United States Senate

Overview Analysis Current Members General overview The United States Senate, is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the House of Representatives. Senators Members of the Senate are called senators. Each of the fifty states is given two Senate seats. Washington D.C. and territories, such as Puerto Rico and Guam, do not receive any delegates to the Senate. Each Senator serves for a six-year term. There are no term limits. Qualifications According to the U.S. Constitution, Senators must meet the following requirements: At least 30 years old A U.S. citizen for at least nine years A resident of the state he or she represents Additionally, all 50 states maintain requirements related to running for election. These filing requirements vary, and can include: A filing fee A petition with a minimum number of valid signatures “ Section. 3 Clause 1: The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. Clause 2: 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 Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies. Clause 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. Clause 4: The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided. Clause 5: The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States. Clause 6: The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present. Clause 7: Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law. ” —The U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 3 Leaders Constitutionally mandated officers President of the Senate: The Vice-President of the United States is also the President of the Senate. While they cannot normally vote on Senate matters, they preside over the senate and act as a tie-breaker. They also receive and announce the tally of the electoral college vote for president and vice-president before the senate. President Pro Tempore: Fills in for the President of the Senate when they are absent. They are also the third in the line of success for the President. In recent years the role has largely been given to popular senators from the majority party. Political leaders Political leaders include the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, as well as the Majority Whip and the Minority Whip. Elected Senate officers The Chaplain: The Senate Chaplain provides spiritual services and counseling to senate members, family, and staff. Party Secretaries: Each party elects a party secretary to aid in communication of senate business. The Secretary of the Senate: The Secretary of the Senate performs a wide range of administrative duties, from record keeping, to procurement and information technology. The Sergeant at Arms: The Sergeant at Arms is the chief law enforcement officer of the senate. They hold the jurisdiction to take senators to the Senate Chamber to form a quorum, enforce Senate rules, and even arrest the President of the United States if so ordered by the Senate. The Sergeant at Arms is in charge of maintaining security for the Senate Chamber, the Senate wing of the capital, other Senate buildings. Finally, they keep the gavel used to start daily senate business. Committees There are 20 main committees, 68 subcommittees in the the U.S. Senate. There are also several joint committees with the U.S. House of Representative. In general, the committees have legislative jurisdiction, with specific topics dealt out to the subcommittees. The majority party chairs and receives the most seats on committees. However, senators are limited to the number of committees they may take part it. Legislation goes through committees before it reaches the full senate for debate and approval. The main committees are: Aging (Special) Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science and Transportation Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Ethics (Select) Finance Foreign Relations Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Indian Affairs Intelligence (Select) Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans' Affairs Judiciary Elections Every two years there are 33 members of the Senate up for election. 2014 See also: U.S. Senate elections, 2014 Elections to the U.S. Senate will be held on November 4, 2014. Off the 23 seats up for election, 20 are held by Democrats and 13 by Republicans. U.S. Senate Partisan Breakdown Party As of February 2013 After the 2014 Election      Democratic Party 53 Pending      Republican Party 45 Pending      Independent 2 Pending Total 100 100 2012 See also: U.S. Senate elections, 2012 Elections to the U.S. Senate were held on November 6, 2012. Of the 33 seats up for election, 23 were held by Democrats and 10 by Republicans. The Democratic Party retained control over the chamber, winning 25 of the 33 seats. With Republican candidates winning only eight seats, this was the worst performance by a major party since the 1950s. U.S. Senate Partisan Breakdown Party As of November 2012 After the 2012 Election      Democratic Party 51 53      Republican Party 47 45      Independent 2 2 Total 100 100 See also United States Congress United States House of Representatives U.S. Congress elections, 2012 External links U.S. Senate website THOMAS Text archive of all congressional legislation. U.S. House of Representatives website The Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives website References (See the bottom of the next tab) Salary As of 2012, most senators are paid $174,000 per year. Majority and minority leaders, as well as the president pro tempore, receive $193,400. Some historical facts about the salary of U.S. Senate members: In 1789, members of the Senate received $6 per diem In 1874, members of the Senate earned $5,000 per year In 1990, members of the Senate earned $98,400 per year From 2000-2006, the salary of a member of the U.S. Senate increased every year, going from $141,300-$165,200 in that time span. Voting with the party According to Open Congress, a website that tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of their party caucus. In June of 2012 there were 51 Democrats and 47 republicans tracked. Democrats: The average (mean) Democrat voted with the party approximately 92.1% of the team. The average (medium) Democrat voted with the party approximately 92.7% of the time. The top Democrat voted with the party approximately 96.1% of the time. The bottom Democrat voted with the party approximately 81.5% of the time. Republicans: The average (mean) Republican voted with the party approximately 87.2% of the team. The average (medium) Republican voted with the party approximately 89.3% of the time. The top Republican voted with the party approximately 94.0% of the time. The bottom Republican voted with the party approximately 67.4%% of the time. Net worth See also: Net Worth of United States Senators and Representatives The average net worth of members of the Senate, based on data from OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, is as follows: Year # in Senate Reports Senate Average Senate Std Dev 2010 116 $13,224,333 $34,978,652 2009 116 $13,229,651 $35,913,577 2008 110 $13,835,333. $38,866,085 2007 106 $17,170,451 $49,007,497 2006 107 $14,106,027 $44,182,270 2005 101 $14,553,612 $41,993,697 2004 105 $14,455,289 $41,653,112 Note: Report numbers may reflect incoming and outgoing members of congress. 113th Congress: U.S. Senate Demographic summary The 113th Congress is the most diverse Congress in the nation's history, owing to a record number of newly elected women and minorities. New members, including the first Buddhist to hold a seat in the Senate, were elected on November 6, 2012. Senator Tim Scott, who was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Sen. Jim DeMint, is the first African American Republican in the Senate since 1979. Currently, there are 3 Latino, 1 African American, and 20 female members of the U.S. Senate. References Current Senators The following is a simple list of the current members of the U.S. Senate Alabama Jeff Sessions Richard Shelby Alaska Lisa Murkowski Mark Begich Arizona Jeff Flake John McCain Arkansas John Boozman Mark Pryor California Barbara Boxer Dianne Feinstein Colorado Mark Udall Michael Bennet Connecticut Chris Murphy (Connecticut) Richard Blumenthal Delaware Tom Carper Florida Bill Nelson (Florida) Marco Rubio Georgia Johnny Isakson Saxby Chambliss Hawaii Brian E. Schatz Mazie K. Hirono Idaho Jim Risch Mike Crapo Illinois Dick Durbin Mark Kirk Indiana Dan Coats Joe Donnelly Iowa Chuck Grassley Tom Harkin Kansas Jerry Moran Pat Roberts Kentucky Mitch McConnell Rand Paul Louisiana David Vitter Mary Landrieu Maine Angus King Susan Collins Maryland Barbara Mikulski Ben Cardin Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren Mo Cowan Michigan Carl Levin Debbie Stabenow Minnesota Al Franken Amy Klobuchar Mississippi Roger Wicker Thad Cochran Missouri Claire McCaskill Roy Blunt Montana Jon Tester Max Baucus Nebraska Deb Fischer Mike Johanns Nevada Dean Heller Harry Reid New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen Kelly Ayotte New Jersey Bob Menendez Frank Lautenberg New Mexico Martin Heinrich Tom Udall New York Chuck Schumer Kirsten Gillibrand North Carolina Kay Hagan Richard Burr North Dakota Heidi Heitkamp John Hoeven Ohio Rob Portman Sherrod Brown Oklahoma Jim Inhofe Tom Coburn Oregon Jeff Merkley Ron Wyden Pennsylvania Bob Casey, Jr. Pat Toomey Rhode Island Jack Reed Sheldon Whitehouse South Carolina Lindsey Graham Tim Scott South Dakota John Thune Tim Johnson, South Dakota Tennessee Bob Corker Lamar Alexander Texas John Cornyn Ted Cruz Utah Mike Lee Orrin Hatch Vermont Bernie Sanders Patrick Leahy Virginia Mark Warner Tim Kaine Washington Maria Cantwell Patty Murray West Virginia Jay Rockefeller Joe Manchin III Wisconsin Ron Johnson (Wisconsin) Tammy Baldwin Wyoming John Barrasso Mike Enzi