The Senate: Voice of the States (2024)

FAQs

The Senate: Voice of the States? ›

The Senate of the United States is the voice of the states and the partner of the House of Representatives. On the new Senate Office Building are engraved in marble the words, "THE SENATE IS THE LIVING SYMBOL OF OUR UNION OF STATES."

To balance the interests of both the small and large states, the Framers of the Constitution divided the power of Congress between the two houses. Every state has an equal voice in the Senate, while representation in the House of Representatives is based on the size of each state's population.

The Senate also conducts voice votes. In a voice vote the presiding officer states the question, then asks those in favor to say "yea" in unison and those against to say "nay." The presiding officer announces the results according to his or her best judgment.

The U.S. Senate has no speaker. The U.S. state of Tennessee has a Speaker of the Senate who presides over the upper house of the State Legislature.

In the United States Senate all states are represented equally. Regardless of size or population, each state has two senators, who serve six-year terms.

The Senate has exceptionally high authority, sometimes higher than the President or the House of Representatives. The Senate can try cases of impeachment, which can dismiss a President for misconduct.

The Senate does not have a position similar to Speaker. In the Senate, the majority and minority leaders generally work together in consultation with all members to determine the schedule. Every two years the entire membership of the House of Representatives is elected.

The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and may cast the decisive vote in the event of a tie in the Senate. The Senate has the sole power to confirm those of the President's appointments that require consent, and to provide advice and consent to ratify treaties.

Article I, section 5 of the United States Constitution provides that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member." Since 1789 the Senate has expelled only 15 members.

What is the salary of a senator? ›

The compensation for most Senators, Representatives, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico is $174,000. These levels have remained unchanged since 2009. Subsequent scheduled annual adjustments were denied by P.L. 111-8 (enacted March 11, 2009), P.L.

Republicans won 222 seats to 213 for Democrats, though one elected Democrat has since died, leaving Democrats with 212 seats. Democrats still control the Senate — with 51 votes instead of last term's 50 plus the tie-breaking Vice President Harris.

The Senate has a membership of 40 Senators elected for 4-year terms, 20 to begin every 2 years. During his or her lifetime a person may serve no more than 12 years in the Senate, Assembly, or both, in any combination of terms.

Small states feared they would be ignored if representation was based on population, while large states believed that their larger populations deserved more of a voice. Under the bicameral system, each party would be represented in a balance of power.

All states except Nebraska have a bicameral legislature. The smaller chamber is called the Senate, usually referred to as the upper house. This chamber usually has the exclusive power to confirm appointments made by the governor and to try articles of impeachment.

Its makeup is different too: two senators represent each state, and senators serve staggered six-year terms.

The number of U.S. Representatives for each state depends on the population. Some states have more representatives because they have more people. If the state has a large population, there are more representatives.