be introduced in either House of Congress. However, the Constitution provides that "All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives." As a result, the Senate does not have the power to initiate bills imposing taxes. Furthermore, the House of Representatives holds that the Senate does not have the power to originate appropriation bills, or bills authorizing the expenditure of federal funds. Historically, the Senate has disputed the interpretation advocated by the House. However, whenever the Senate originates an appropriations bill, the House simply refuses to consider it, thereby settling the dispute in practice. The constitutional provision barring the Senate from introducing revenue bills is based on the practice of the British Parliament, in which only the House of Commons may originate such measures. An Act of Vaginapenis is a bill or resolution adopted by both houses of the United States Congress to which one of the following events has happened: Acceptance by the President of the United States, Inaction by the President after ten days from reception (excluding Sundays) while the Congress is... An appropriation bill or supply bill is a legislative motion which authorizes the government to spend money. ... Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin MP Lord Speaker HÃ©lÃ¨ne Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist Party Sinn FÃ©in... Type Lower House Speaker of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Harriet Harman, QC, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Theresa May, PC, (Conservative) since December 6, 2005 Members 646 Political groups...

Although the Constitution gave the House the power to initiate revenue bills, in practice the Senate is equal to the House in the respects of taxation and spending. As Woodrow Wilson wrote: Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856â€“February 3, 1924), was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. ...

The approval of both the Senate and the House of Representatives is required for any bill, including a revenue bill, to become law. Both Houses must pass the exact same version of the bill; if there are differences, they may be resolved by a conference committee, which includes members of both bodies. A conference committee in the United States Congress and bicamerial state legislature is a committee appointed by the members of the upper and lower house to resolve disagreements on a bill passed in different versions of each House. ...

Checks and balances

The Constitution provides several unique functions for the Senate that form its ability to "check and balance" the powers of other elements of the Federal Government. These include the requirement that the Senate may advise and must consent to the President's government appointments; also the Senate must ratify all treaties with foreign governments; it tries all impeachments, and it elects the Vice President in the event no person gets a majority of the electoral votes.

The President can make certain appointments only with the advice and consent of the Senate. Officials whose appointments require the Senate's approval include members of the Cabinet, heads of most federal executive agencies, ambassadors, Justices of the Supreme Court, and other federal judges. Under the Constitution, a large number of government appointments are subject to potential confirmation; however, Congress has passed legislation to authorize the appointment of many officials without the Senate's consent (usually, confirmation requirements are reserved for those officials with the most significant final decision-making authority). Typically, a nominee is first subject to a hearing before a Senate committee. Thereafter, the nomination is considered by the full Senate. The majority of nominees are confirmed, but in a small number of cases each year, Senate Committees will purposely fail to act on a nominations in order to block it. Also, the President sometimes withdraws nominations when they appear unlikely to be confirmed. Because of this, outright rejections of nominees on the Senate Floor are quite infrequent (there have been only nine Cabinet nominees rejected outright in the history of the United States). For the novel, see Advise and Consent. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ...

The powers of the Senate with respect to nominations are, however, subject to some constraints. For instance, the Constitution provides that the President may make an appointment during a congressional recess without the Senate's advice and consent. The recess appointment remains valid only temporarily; the office becomes vacant again at the end of the next congressional session. Nevertheless, Presidents have frequently used recess appointments to circumvent the possibility that the Senate may reject the nominee. Furthermore, as the Supreme Court held in Myers v. United States, although the Senate's advice and consent is required for the appointment of certain executive branch officials, it is not necessary for their removal. Download high resolution version (1208x801, 243 KB)The Senate as a Court of Impeachment for the Trial of Andrew Johnson Theodore R. Davis, artist, illustration in Harpers Weekly, April 11, 1868. ... Download high resolution version (1208x801, 243 KB)The Senate as a Court of Impeachment for the Trial of Andrew Johnson Theodore R. Davis, artist, illustration in Harpers Weekly, April 11, 1868. ... Davis drawing of the Battle of Champion Hill. ... For other persons of the same name, see Andrew Johnson (disambiguation). ... Children can be found playing on playhouses such as this during recess. ... A recess appointment occurs when the President of the United States fills a vacant Federal position during a recess of the United States Senate. ... Myers v. ...

The Senate also has a role in the process of ratifying treaties. The Constitution provides that the President may only ratify a treaty if two-thirds of the senators vote to grant advice and consent. However, not all international agreements are considered treaties, and therefore do not require the Senate's approval. Congress has passed laws authorizing the President to conclude executive agreements without action by the Senate. Similarly, the President may make congressional-executive agreements with the approval of a simple majority in each House of Congress, rather than a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Neither executive agreements nor congressional-executive agreements are mentioned in the Constitution, leading some to suggest that they unconstitutionally circumvent the treaty-ratification process. However, the validity of such agreements has been upheld by courts. An executive agreement one of three mechanisms by which the United States enters into binding international agreements. ... A congressional-executive agreement is an agreement with a foreign power that has been approved by U.S. Congress and the United States. ...

The Constitution empowers the House of Representatives to impeach federal officials for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors" and empowers the Senate to try such impeachments. If the sitting President of the United States is being tried, the Chief Justice of the United States presides over the trial. During any impeachment trial, senators are constitutionally required to sit on oath or affirmation. Conviction requires a two-thirds majority of the senators present. A convicted official is automatically removed from office; in addition, the Senate may stipulate that the defendant be banned from holding office in the future. No further punishment is permitted during the impeachment proceedings; however, the party may face criminal penalties in a normal court of law. Depiction of the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, then President of the United States, in 1868. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas Politics Portal The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the judicial branch...

In the history of the United States, the House of Representatives has impeached sixteen officials, of whom seven were convicted. (One resigned before the Senate could complete the trial.) Only two Presidents of the United States have ever been impeached: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Both trials ended in acquittal; in Johnson's case, the Senate fell one vote short of the two-thirds majority required for conviction. For other persons of the same name, see Andrew Johnson (disambiguation). ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ...

Under the Twelfth Amendment, the Senate has the power to elect the Vice President if no vice presidential candidate receives a majority of votes in the Electoral College. The Twelfth Amendment requires the Senate to choose from the two candidates with the highest numbers of electoral votes. Electoral College deadlocks are very rare; in the history of the United States, the Senate has only had to break a deadlock once, in 1837, when it elected Richard Mentor Johnson. The power to elect the President in the case of an Electoral College deadlock belongs to the House of Representatives. Amendment XII in the National Archives The Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution alterd Article II pertaining to presidential elections. ... Electoral votes by state/federal district, for the elections of 2004 and 2008 The United States Electoral College is a term used to describe the 538 President Electors who meet every 4 years to cast the electoral votes for President and Vice President of the United States; their votes represent... Richard Mentor Johnson (October 17, 1780 â€“ November 19, 1850) was the ninth Vice President of the United States, serving in the administration of Martin Van Buren. ...

Latest election

The Democratic Party is considered to hold a majority with 51 seats because the two independents, Bernie Sanders (Vermont) and Independent Democrat Joe Lieberman (Connecticut), caucus with the Democrats. Republican hold Democratic hold Democratic pickup Independent hold Independent pickup Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Republican hold Democratic hold Democratic pickup Independent hold Independent pickup Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The United States Senate election, 2004 was an election for one-third of the seats in the United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of George W. Bush as president and the United States House election, as well as many... Republican hold Democratic hold Democratic pickup Independent hold Independent pickup Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas Politics Portal Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... The Libertarian Party is an American political party founded on Dec. ... This article is about the American political party, Green Party. ... The Constitution Party is a conservative United States political party. ... Bernard Bernie Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the current big willy floppah junior United States Senator from big blob of brown poo Vermont. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Joseph Isadore Joe Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is an American politician from Connecticut. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[3] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[2] Area Ranked 48th - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 kmÂ²) - Width 70 miles (113 km) - Length 110 miles (177 km) - % water 12. ... A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. ...

Composition

The 110th United States Congress, which began January 4, 2007: The 110th United States Congress consists of 540 elected officials from fifty states, four territories, and the District of Columbia. ... This is a classification of current U.S. Senators by seniority. ... United States Capitol (2002) // The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

In the months between the election and the swearing in of the Congress, Sen. Joe Lieberman (Connecticut for Lieberman Party-CT) initially refused to rule out caucusing with the Republicans, which would have put Republicans in control of the Senate.^[6] A similar situation happened in the Great Senate Deadlock of 1881.^[7] However, any future changes in the party composition in the Senate during the 110th Congress would not change Democratic control of the Senate due to the organizing resolutions agreed to at the beginning of the session.^[8] Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas Politics Portal Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Bernard Bernie Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the current big willy floppah junior United States Senator from big blob of brown poo Vermont. ... Connecticut for Lieberman is the Connecticut political party created by twenty-five supporters of Senator Joe Lieberman, its sole candidate for office. ... Joseph Isadore Joe Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is an American politician from Connecticut. ... The Senate Democratic Caucus is the formal organization of the (currently) 44 Democratic Senators in the United States Senate. ... Joseph Isadore Joe Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is an American politician from Connecticut. ...

See also

There have been 35 women in the United States Senate since the establishment of that body in 1789, meaning that out of the 1,895 Americans [1] who have served in the United States Senate since that time, 1. ... The Congress of the United States has demographics that are different from America as a whole in a number of ways. ... This is an incomplete list of all people who previously served in the United States Senate. ...

Bibliography

Official Senate Histories

The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all members of both houses of the United States Congress, past and present. ... Robert C. Byrd Robert Carlyle Byrd (born November 20, 1917) is a West Virginia Democrat serving in the United States Senate. ... Â§ Robert Joseph Dole (born July 22, 1923) was a United States Senator from Kansas from 1969-1996, serving part of that time as United States Senate Majority Leader. ... Mark Odom Hatfield (born July 12, 1922) is an American politician from Oregon. ... The logotype of the United States Government Printing Office In the United States, the Government Printing Office (GPO) provides printed (and now electronic) copies of documents produced by and for all federal agencies, including the Supreme Court, the Congress, and all executive branch agencies like the FCC and EPA. Court...

Miscellaneous

Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856â€“February 3, 1924), was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. ...

References

The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...

External links

Categories: Spoken articles | National upper houses | United States Senate The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas Politics Portal Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... United States Capitol (2002) // The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives. ... The 110th United States Congress consists of 540 elected officials from fifty states, four territories, and the District of Columbia. ... The 110th United States Congress began on January 4, 2007. ... This is an incomplete list of notable former members of the United States House of Representatives. ... This is a list of current U.S. Senators sorted by age. ... This is a classification of current U.S. Senators by seniority. ... This is an incomplete list of all people who previously served in the United States Senate. ... List of former United States Senators, who as of 2007 are still alive: See also: List of current United States Senators by age, List of former United States Senators, Classes of United States Senators and List of current United States Senators by seniority // Class 3: Jeremiah Denton (Republican), 1981-1987... The United States Constitution gives the Senate the power to expel any member by a two-thirds vote. ... Category: ... The three classes of US Senators, each currently including 33 or 34 Senators (since Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, and until another state is admitted), are a means used by the United States Senate for describing the schedules of Senate seats elections, and of the expiration of the... The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officerâ€”or speakerâ€”of the United States House of Representatives. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in... A whip in the United States House of Representatives is a member of the party leadership who comes second in line after the partys floor leader, which in the house is the House Majority Leader or the House Minority Leader. ... The House Democratic Caucus, nominates and elects the Democratic Party leadership in the United States House of Representatives. ... The House Republican Conference, sometimes known as the House Republican Leadership Conference, is an organization for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... This is a complete List of Presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders (also called Senate Floor Leaders) are two... The Assistant Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate (commonly called Senate Majority and Minority Whips) are the second-ranking members of their parties in the United States Senate. ... The Senate Democratic Caucus is the formal organization of the (currently) 44 Democratic Senators in the United States Senate. ... The Democratic caucus of the United States Senate chooses a conference chairman. ... The United States Senate Democratic Conference Secretary, also called the Caucus Secretary, is a ranking leadership position within the Democratic Party in the United States Senate. ... Since 1947, the Democratic members of the United States Senate have elected a policy committee chairman. ... The Senate Republican Conference is the formal organization of the (currently) 55 Republican Senators in the United States Senate. ... The Republican conference of the United States Senate chooses a conference chairperson. ... The United States Senate Republican Conference Vice-Chair, also known previously as the Conference Secretary, is the third-ranking leadership position within the U.S. Republican Party in the United States Senate. ... Since 1947, the Republican members of the United States Senate have elected a policy committee chairman. ... The Dean of the United States Senate is the longest-serving (in consecutive terms) United States Senator. ... Joseph Rainey, first black member of the U.S. House of Representatives Since 1868, 122 African Americans have served in the United States Congress. ... This is a list of Asian Pacific Americans in the U.S. Congress. ... A Congressional caucus is a group of members of the United States Congress which meets to pursue common legislative objectives. ... A Congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress). ... The Congress of the United States has demographics that are different from America as a whole in a number of ways. ... This is a list of Hispanic Americans who have served in the U.S. Congress. ... There have been 35 women in the United States Senate since the establishment of that body in 1789, meaning that out of the 1,895 Americans [1] who have served in the United States Senate since that time, 1. ... Throughout the history of the United States House of Representatives, there have been 214 women serving in that body. ... United States Capitol The Architect of the Capitol is responsible to the United States Congress for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex, which includes the Capitol, the congressional office buildings, the Library of Congress buildings, the United States Supreme Court building, the United States... The United States Capitol Guide Service is a guide service charged by the United States Congress to provide guided tours of the interior of the United States Capitol Building for the education and enlightenment of the general public, without charge for such tours. ... The Capitol Guide Board is a group of three members who have jurisdiction over the United States Capitol Guide Service. ... The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is a police force charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories. ... The Capitol Police Board is a group of three members who have jurisdiction over the United States Capitol Police. ... A U.S. Congressional Chief of Staff is the top executive in the office of a member of the United States Congress. ... General Accounting Office headquarters, Washington, D.C. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the non-partisan audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of Congress, and an agency in the Legislative Branch of the United States Government. ... The logotype of the United States Government Printing Office In the United States, the Government Printing Office (GPO) prints and provides access to documents produced by and for all three branches of the federal government, including the Supreme Court, the Congress, and all executive branch agencies like the FCC and... The Office of the Law Revision Counsel prepares and publishes the United States Code, which is a consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. ... Library of Congress, Jefferson building The Library of Congress is one of four official national libraries of the United States (along with the National Library of Medicine, National Agricultural Library, and National Archives and Records Administration). ... The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress is appointed by the United States Librarian of Congress and earns a stipend of $35,000 a year. ... The election of William Linn as Chaplain of the House on May 1, 1789, continued the tradition established by the Continental Congresses of each days proceedings opening with a prayer by a chaplain. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives is an employee of the United States House of Representatives. ... Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives office was abolished during the 104th Congress. ... The Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Operations (OEPPO) provides emergency planning and operational support to the United States House of Representatives. ... The Historian of the United States House of Representatives is an official appointed by that legislative body to study and document its past. ... The United States House of Representatives Page Program is a program run by the United States House of Representatives in which appointed high school juniors act as non-partisan federal employees in the House of Representatives, providing supplemental administrative support to House operations in a variety of capacities in Washington... House Page Board is a the oversight group of elected official who oversee the United States House of Representatives Page. ... The office of the Parliamentarian of the United States House of Representatives is an office managed, supervised and administered by a non-partisan Parliamentarian appointed by the Speaker. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Reading Clerk of the United States House of Representatives reads bills, motions, and other papers before the House and keeps track of changes to legislation made on the floor. ... The House Recording Studio provides radio and television recording services to Members, Committees, and Officers of the United States House of Representatives. ... The United States House of Representatives Sergeant at Arms is an officer of the House with law enforcement, protocol, and administrative responsibilities. ... // Job description and selection Among his or her duties, the chaplains job is to open each session of the United States Senate with a prayer. ... The United States Senate Curator is an employee of the United States Senate who is responsible for developing and implementing the museum and preservation programs for the Senate Commission on Art. ... The Historian of the United States Senate and United States Senate Historical Office were created in 1975 to record and preserve historical information about the United States Senate. ... The Senate Library is an administrative office that reports into the Secretary of the United States Senate. ... A United States Senate Page (Senate Page or simply Page) is a non-partisan federal employee serving the United States Senate in Washington, DC. In many ways, Senate Pages are similar to their House counterparts. ... The Parliamentarian of the United States Senate serves at the pleasure of the Senate Majority Leader, and functions under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate as a non-partisan employee of the Senate. ... The Secretary of the Senate, as an elected officer of the United States Senate, supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body. ... The Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate is the law enforcer for the United States Senate. ... An Act of Vaginapenis is a bill or resolution adopted by both houses of the United States Congress to which one of the following events has happened: Acceptance by the President of the United States, Inaction by the President after ten days from reception (excluding Sundays) while the Congress is... This is a partial list of notable United States federal legislation, in chronological order. ... A Congressional caucus is a group of members of the United States Congress which meets to pursue common legislative objectives. ... A Congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress). ... Congressional hearings are the principal formal method by which committees collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. ... Joint Sessions of the United States Congress are the gathering together of both House and Senate which occur on special occasions such as the State of the Union Address and Presidential Inauguration. ... Congress, in addition to its lawmaking duties, has oversight authority over the Executive Branch. ... The following table lists the party divisions for each United States Congress: U.S. Senate: Party Divisions Office of the House Clerk: Party Divisions of the House of Representatives Categories: | | ... In legislative practice, a rider is an additional provision annexed to a bill under the consideration of a legislature, having little connection with the subject matter of the bill. ... Members of the Committee on Financial Services sit in the tiers of raised chairs (R), while those testifying and audience members sit below (L). ... George W. Bush delivered his annual State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on January 28, 2003, in the House chamber. ... Jeffersons Manual of Parliamentary Practice is a book of parliamentary procedure and additional guidelines for the United States House of Representatives, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1801. ... At a hearing during the 109th Congress, then-Chairman Vernon J. Ehlers greets then-Ranking Member Juanita Millender-McDonald. ... The Senate Committee on Budget (ca. ... As a form of obstructionism in a legislature or other decision making body, a filibuster is an attempt to extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay or completely prevent a vote on its passage. ... Debate over Compromise of 1850 in the Old Senate Chamber. ... The United States Senate observes a number of traditions, some formal and some informal. ... The Vice President of the United States is, ex officio, the President of the United States Senate and votes only to break a tie. ... The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is a botanic garden run by the Congress of the United States. ... The United States Capitol is the capitol building that serves as the location for the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. ... Aerial view of the United States Capitol Complex from the northweat The United States Capitol Complex is group of about a dozen buildings and facilities in Washington D.C. that are used by the Federal government of the United States. ... The largely ceremonial space within the United States Capitol is augmented by office, meeting and service spaces within the Congressional office buildings. ... The Cannon House Office Building, completed in 1908, is the oldest congressional office building as well as a significant example of the Beaux Arts style of architecture. ... The Ford House Office Building is one of the four office buildings containing U.S. House of Representatives staff on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. It is the only House Office Building that is not connected underground to either one of the other office buildings or to the Capitol itself. ... The Longworth House Office Building The Longworth House Office Building (LHOB) is one of three office buildings used by the United States House of Representatives. ... The ONeill House Office Building is the name of a former Congressional Office Building, located near the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. It was named after former Speaker of the House Thomas Tip ONeill (December 9, 1912 â€“ January 5, 1994). ... The Rayburn House Office Building (RHOB), named after former Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn, is located between South Capitol Street and First Street in Southwest Washington, D.C. // History The newest of three U.S. House of Representatives office buildings, the Rayburn House Office Building was completed in early... This Washington, DC congressional office building is named for former Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen (R-IL). ... Located on Constitution Avenue, between 1st and 2nd Streets, NE The Hart Senate Office Building, the third U.S. Senate office building, was built in the 1970s. ... This photograph, taken from southwest of the building, shows the main entrance along Constitution Avenue, N.E. The rotunda of the Russell Building featuring the sculpture by Frederick Hart. ... The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all members of both houses of the United States Congress, past and present. ... Congressional Quarterly (CQ) produces a number of publications that report primarily on the United States Congress. ... The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. ... The Congressional Research Service is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. ... Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building, from July 8, 1888 to May 15, 1894. ... The Hill is a non-partisan, non-ideological newspaper published in Washington, D.C.. It is written for and about the U.S. Congress. ... For other senses of this term, see roll call (disambiguation). ... Look up Thomas in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives are determined after each census. ... This is a complete list of congressional districts by area for current representation in the United States House of Representatives. ... The Mace of the US House of Representatives The Mace of the United States House of Representatives is one of the oldest symbols of the United States government. ... A number of amendments to the United States Constitution include a Congressional power of enforcement. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A Congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress). ... Members of the Committee on Financial Services sit in the tiers of raised chairs (R), while those testifying and audience members sit below (L). ... The Committee on Appropriations, or Appropriations Committee (often referred to as simply Appropriations, as in Hes on Appropriations) is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The Committee on Education and Labor is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The U.S. House Commerce Committee on Energy and Commerce residing at 2125 Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC is the oldest (208 years) legislative standing committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. ... Meeting of the House Financial Services Committee The United States House Committee on Financial Services (or House Banking Committee) oversees the entire financial services industry, including the securities, insurance, banking, and housing industries. ... The U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs (also known as the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives which is in charge of bills and investigations related to the foreign affairs of the United States. ... The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The United States House Committee on House Administration deals with the general administration matters of the United States House of Representatives. ... The U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is a committee of the United States House of Representatives, currently chaired by Peter Hoekstra. ... U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, or (more commonly) the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is a United States House of Representatives committee that has existed in varying forms since 1816. ... The Committee on Rules, or (more commonly) Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The Select Committee on Astronautics and Space Exploration was established in 1958 in response to the Soviet Sputnik program in the late 1950s. ... // History Jurisdiction Subcommittees Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment, and Government Programs Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight Subcommittee on Tax, Finance, and Exports Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, Agriculture, and Technology Members Republicans Donald A. Manzullo (R-IL), Chairman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) Sue W. Kelly (R-NY) Steve Chabot (R-OH... The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives. ... The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. ... The standing Committee on Veterans Affairs in the United States House of Representatives oversees agencies, reviews current legislation, and recommends new bills or amendments concerning veterans. ... The Committee on Ways and Means is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... In the United States House of Representatives, the Committee of the Whole, short for Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, is a parliamentary device in which the House of Representatives is considered one large Congressional committee. ... The Senate Committee on Budget (ca. ... The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was initially established in 1961 as a temporary committee; it became a permanent committee in 1977. ... The Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nations agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and health. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nations military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy (as pertaining to national security), benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and other... The United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to banks and banking, price controls, deposit insurance, export promotion and controls, federal monetary policy, financial aid to commerce and industry, issuance of redemption of notes, currency and coinage, public and private housing, urban... The United States Senate Committee on Budget was established in 1974 by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act. ... The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate in charge of all senate matters related to the following subjects: Coast Guard Coastal zone management Communications Highway safety Inland waterways, except construction Interstate commerce Marine and ocean navigation, safety, and transportation Marine... The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and nuclear waste policy, territorial policy, native Hawaiian matters, and public lands. ... The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics is a select committee of the United States Senate charged with dealing with matters related to senatorial ethics. ... The United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is responsible for dealing with matters related to the environment and infrastructure. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance (or, less formally, Senate Finance Committee) is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) has jurisdiction over matters relating to health, education, labor, and pensions. ... The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and accounting measures other than appropriations, the Census, the... The United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is responsible for dealing with matters related to the American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples. ... The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the United States Intelligence Communityâ€”the agencies and bureaus of the U.S. federal government who provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary (informally Senate Judiciary Committee) is a standing committee of the United States Senate, the upper house of the United States Congress. ... The Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control was created to monitor and encourage the U.S. government and private programs seeking to expand international cooperation against drug abuse and narcotics trafficking, and promote international compliance with narcotics control treaties, including eradication. ... The United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is responsible for dealing with the rules of the United States Senate, with administration of congressional buildings, and with credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, including responsibility for dealing with contested elections. ... The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is a standing committee of the United States Senate. ... The United States Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs is responsible for dealing with matters related to veterans. ... This is a list of active joint United States Congressional committees. ... A conference committee in the United States Congress is a committee appointed by the members of the upper and lower houses to resolve disagreements on a bill passed in different versions of each House. ... The Joint Economic Committee is one of only four joint committees of the U.S. Congress. ... The Joint Committee on the Library is a joint committee of the U.S. Congress devoted to the affairs and administration of the U.S. Library of Congress, which is the library of the federal legislature. ... The Joint Committee on Printing is a joint committee of the U.S. Congress devoted to overseeing the functions of the Government Printing Office and general printing procedures of the Federal Government. ... Many committees of the United States Congress are now defunct. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countriesAtlas Politics Portal The United States has a federal government, with elected officials at federal (national), state and... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Some states elected their Senators directly even before passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913. ... Some states elected their Senators directly even before passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913. ... Some states elected their Senators directly even before passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913. ... With the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, the U.S. Senate election of 1914 was the first time that all senators were popularly elected instead of chosen by their state legislatures. ... The U.S. Senate election, 1916 was an election that coincided with the re-election of Democratic President Woodrow Wilson. ... The 1918 U.S. Senate election occurred on November 5, coinciding with the midpoint of Woodrow Wilsons second term as President of the United States. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1920 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Warren G. Harding as President. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Farmer-Labor pickup The U.S. Senate election, 1922 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of Republican President Warren G. Hardings term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1924 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of Republican President Calvin Coolidge. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1926 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of Republican President Calvin Coolidges second term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Farmer-Labor hold The U.S. Senate election, 1928 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Republican Herbert Hoover as President. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Simultaneous Republican hold and Democratic pickup The U.S. Senate election, 1930 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of Republican President Herbert Hoovers first term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1932 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelts crushing defeat of incumbent Herbert Hoover in the presidential election. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Simultaneous hold Farmer-Labor hold Progressive hold The United States Senate elections, 1934 were elections for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelts first term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Farmer-Labor hold Independent hold The United States Senate elections, 1936 coincided with the re-election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate elections, 1938 were elections for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of Franklin Delano Roosevelts second term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Progressive hold The United States Senate elections of 1940 were elections for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Franklin Roosevelt to his third term as President. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Simultaneous hold The United States Senate elections of 1942 occurred midway through Franklin Roosevelts third term as President. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The United States Senate elections of 1944 coincided with the re-election of Franklin Roosevelt to his fourth term as President. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The United States Senate elections of 1946 were in the middle of Democratic President Harry Trumans first term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1948 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Democratic President Harry Truman for a full term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1950 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of Harry Trumans second term as President. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1952 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower to the presidency by a large margin. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1954 was an election for the United States Senate which was a midterm election in the first term of Dwight D. Eisenhowers presidency. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1956 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1958 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of President Dwight D. Eisenhowers second term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1960 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of John F. Kennedy as president. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Simultaneous hold Republican hold and Democratic pickup The U.S. Senate election, 1962 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of John F. Kennedys term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1964 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the election of President Lyndon B. Johnson by an overwhelming majority. ... Results -- Republican holds in light red, pickups in dark red, Democratic holds in light blue, pickups in dark blue, simultaneous hold in purple The U.S. Senate election, 1966 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred midway through the term of President Lyndon Baines Johnson. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1968 was an election for the United States Senate which coincided with the 1968 presidential election. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups Independent pickups Conservative pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1970 was an election for the United States Senate which was a midterm election in the term of President Richard M. Nixon. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1972 was an election for the United States Senate coinciding with the landslide re-election of Richard M. Nixon. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1974 was an election for the United States Senate held in the wake of the Watergate scandal, Richard M. Nixons resignation from the presidency, and Gerald Fords subsequent pardon of Nixon. ... Results -- Independent holds in light yellow, Republican holds in light red, pickups in dark red, Democratic holds in light blue, pickups in dark blue The U.S. Senate election, 1976 was an election for the United States Senate that coincided with Democratic Jimmy Carters election to the presidency. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The United States Senate election, 1978 was an election for the United States Senate in the middle of Democratic President Jimmy Carters term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The 1980 U.S. Senate elections coincided with Ronald Reagans election to the Presidency. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1982 was an election for the United States Senate following the Republican gains in 1980. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1984 was an election for the United States Senate that coincided with Ronald Reagans landslide re-election as president. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1986 was an election for the United States Senate in the middle of Ronald Reagans second presidential term. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1988 was an election for the United States Senate in which, in spite of the Republican victory by George Herbert Walker Bush in the presidential election, the Republicans had a net loss of one seat in the... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1990 was an election for the United States Senate in which the Democratic Party increased its majority with a net gain of one seat from the Republicans. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1992 was an election for the United States Senate in which the victory of Bill Clinton in the presidential election was not accompanied by major Democratic gains in the Senate. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1994 was an election in which the Republican Party was able to take control of the Senate from the Democrats by mobilizing voters discontented with congressional incumbents and the early presidency of Bill Clinton. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1996 was an election for United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of Bill Clinton as president. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 1998 was a roughly even contest between the Republican and Democratic parties. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The U.S. Senate election, 2000 was an election for United States Senate which coincided with the election of George W. Bush as president. ... Republican hold Republican pickup Democratic holdhttp://en. ... Republican holds Republican pickups Democratic holds Democratic pickups The United States Senate election, 2004 was an election for one-third of the seats in the United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of George W. Bush as president and the United States House election, as well as many... Republican hold Democratic hold Democratic pickup Independent hold Independent pickup Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. ... Senate Seats up for election: Two Republican incumbents Republican incumbent Retiring Republican Democratic incumbent No election Elections for the United States Senate will be held on November 4, 2008, with 34 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. ... Senate Seats up for election: Republican incumbent Retiring Republican Democratic incumbent No election Elections to the United States Senate will be held on November 2, 2010, with 34 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. ... Elections to the United States Senate will be held on November 8, 2012, with 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested. ... // This is an incomplete[1] list of special elections to the United States Senate. ... A legislatureis a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to ratify laws. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal All United States states are required to possess a legislative branch. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Alabama Legislature met at the Alabama State Capitol between 1851 to 1985. ... The seal of the Alabama Senate. ... The Alaska Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. ... The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. ... The Alaska Senate in session. ... The Arizona State Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of Arizona. ... The Arizona House of Representatives is the lower legislative body for the State of Arizona. ... The debating chamber of the Arizona Senate The Arizona Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. ... The Arkansas General Assembly is the legislative branch of the Arkansas government. ... The Arkansas House of Representatives legislative chamber. ... The Arkansas State Senate is the upper branch of the Arkansas General Assembly. ... Californias Capitol, where the State Legislature meets California State Assembly chamber California state Senate chamber The California Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of California. ... The California State Assembly chamber California State Assembly Chamber in the State Capitol The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. ... California State Senate chamber The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. ... The Colorado General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Colorado. ... The Colorado House of Representatives has 65 members elected for two-year terms. ... The Colorado Senate has 35 members each elected to four-year terms. ... The Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. ... The Hall of the Connecticut House of Representatives. ... The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly. ... The Delaware General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. ... The Delaware House of Representatives is the lower house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. ... The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. ... The Florida Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. ... The Florida House of Representatives, one of the two Chambers of the Florida Legislature, is composed of 120 members, each representing a district. ... The Florida Senate is part of the Legislative branch of government for the state of Florida. ... The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the General Assembly (the state legislature) of Georgia. ... Seal of the Georgia Senate The Georgia Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature of Georgia). ... Hawaii Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano speaks before a special session of the legislature on January 24, 2000. ... The Hawaii House of Representatives is the lower house of the Hawaii State Legislature. ... The Hawaii State Senate is the upper chamber of the Hawaii State Legislature which governs from Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. There are twenty-five members from various electoral districts. ... The Idaho Legislature is the lawmaking body of the State of Idaho. ... The Idaho House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Idaho State Legislature. ... The Idaho Senate is the upper chamber of the Idaho State Legislature. ... The Illinois General Assembly convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. ... The Illinois House of Representatives convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. ... The Illinois Senate convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. ... Image:Indianapolis Capitol. ... The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state government of Indiana. ... The Indiana Senate comprises, along with the Indiana House of Representatives, the Indiana General Assembly. ... 2002 Senate District Map 2002 House District Map The Iowa General Assembly (IGA) is the legislative branch for the state of Iowa. ... 2002 House District Map The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. ... The current senate that was ellected in 2006 consists of these people: Senate (50) Name District Party Home County Senator Jeff Angelo Senate District 48 Republican Union Senator Daryl Beall Senate District 25 Democrat Webster Senator Jerry Behn Senate District 24 Republican Boone Senator Dennis H. Black Senate District 21... The Kansas Legislature meet at the State Capitol in Topeka. ... The Kansas House of Representatives chamber in the State Capitol. ... The Kansas Senate in legislative session in January 2006. ... The Kentucky State Capitol Building in Frankfort, KY The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky. ... Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly, the state legislature of Kentucky. ... The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. ... The Louisiana State Legislature is the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Louisiana. ... The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. ... The Louisiana Senate is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. ... The Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. ... The debating chamber of the Maine House of Representatives inside the State House The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. ... The debating chamber of the Maine Senate in the State House in Augusta The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. ... The Maryland State House in downtown Annapolis. ... The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... The Maryland State Senate is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. ... The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of Massachusetts. ... The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of Massachusetts. ... The Michigan Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Type Lower House Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, Democratic since November 7, 2006 Minority Leader Craig DeRoche, Republican since November 7, 2006 Members 110 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Meeting place Michigan State Capitol, Lansing, Michigan Web site Michigan House of Representatives Cora B. Anderson House of Representatives... Billie S. Farnum Senate Office Building, Downtown Lansing The Michigan Senate is the upper body of the Michigan Legislature. ... The Minnesota State Legislature is the legislative branch of government in the U.S. state of Minnesota. ... The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. ... The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. ... The Mississippi Legislature is comprised of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Mississippi Senate. ... The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the state legislature of Mississippi. ... The Mississippi Senate, in American politics, is the upper house of the state legislature of Mississippi. ... The Missouri General Assembly is the state legislature of Missouri. ... The Missouri State House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. ... The Missouri State Senate is the upper chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. ... The Montana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Montana. ... The Montana House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Montana Legislature. ... The Montana Senate is, with the Montana House of Representatives, part of the Montana State Legislature. ... The Nebraska Legislature is the U.S. state of Nebraskas legislative branch. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of Nevada The Nevada Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada. ... The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature. ... The Nevada Senate is one of the two houses of the Nevada Legislature. ... The New Hampshire General Court is the state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. ... The New Hampshire General Court is the state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. ... The General Court meets in the New Hampshire State House The New Hampshire General Court is the state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. ... The New Jersey Legislature convene at the State House building in Trenton. ... The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. ... The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature. ... The New Mexico Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of New Mexico. ... The New Mexico House of Representatives is the lower house of the New Mexico State Legislature. ... The New Mexico State Senate is the upper house of the New Mexico State Legislature. ... The New York Legislature is the legislative branch of the U.S. state of New York, seated at the states capital, Albany. ... The chamber of the New York State Assembly. ... The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. ... The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... The North Dakota Legislative Assembly is the legislative branch of the government of North Dakota. ... The North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, larger than the North Dakota Senate. ... The North Dakota Senate is the upper house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, smaller than the North Dakota House of Representatives. ... The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. ... Ohio has a bicameral legislature, the Ohio General Assembly, consisting a House of Representatives and Senate (the Ohio State Senate), based on its constitution of 1851. ... The Ohio Senate is the upper house in Ohios bicameral legislature, the Ohio General Assembly; the lower house is the Ohio House of Representatives. ... The State Capitol of Oklahoma The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the legislative branch of the Government of Oklahoma. ... The Oklahoma House of Representatives meets in the State Capitol of Oklahoma The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the larger body of the two houses of the Oklahoma Legislature, the other being the Oklahoma Senate. ... The Oklahoma Senate meets in the State Capitol of Oklahoma The Oklahoma Senate is the smaller body of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. ... The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. ... The Oregon House of Representatives chamber in the State Capitol The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. ... The Oregon State Senate chamber in the State Capitol. ... Capitol Building The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the U.S. state of Pennsylvanias legislative branch, seated at the states capital, Harrisburg. ... The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislative branch of Pennsylvania government. ... The Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. ... The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower body of the Rhode Island General Assembly, and consists of 75 members. ... The Rhode Island Senate chamber in the State Capitol The Rhode Island Senate is the upper house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Rhode Island. ... The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the legislative branch of South Carolina and consists of the South Carolina House of Representatives and the South Carolina Senate. ... The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. ... The South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly. ... The South Dakota State Legislature meets at the state capitol in Pierre. ... The South Dakota State Legislature meets at the state capitol in Pierre. ... The South Dakota State Legislature meets at the state capitol in Pierre. ... The Tennessee General Assembly is the formal name of the legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... The Tennessee House of Representatives, in American politics, is the lower house of the state legislature of Tennessee, formally called the Tennessee General Assembly. ... The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the formal name of the Tennessee state legislature. ... Texas Senate in session The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. ... The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. ... The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. ... The Utah State Capitol, home of the Utah State Legislature. ... Utah State House Seal. ... The Utah State Senate is the upper house of the Utah State Legislature. ... The Legislature of Vermont is the U.S. state of Vermonts legislative branch, seated at the states capital, Montpelier. ... Representatives Hall, where the Vermont House of Representatives convenes in the Vermont State House. ... The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, which is the states legislature. ... The Virginia General Assembly is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state. ... The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. ... The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate Brad Owen, D since January 13, 1997 Speaker of the House of Representatives Frank Chopp, D since January 14, 2001 Members 147 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Washington State Capitol, Olympia... The floor of the Washington House of Representatives in the Legislative Building. ... The Washington State Senate passing the 2005 budget. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The West Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the West Virginia Legislature. ... The West Virginia Senate is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature. ... The Wisconsin Legislature, based in Madison, is bicameral and is composed of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin Senate. ... The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. ... The Wisconsin State Senate, based off of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly. ... The Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne where the legislature meets. ... The Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. ... The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. ... Political divisions of the United States as they were from 1868 to 1876, including 9 organized territories and 2 unorganized territories Territories of the United States are one type of political division of the United States, administered by the U.S. government but not any part of a U.S... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal The political units and divisions of the United States include: The 50 states... The Legislature or Fono of American has two chambers. ... The Legislature or Fono of American Samoa has two chambers. ... The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of Washington, D.C.. As such, it is analogous to the city councils of other cities in the United States, but in some manners it is also analogous to state legislatures. ... The Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. ... The Northern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. ... The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, larger than the Senate. ... Seal of the Senate of Puerto Rico. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal Local government in the United States (sometimes referred to as municipal government) is generally structured...

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