1. Congress: The Senate

2. Senate Leadership President of the Senate—VPOTUS: Mike Pence
President Pro Tempore: Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Most senior member of the majority party
Third in line for the Presidency
Majority Leader: Mitch McConnell (R -KY)
Responsible for making Committee assignments
Setting the Senate voting schedule
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Decides committee membership for minority
“Leader in Waiting”
Voice of the opposition
Majority Whip: John Thune (R- SD)
Same responsibility as House whip
Minority Whip: Dick Durbin (D – IL)
Same as Majority whip

3. Republican = 51
Democrat = 47
Independent = 2

4. Total members of the Senate: 100
Comprised of two representatives from each state, regardless of the population.
California = 38,000,000 people
Wyoming = 576,000 people
Each Senator represents the entire state, not a district like House members
Total members of the Senate: 100

5. Each Senator serves for 6 years before needed to be re-elected
Term
Each Senator serves for 6 years before needed to be re-elected
There are no term limits for Senators
Longest serving Senator = Robert Byrd (D-WV) 51 years
Senatorial terms are staggered in thirds
There are three “classes” of Senators
A, B, and C
The entire Senate is never all up for election in the same year

6. Term
The 6-year term and the staggered classes are designed so that the Senate can be the more deliberative body. In theory they will not be subject to the whims of the public every two years.
This allows Senators to focus on the larger picture, rather than being bogged down in the small items of a district.

7. Election to the Senate
Before the 17th Amendment was adopted Senators were elected by State legislators.
Was this in keeping with the principles of a representative republic?
Being elected to the Senate requires a vote of the whole state.
What would be the benefit of running in a Presidential year?
What would be the advantage of running in an off year?

8. Qualifications for Office
According to Article I of the Constitution a Senator must:
Be at least 30 years old
Have been a citizen of the United States for nine years
Inhabit the state they are going to represent
The Senate, like the House, judges the qualification of it’s members.
The Senate is all about Seniority
Affects committee leadership
Hierarchy

9. The Deliberative Body
The Senate was designed to be a place of calm and common sense.
Senators are meant to be more removed from the strong passions of the people.
6 year terms
Not directly elected (at first)
Meant to have a collegial (friendly atmosphere)
Most of the time…

10. Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow (D) 2011-
At the beginning of the 116th Congress, Stabenow was assigned to the following committees:
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Members, Ranking Member
Committee on Budget
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Committee on Finance
Joint Committee on Taxation
Gary Peters (D) 2015-
At the beginning of the 116th Congress, Peters was assigned to the following committees:
Committee on Armed Services
Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Members, Ranking Member
Joint Economic Committee