The Senate STANDARD SSCG9

Standard SSCG9: The student will explain the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate, with emphasis on terms of office, powers, organization, leadership, and representation of each house.

Basics about the Senate Qualifications Age: 30 US citizen Live in US for 9 years Resident of the State from which you are elected Term 6 year terms

How many Senators do we have? More Basics! How many Senators do we have? From each State 2 Total 100

Why is the Senate considered a continuous body? The 100 member Senate is divided into three groups Elections are held every two years Only one group is up for reelection at a time. Unlike the House the Senate could never be replaced at the same time.

Debate in the Senate – How is it different? No time limit for speaking – Why? Open debate and there are only 100 people in the Senate They usually agree, when the bill is brought before the Senate, on a specific time to debate Two-speech rule – Senators may only speak twice a day on the same topic

Filibuster Stalling tactic – “talking a bill to death” Hopes to force the Senate to drop the bill or change it Record filibusterers: Strom Thurman – 1957 24 hours, 18 minutes against Civil Rights Bill of 1957 Remember he was in the Senate until he was 99 Years old.

Huey Long – aka The Kingfish - 15 ½ hours 1935 Louisiana Senator wanted to keep a provision to make National Recovery Administration senior officers be approved by the Senate (opposed by FDR) Read the Constitution and analyzed each section, read from the Washington DC phone book, and gave out recipes Wayne Morris 22 hours, 26 minute 1953 Against Tideland Oil Legislation

Cloture: can end a Filibuster Adopted in 1917 – Rule XXII Allows for a limit on debate in the Senate 16 Senators must ask for a cloture Historically it must be supported by at least 3/5ths of the Senate or 60 members. -- In 2017 the number was changed to a majority or 51 votes. If passed, 30 hours of floor time are allowed and then a final vote must be taken Only been done about 130 times Why not supported? Some think it hinders free debate Don’t want it to be used too much

What else can the Senate do that the House cannot? How can they check the power of the Presidential appointments? They can refuse to approve a nominee. The Senate can have an Impeachment Hearing

What appointments must they approve? Cabinet Members Federal judges Supreme Court Justices Ambassadors and Consuls

What part do they play in making treaties with other countries? The Senate must approve all treaties made by the President.

Look up the Following: Senate.gov Look up our two Senators What Political Party do they belong to? When will they be up for reelection?