Block, SkipCaptcha, rollback
217
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 1:
Line 1: − + Line 20:
Line 20: +
United States Senate (view source)
Revision as of 02:55, December 22, 2011
, 02:55, December 22, 2011no edit summary
[[File:US senate seal.png|right|200px]]
[[File:US senate seal.png|right|200px]]
[[File:US Senate Chamber.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Senate chamber, showing visitors gallery (top) and Senator's desks on the floor.]]
[[File:US Senate Chamber.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Senate chamber, showing visitors gallery (top) and Senator's desks on the floor.]]
The '''United States Senate''' is the upper house of the [[United States Congress]], the lower house being the [[United States House of Representatives]]. It is composed of 100 Senators, two from each of the 50 [[state]]s. The Senate convenes in [[Washington, D.C.]]. Currently, Democrats control the Senate, with 51 Democrats and 47 Republicans. [[Independent]]s [[Bernie Sanders]] and [[Joe Lieberman]] caucus with the [[Democratic Party]].
The '''United States Senate''' is the upper house of the [[United States Congress]], the lower house being the [[United States House of Representatives]]. It is composed of 100 Senators, two from each of the 50 [[state]]s. The Senate convenes in [[Washington, D.C.]]. Currently, Democrats control the Senate, with 51 Democrats and 47 Republicans. [[Independent]]s [[Bernie Sanders]] and [[Joe Lieberman]] caucus with the [[Democratic Party]], though the latter sometimes takes centrist viewpoints on certain issues.
As far as voting on individual bills, most votes are not strictly along party lines, and senators from both parties can and do cross lines against what their leadership endorses on different issues. It should also be pointed out that many bills have bipartisan support, meaning that the bill has strong support among both Republicans and Democrats.
As far as voting on individual bills, most votes are not strictly along party lines, and senators from both parties can and do cross lines against what their leadership endorses on different issues. It should also be pointed out that many bills have bipartisan support, meaning that the bill has strong support among both Republicans and Democrats.
* The Senate ratifies all treaties between the United States and foreign powers.
* The Senate ratifies all treaties between the United States and foreign powers.
* If there no majority in the [[Electoral College]], the Senate selects the Vice President while the House selects the President. The Senate has only used this power once: in 1837, when it elected [[Richard Mentor Johnson]] Vice President after Virginia's delegates to the Electoral College voted for Martin Van Buren but refused to vote for him, giving him one vote shy of a majority. Under the Twelfth Amendment, the Senate elected Johnson 36 to 16 with three abstentions along sharp party lines.
* If there no majority in the [[Electoral College]], the Senate selects the Vice President while the House selects the President. The Senate has only used this power once: in 1837, when it elected [[Richard Mentor Johnson]] Vice President after Virginia's delegates to the Electoral College voted for Martin Van Buren but refused to vote for him, giving him one vote shy of a majority. Under the Twelfth Amendment, the Senate elected Johnson 36 to 16 with three abstentions along sharp party lines.
* A notable difference between the Senate and the House of Representatives is the ability for the minority to filibuster; in other words, 60 votes are required to force legislation to continue onto a voting period. The filibuster is important to prevent a majority of even 51 to 49 from forcing legislation through. This was cruicial during the 110th congress from 2007-2009, where the Democratic party had a majority of merely 51-49, and if not for the filibuster could have forced potentially harmful legislation through.
==Current Composition==
==Current Composition==