The Senate

Pages27-32
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 27
The Senate
The Capitol, Washington, DC 20510
Phone, 202–224–3121. Internet, http://www.senate.gov.
President of the Senate (Vice President of the
United States)
JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR.
President pro tempore PATRICK J. LEAHY
Majority Leader HARRY REID
Minority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL
Secretary of the Senate NANCY ERICKSON
Sergeant at Arms TERRANCE W. GAINER
Secretary for the Majority GARY MYRICK
Secretary for the Minority DAVID J. SCHIAPPA
Chaplain BARRY C. BLACK
The Senate is composed of 100 Members, 2 from each State, who are elected to
serve for a term of 6 years. Senators were originally chosen by the State legislatures.
This procedure was changed by the 17th amendment to the Constitution, adopted in
1913, which made the election of Senators a function of the people. There are three
classes of Senators, and a new class is elected every 2 years.
Senators must be residents of the State from which they are chosen. In addition, a
Senator must be at least 30 years of age and must have been a citizen of the United
States for at least 9 years.
Off‌i cers The Vice President of the
United States is the Presiding Off‌i cer
of the Senate. In the Vice President’s
absence, the duties are taken over by a
President pro tempore, elected by that
body, or someone designated by the
President pro tempore.
The positions of Senate Majority
and Minority Leader have been in
existence only since the early years of
the 20th century. Leaders are elected
at the beginning of each new Congress
by a majority vote of the Senators in
their political party. In cooperation
with their party organizations, Leaders
are responsible for the design and
achievement of a legislative program.
This involves managing the f‌l ow of
legislation, expediting noncontroversial
measures, and keeping Members
informed regarding proposed action on
pending business. Each Leader serves
as an ex off‌i cio member of his party’s
policymaking and organizational bodies
and is aided by an assistant f‌l oor leader
(whip) and a party secretary.
The Secretary of the Senate, elected
by vote of the Senate, performs the
duties of the Presiding Off‌i cer of the
Senate in the absence of the Vice
President and pending the election of a
President pro tempore. The Secretary is
the custodian of the seal of the Senate,
draws requisitions on the Secretary of
the Treasury for moneys appropriated
for the compensation of Senators,
off‌i cers, and employees, and for the
contingent expenses of the Senate, and
is empowered to administer oaths to any
off‌i cer of the Senate and to any witness
produced before it. The Secretary’s
executive duties include certif‌i cation
of extracts from the Journal of the
Senate; the attestation of bills and joint,
concurrent, and Senate resolutions; in
impeachment trials, issuance, under
the authority of the Presiding Off‌i cer,
of all orders, mandates, writs, and
precepts authorized by the Senate; and
certif‌i cation to the President of the United
States of the advice and consent of the
Senate to ratif‌i cation of treaties and the
names of persons conf‌i rmed or rejected
upon the nomination of the President.
The Sergeant at Arms, elected by vote
of the Senate, serves as the executive,
chief law enforcement, and protocol
off‌i cer and is the principal administrative
manager for most support services in the
Senate. As executive off‌i cer, the Sergeant

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT