The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state.

Senators are elected for 6-year terms. The two Senators are elected in different years. Senators’ terms are staggered so that about one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years.

A candidate for US Senate must be:

• At least 30 years old
• A US 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 — Pennsylvania requires 2,000 signatures collected from all over the state

• Sole power to confirm the President’s appointments that require consent — Cabinet positions, Federal Judges, and Ambassadors.*
• Pass legislation by majority vote, along with the House of Representatives and then send it to the President for his or her signature. If the President vetoes a bill, they may override his veto by passing the bill again in each chamber with at least two-thirds of each body voting in favor.
• Provides advice and consent to ratify treaties.*
• Try impeachment cases for federal officials referred to it by the House.

*The House must also approve appointments to the Vice Presidency and any treaty that involves foreign trade.

The vice president of the United States is also the president of the Senate. While they cannot normally vote on Senate matters, they preside over the Senate and act as a tie-breaker. They also receive and announce the tally of the electoral college vote for president and vice president before the Senate.

The President Pro Tempore fills in for the president of the Senate when they are absent. They are also the third in the line of succession for the presidency. In recent years the role has largely been given to popular senators from the majority party.