United States Senate

From Ballotpedia

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the Constitution. Each U.S state is represented by two senators, regardless of population. This ensures equal representation of each state in the Senate. U.S. Senators serve staggered six-year terms. The chamber of the United States Senate is located in the north wing of the Capitol building, in Washington, D.C..

The Senate has several exclusive powers not granted to the House, including consenting to treaties as a precondition to their ratification and consenting or confirmation of appointments of Cabinet secretaries, federal judges, other federal executive officials, military officers, the impeachment trials of federal officers, and other federal uniformed officers. The Senate is a more deliberative body than the House of Representatives because the Senate is smaller and its members serve longer terms, allowing for a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere that is somewhat more insulated from public opinion than the House. The Senate is considered a more prestigious body than the House of Representatives, due to its longer terms, smaller membership and larger constituencies.

Current members

Click show for a table of all current members of the U.S. Senate.

Current U.S. Senate members

This is a list of the current members of the U.S. Senate including when they assumed office, their political party and their district: Name: Years in office: Party: State: Term ends: Al Franken 3 Democratic Minnesota January 3, 2015 Amy Klobuchar 5 Democratic Minnesota January 3, 2013 Barbara Boxer 19 Democratic California January 3, 2017 Barbara Mikulski 25 Democratic Maryland January 3, 2017 Ben Cardin 5 Democratic Maryland January 3, 2013 Ben Nelson 21 Democratic Nebraska January 3, 2013 Bernie Sanders 5 Non-partisan Vermont January 3, 2013 Bill Nelson 12 Democratic Florida January 3, 2013 Bob Casey, Jr. 5 Democratic Pennsylvania 2013 Bob Corker 5 Republican Tennessee 2013 Bob Menendez 6 Democratic New Jersey January 3rd, 2013 Carl Levin 33 Democratic Michigan January 3, 2015 Chris Coons 2 Democratic Delaware 2015 Chuck Grassley 31 Republican Iowa January 3, 2017 Chuck Schumer 13 Democratic New York January 3, 2017 Claire McCaskill 5 Democratic Missouri January 3, 2013 Dan Coats 1 Republican Indiana January 3, 2017 Daniel Akaka 22 Democratic Hawaii January 3, 2013 Daniel Inouye 49 Democratic Hawaii January 3, 2017 David Vitter 7 Republican Louisiana January 3, 2017 Dean Heller 1 Republican Nevada January 3, 2013 Debbie Stabenow 11 Democratic Michigan January 3, 2013 Dianne Feinstein 19 Democratic California January 3, 2013 Dick Durbin 15 Democratic Illinois January 3, 2015 Frank Lautenberg 30 Democratic New Jersey January 3, 2015 Harry Reid 25 Democratic Nevada January 3, 2017 Herb Kohl 23 Democratic Wisconsin January 3, 2013 Jack Reed 15 Democratic Rhode Island 2015 Jay Rockefeller 27 Democratic West Virginia January 3, 2015 Jeanne Shaheen 3 Democratic New Hampshire January 3, 2015 Jeff Bingaman 29 Democratic New Mexico January 3, 2013 Jeff Merkley 3 Democratic Oregon 2015 Jeff Sessions 15 Republican Alabama January 3, 2015 Jerry Moran 1 Republican Kansas January 3, 2017 Jim DeMint 7 Republican South Carolina 2017 Jim Inhofe 17 Republican Oklahoma 2015 Jim Risch 3 Republican Idaho January 3, 2015 Jim Webb 5 Democratic Virginia January 3, 2013 Joe Lieberman 23 Non-partisan Connecticut January 3, 2013 Joe Manchin III 2 Democratic West Virginia January 3, 2013 John Barrasso 5 Republican Wyoming January 3, 2013 John Boozman 1 Republican Arkansas January 3, 2017 John Cornyn 9 Republican Texas January 3, 2015 John Hoeven 1 Republican North Dakota January 3, 2017 John Kerry 27 Democratic Massachusetts January 3, 2015 John McCain 25 Republican Arizona January 3, 2017 John Thune 7 Republican South Dakota 2017 Johnny Isakson 7 Republican Georgia January 3, 2017 Jon Kyl 17 Republican Arizona January 3, 2013 Jon Tester 5 Democratic Montana January 3, 2013 Kay Bailey Hutchison 19 Republican Texas January 3, 2013 Kay Hagan 3 Democratic North Carolina January 3, 2015 Kelly Ayotte 1 Republican New Hampshire January 3, 2017 Kent Conrad 19 Democratic North Dakota January 3, 2013 Kirsten Gillibrand 3 Democratic New York January 3, 2013 Lamar Alexander 9 Republican Tennessee 2015 Lindsey Graham 9 Republican South Carolina 2015 Lisa Murkowski 9 Republican Alaska January 3, 2017 Marco Rubio 1 Republican Florida January 3, 2017 Maria Cantwell 11 Democratic Washington January 3, 2013 Mark Begich 3 Democratic Alaska January 3, 2015 Mark Kirk 1 Republican Illinois January 3, 2017 Mark Pryor 9 Democratic Arkansas January 3, 2015 Mark Udall 3 Democratic Colorado January 3, 2015 Mark Warner 3 Democratic Virginia January 3, 2015 Mary Landrieu 15 Democratic Louisiana January 3, 2015 Max Baucus 34 Democratic Montana January 3, 2015 Michael Bennet 3 Democratic Colorado January 3, 2017 Mike Crapo 13 Republican Idaho January 3, 2017 Mike Enzi 15 Republican Wyoming January 3, 2015 Mike Johanns 3 Republican Nebraska January 3, 2015 Mike Lee 1 Republican Utah January 3, 2017 Mitch McConnell 27 Republican Kentucky January 3, 2015 Olympia Snowe 17 Republican Maine January 3, 2013 Orrin Hatch 35 Republican Utah January 3, 2013 Pat Roberts 15 Republican Kansas January 3, 2015 Pat Toomey 1 Republican Pennsylvania 2017 Patrick Leahy 37 Democratic Vermont January 3, 2017 Patty Murray 19 Democratic Washington 2017 Rand Paul 1 Republican Kentucky January 3, 2017 Richard Blumenthal 1 Democratic Connecticut January 3, 2017 Richard Burr 7 Republican North Carolina January 3, 2017 Richard Lugar 35 Republican Indiana January 3, 2013 Richard Shelby 25 Republican Alabama January 3, 2017 Rob Portman 1 Republican Ohio 2017 Roger Wicker 5 Republican Mississippi January 3, 2015 Ron Johnson 1 Republican Wisconsin January 3, 2017 Ron Wyden 15 Democratic Oregon 2017 Roy Blunt 1 Republican Missouri January 3, 2017 Saxby Chambliss 9 Republican Georgia January 3, 2015 Scott Brown 2 Republican Massachusetts January 3, 2013 Sheldon Whitehouse 5 Democratic Rhode Island 2013 Sherrod Brown 5 Democratic Ohio 2013 Susan Collins 15 Republican Maine January 3, 2015 Thad Cochran 34 Republican Mississippi January 3, 2015 Tim Johnson 15 Democratic South Dakota 2015 Tom Carper 11 Democratic Delaware January 3, 2013 Tom Coburn 7 Republican Oklahoma 2017 Tom Harkin 5 Democratic Iowa January 3, 2015 Tom Udall 3 Democratic New Mexico January 3, 2015

Qualifications

In order to be a member of the U.S. Senate, a representative must meet the following requirements:^[1]

• At least 30 years old
• A U.S. citizen for at least nine years
• A resident of the state he or she represents

Additionally, all 50 states maintain requirements related to running for election. These filing requirements vary, and can include:

• A filing fee
• A petition with a minimum number of valid signatures

Salary

Members of the U.S. Senate receive $174,000 per year. This figure was most recently adjusted in January 2009, when it was increased from $169,300. Additionally, several positions receive salaries above the baseline level.^[2]

• House Majority and Minority leader: $193,400^[2]

Some historical facts about the salary of U.S. Senate members:

• In 1789, members of the Senate received $6 per diem^[2]
• In 1874, members of the Senate earned $5,000 per year^[2]
• In 1990, members of the Senate earned $98,400 per year^[2]
• From 2000-2006, the salary of a member of the U.S. Senate increased every year, going from $141,300-$165,200 in that time span.^[2]

Elections

Every two years there are 33 members of the Senate up for election.

2012

See also: U.S. Senate elections, 2012

Elections to the U.S. Senate will be held on November 6, 2012. Of the 33 seats up for election, 23 are held by Democrats and 10 by Republicans.

U.S. Senate Partisan Breakdown
Party		As of February 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	53
	Republican Party	47
Total		100	100

Committees

There are a total of 20 committees in the U.S. Senate. They are:

External links

• U.S. Senate website
  
• U.S. Senator contact information

See also: United States Senate on Sunshine Review

References

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