United States Senate

The House of Representatives is the lower body of the Congress of the United States of America, while the United States Senate is the upper chamber. Together, they make up the national legislative of the United States, which is divided into two chambers.

Article One of the Constitution of the United States of America details the make-up as well as the authorities of the Senate. The Senate is made up of senators, each of whom is responsible for representing the interests of a specific state. Two senators from each state serve staggered terms of six years each, giving each state a total of equal representation. There are presently 100 senators in office, each of whom represents one of the 50 states. The Vice President of the United States acts as the presiding officer and president of the Senate by virtue of the position that he holds. However, the Vice President only has a vote in the Senate if the senators are deadlocked. In the event of the vice president's absence, the presidency of the Senate is delegated to the president pro tempore, who is generally the most senior senator from the party that has a majority of seats.

As the higher house of Congress, the Senate has a variety of advisory and consent powers that are exclusive to it. These include the approval of treaties as well as the confirmation of members of the Cabinet, federal judges (including justices of the Federal Supreme Court), flag officers, regulatory officials, diplomats, and other members of the federal executive branch as well as federal uniformed personnel. If there is no candidate who wins a majority of electors for the position of vice president, it is the responsibility of the Senate to choose one of the top two vote-getters for vice president from among those candidates. Those individuals who have been impeached by the House are tried in the Senate.

Because of its longer terms, smaller size, and statewide constituents, the Senate is often seen as a body that is both more deliberative and more prestigious than the House of Representatives. This has, historically speaking, contributed to a culture that is more collegial and less contentious.

Between the years 1789 and 1913, senators were appointed to their positions by the legislatures of the states where they served. As a result of the Seventeenth Amendment being ratified in 1913, they are now chosen by the votes of the general population. At the beginning of the 1920s, the custom of majority and minority parties electing their own floor leaders was established. The majority leader of the Senate is responsible for managing and scheduling the Senate's legislative and executive activity.

The Senate meeting room may be found in the north wing of the Capitol Building in Washington, District of Columbia.