If you’re not familiar with the powers of the United States Senate, you might be surprised to know that they have been established by the United States Constitution. Its members are appointed to staggered terms of six years, each serving one state. It has 100 senators, one from each state. The vice president of the United States serves as the president and presiding officer of the Senate. In the absence of the vice president, the president pro tempore presides over the Senate. In such cases, the president pro tempore is typically the senior member of the party with the most seats.
Senators are elected by party
Like Congress, the Senate has a committee structure. Members of each party have a designated number of committee seats. Committees review bills and oversee the executive branch. Members are appointed formally by party leaders. Party leaders honor the preferences of individual senators, but also give priority to seniority, and determine which committees will have the most power. The Senate is divided into two types of committees: standing committees and special/select committees. Standing committees have permanent powers while special/select committees have a defined purpose but typically expire after submitting their final report. Joint committees with the House of Representatives perform housekeeping functions and conduct studies.
Prior to 1913, senators were appointed by state legislatures. The process was marked by corruption, intimidation, and bribery. As a result, as many as 29 state legislatures were unable to agree on a single candidate, the election process often resulted in deadlocks, causing Senate vacancies that lasted months or even years. During this time, progressive reformers dismissed elected officials as puppets and dismissed the Senate as a millionaire’s club. The resulting partisanship fueled the popularity of direct elections for senators.
They can filibuster
Filibusters in the Senate allow senators to delay action on a bill for as long as it takes to get 60 votes. This is a powerful tool in partisan politics, and it’s used by some senators for political purposes. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas used his filibuster to delay the passage of the Affordable Care Act, and it slowed down other Senate business. For instance, he blocked the debate on the Senate’s budget.
There are some disadvantages to filibustering in the House. Time spent debating a bill is always limited. Members have limited time to speak and may only introduce one amendment per bill. Senators, however, can debate any bill, even if it does not involve their party. Unlike the House, senators in the Senate can speak on issues unrelated to the bill they’re debating. When this happens, the Senate will delay the vote, but only a supermajority of 60 votes is required to break a filibuster.
They can debate a bill for as long as 60 hours
While there are certain limits to how long the Senate can debate a bill, the majority of senators can agree to end the debate after 50 hours. Those who favor a bill can use Senate rules to block the bill, such as section 305(b)(1), which limits debate to 50 hours for a budget resolution. Other legislative proposals are not subject to these limits. Furthermore, the Senate can debate a bill for as long as 60 hours on amendments, nominations, and other motions.
However, the modern Senate has a difficult time reaching a final vote. Senate rules allow senators to delay the vote for as long as 60 hours by engaging in a process known as filibustering. A filibuster involves extended debate to postpone the final vote by a simple majority. This can be a huge problem for legislation, which needs to be passed by the full Senate.
They can try to impeach a president
If you want to remove a president from office, you can invoke the impeachment power. The 25th Amendment provides the power to remove a president from office through a process similar to a grand inquest or congressional oversight. The impeachment process gives the first democratic branch of government the authority to attempt to remove the president for crimes that occurred during his or her term in office. Although the president is still free to run for office after being removed under the 25th Amendment, the impeachment conviction may prevent him or her from ever serving in office again.
A majority of the Senate is needed to impeach the president. The Constitution has very little information about the procedure. An impeachment trial can take months or even years. There is no set time for the impeachment trial, and each case is different. The House of Representatives must vote on the impeachment motion before it can be sent to the Senate. The House can delay the impeachment until January 20 and the Senate can try to impeach Trump.
They have extensive investigative powers
The U.S. Senate has extensive investigative powers. The Watergate scandal, for example, was investigated by the Senate’s Watergate Committee. The Senate also created the Iran-Contra Select Committee in 1987. Both the Senate and the House have extensive investigative powers and their proceedings are often televised or webcast. The hearings are also subject to extensive news media coverage. In addition, different committees may carry out investigative hearings. Special investigative committees may be created under special statutes, created subcommittees, or be specially commissioned task forces within existing standing committees. The special investigative committees typically have a short life span.
The investigation was ordered by the Senate to aid in legislating. Though there was no express avowal of the object, the presumption was justified. The investigation was not necessary or indispensable, but it was necessary to assist in the legislative process. As a result, it sparked intense public interest. It is therefore essential to carefully assess the reasons for the investigation. A good example is the Iran-Contra scandal, which spawned a flurry of investigative inquiries from both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
