1. The Senate: 114th Congress

2. The Senate 17th Amendment – senators elected by popular vote of people
Each state has 2 Senators
Senate has 100 voting members (no non-voting delegates)
Senate elections are staggered – 1/3 elected every 2 years – each Senator term is 6 years
No limit on number of times a Senator can serve
Senators chosen by the entire state, NOT districts
Has special treaty ratification powers and confirmation powers of presidential appointees

3. The Senate: Colorado’s Senators
Senior Senator, Michael Bennet (D)
Junior Senator, Cory Gardner (R)

4. The Senate: Leadership

5. The Senate: Leadership
President of the Senate
VP, Joe Biden
Presides over Senate, but does not debate
Also does not vote, unless to break a tie
Ceremonial position with little power

6. The Senate: Leadership
President Pro Tempore
Orin Hatch (R-UT)
Stands in as President when VP is not present
By tradition, usually the
most senior Senator of
the majority party
Unlike the VP, is a voting member

7. The Senate: Leadership
Majority Floor Leader
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Most influential member of the Senate and majority party spokesman

8. The Senate: Leadership
Majority Whip
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Role is same as House Majority Whip

9. The Senate: Leadership
Minority Floor Leader
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Same role as House Floor Leader

10. The Senate: Leadership
Minority Whip
Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)
Role is same as House Majority Whip

11. Congressional Committees
Why a Committee System?
High volume of legislation (bills) – sending bills to corresponding committee helps speed up process
Allows study of legislation by specialists
How the Committee System Works?
Congress divides its tasks among approximately 250 committees and sub committees.
The House and Senate each have their own committees, but they are similar

12. Senate Committees Special, Select, and Other Standing Indian Affairs
Select Committee on Ethics
Select Committee on Intelligence
Special Committee on Aging
Joint
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee on the Library
Joint Economic Committee
Standing
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
Finance
Foreign Relations
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Veterans Affairs

13. Congressional Committees: 4 Types
1.) Standing : permanent committee that deals with specific policy matters (agriculture, energy and natural resources, veterans affairs, etc…) ; divided into subcommittees that handle more specialized problems
2.) Select : temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose; most are formed to investigate a particular issue (Watergate Committee, Hurricane Katrina Committee, Y2K Committee, etc)
3.) Joint : made up of members of both houses of Congress; can be a select committee or perform routine duties
4.) Conference: temporary committee of members from both houses created to resolve differences in House and Senate versions of a bill; is a compromise committee

14. Congressional Committees: Membership and Leadership
Percentage of each committee’s membership reflects the overall percentage of Democrats and Republicans in each house
Ex. – 53% of house is Republican, so 53% of all committee members will be Republican
Members try to serve on committees where they can influence public policy relating to their district or state, or influence national public policy issues
Ex – Kansas senator on the agriculture committee
Ex – Iowa representative on the foreign relations committee
Leadership
Committees are led by a chairperson who belongs to the majority party and is chosen by majority party members of committee