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The United States Senate

The United States Senate. Chapters 10, 11 & 12 – “ The United States Congress ”. The U.S. Senate – Topics for Today. What it is… Constitutional Qualifications Size and Terms of Senators The 17 th Amendment and the Election of Senators Seniority in the Senate

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The United States Senate

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  1. The United States Senate Chapters 10, 11 & 12 – “The United States Congress”

  2. The U.S. Senate – Topics for Today • What it is… • Constitutional Qualifications • Size and Terms of Senators • The 17th Amendment and the Election of Senators • Seniorityin the Senate • First Day of Congress in the Senate

  3. What is the Senate? • What is the Senate? • “Upper House” – Why? • Latin for: “council of elders” – Named after?

  4. A more “deliberative”and “prestigious”body than the House… • “World's Greatest Deliberative Body” • Harding, JFK, Obama

  5. Constitutional Qualifications • Article I, Section 3: • “No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.” • The SENATE is the judge of a Senator’s qualifications… • Historical examples… • Henry Clay, 29, 1806 • Joe Biden, 29, 1972

  6. Size of the Senate • Article I, Section 3: • “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State…”

  7. Today: 100 Senators, 2 from each state (50 states)

  8. Terms of Senators • Article I, Section 3: • “…chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years… Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes…” • The election is staggered; approximately 1/3 of the Senate is up for re-election every two years, but the entire body is never up for re-election in the same year! • *** What does this give us? • A ____________________ body…

  9. Pre-17th Amendment Senate • Under the Constitution, unlike before, States were sub-ordinate to the Federal Gov’t… • Senators were supposed to represent the states, NOT the people! • Longer terms, classes/election cycle, continuous body… • “temper the populism of the House” • State legislatures held supreme power over Senators! • True bicameralism (House Constituency vs. Senate Constituency)

  10. However, the U.S. ran into some problems… (1.corruption and 2.deadlock) * “The Millionaire’s Club!”*

  11. 17th Amendment, 1913 • U.S. Constitution: “…chosen by the Legislature thereof…” • 17th Amendment, 1913: “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote…” • “When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.”

  12. Seniority in the Senate • Seniority plays a HUGE role in the Senate… • Constitution does not differentiate, but, Senate Rules do! • “Senatorial Courtesy” – goes to the Senior Senator • Who would serve as President pro tempore in the absence of the Vice-President? Who would chair the important committees? Who would obtain desirable office space?

  13. Reasons why Seniority matters in the Senate!

  14. First Day of Congress: The Senate • Vice President Presides… • Prayer… • Oath of Office and swearing in (first and second time)… • Majority Leader, a resolution, and notification of the President… • Election of the President pro tempore… • Daily meeting time… • New members organized into committees…

  15. Tale of the Tape! House of Representatives Senate • 2 year terms • 25 y.o., 7 years citizen, resident • 435 Representatives • C.D. constituency • Dissolves every 2 years • Lower House • 6 year terms! • 30 y.o., 9 years citizen, resident! • 100 Senators • State-wide constituency • Continuous body • Upper House

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