Changes

==Powers of Senate==

==Powers of Senate==

In addition to passing legislation, the Senate also has a number of unique and special powers.

In addition to passing legislation, the Senate also has a number of unique and special powers.

* The Senate has the power to try cases of impeachment of federal officials, should such officials be impeached by the House of Representatives. When the [[President]] in on trial, such proceedings are overseen by the Chief Justice of the United States. Two notable instances of this were the impeachment proceedings of Presidents [[Andrew Johnson]] and [[Bill Clinton]]. Neither were removed from office.

* The Senate has the power to try cases of impeachment of federal officials, should such officials be impeached by the House of Representatives. When the [[President]] in on trial, such proceedings are overseen by the Chief Justice of the United States. This has happened only three times: the impeachment proceedings of Presidents [[Andrew Johnson]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[Donald Trump]]. None of them were removed from office. (The closest that a President has come to being removed was [[Richard Nixon]]; however, realizing that he would likely be removed from office, chose to resign instead.)

* The Constitution gives the Senate the power to "advice and consent" appointments made by the [[President]]. Major appointments subject to this include heads of Cabinet-level federal departments, [[Supreme Court]] justices, [[U.S. District Court]] judges, [[U.S. Attorney]]s, ambassadors to foreign powers, high-ranking military commands and certain federal agencies such as [[NASA]] or the [[Environmental Protection Agency]].

* The Constitution gives the Senate the power to "advice and consent" appointments made by the [[President]]. Major appointments subject to this include heads of Cabinet-level federal departments, [[Supreme Court]] justices, [[U.S. District Court]] and [[United States Court of Appeals]] judges, [[U.S. Attorney]]s, ambassadors to foreign powers, high-ranking military commands and certain federal agencies such as [[NASA]] or the [[Environmental Protection Agency]].

* 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 crucial during the 110th congress from 2007-2009, where the Democrat Party had a majority of merely 51-49, and if not for the filibuster could have forced potentially harmful legislation through.  

* 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 crucial during the 110th congress from 2007-2009, where the Democrat Party had a majority of merely 51-49, and if not for the filibuster could have forced potentially harmful legislation through.  However, in recent years the filibuster has been watered down.

==Current Composition==

==Current Composition==