1. The framers of the Constitution of the United States designed the Senate to be more stable and insulated from popular sentiment than the House of RepresentativesConstitution of the United States “The use of the Senate,” explained statesman James Madison in 1787, “is to consist in proceeding with more coolness, with more system, and with more wisdom, than the popular branch.”James Madison Senators serve six-year terms, in contrast to the two-year terms of representatives. Only one-third of the Senate runs for office in each election, giving it more continuity than the House, where the entire membership is elected every two years. Members of the House have always been popularly elected, but senators were appointed by state legislatures until 1913.

2.  The Constitution requires a senator to be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least nine years, and a resident of the state from which he or she is elected.  It is more difficult to win election to the Senate than to the House of Representatives, because unlike members of the House, who are elected in districts that typically represent 500,000 to 1 million people, senators represent an entire state.  Senators campaign for election across their whole state.

3.  The high cost of Senate races tends to narrow the pool of Senate candidates to experienced politicians with extensive networks of wealthy donors and to wealthy individuals.  As a result, members of the Senate tend to be somewhat older than their House counterparts, and many are more politically experienced.  Some senators are former state governors, and about a third have served in the House.

4.  The Senate membership also fails to reflect the country’s racial composition. Only five African Americans—Carol Moseley Braun, Edward Brooke, Blanche Bruce, Barack Obama, and Hiram Revels—have ever held Senate seats.Carol Moseley BraunEdward BrookeBarack Obama Hiram Revels  Other minorities have also found it difficult to win Senate seats.  In 1993, when Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado took his Senate seat, he was the lone Native American in the chamber, and the first elected to the body since the 1930s.Ben Nighthorse Campbell

5.  Women have also found it difficult to win Senate seats, although senators’ wives have often been appointed to fill seats when their husbands have died in office.  Hattie Caraway became the first woman to win a full six-year term in 1932.  There have been 35 female U.S. senators in history, more than half of whom were elected to six-year terms.  In 2000 Hillary Rodham Clinton, wife of U.S. president Bill Clinton, became the first former first lady elected to the Senate.Hillary Rodham ClintonBill Clinton

6.  The Senate wields lawmaking powers of the national government granted to Congress by the U.S. Constitution. This includes the broad enumerated (listed) powers of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution. government  Article I, Section 8, also gives Congress implied powers—to “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper” for carrying out the enumerated powers, and to investigate and oversee the executive branch.  The Senate also has the power to conduct impeachment trials against the president, federal judges, and other officials. The Senate can only impeach someone after the House brings charges, however. A two-thirds majority vote of the senators in the chamber is necessary for a conviction.

7.  The Senate has two special duties not shared by the House.  When the president negotiates treaties with other countries, they must be ratified by a two- thirds vote of the Senate before becoming law. . The Senate also confirms by a majority vote the president’s choices for cabinet members, ambassadors, federal judges, and many other important government officials.

8.  Chambliss, Saxby- (R - GA) chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseA ction=ContactU... Chambliss, Saxby chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseA ction=ContactU...  Isakson, Johnny- (R - GA) isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm Isakson, Johnny isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm