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Home , Advice and consent, Arlen Specter, Henry Wilson, Herb Kohl, Jeff Bingaman, Kent Conrad

The

110th Congress 2007 - 2009 Cover: “The in Session” by George W. Breck after a photograph by William Kurtz, Harper’s Weekly, September 22, 1894

Prepared under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate by the Senate Historical Office and Office of Senate Curator, with the assistance of the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms

Additional copies available through Printing and Document Services, Room SH-B04 Welcome to the United States Senate

As the Leaders of the United States elected by the people, can debate the great Senate, we are pleased to welcome you to issues of our day and help forge the laws the chamber that has served as the Senate’s under which this nation operates. meeting place since 1859. By its continuity over the centuries, the United States Although its purpose is not always appar- Congress has vindicated the framers of ent, each legislative procedure, each action, our Constitution and affirmed their faith each debate, plays a role in the legislative that their great experiment in representative process. Even the architectural and artistic democracy would endure. features of the chamber represent various stages of development in the Senate’s more Our Constitution created a system of than two centuries of history. This booklet checks and balances between the separate is designed as a brief introduction to the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches workings of the Senate. In addition to your of the federal government. In the Legis- visit to the Senate chamber, we would like lative branch, the Senate represents each you to visit your senators’ offices, to attend of the states equally, while the House hearings, and to take a guided represents them according to the size of tour of the magnificent Capitol building. their respective populations. Each state has two senators, who will be referred to in debate as “the senior senator from ...” and “the junior senator from ...” depending on their respective length of service.

The Constitution assigns specific powers , and responsibilities to Congress to enact legislation necessary to provide for the common defense and the welfare of the United States. It gives the Senate exclu- sive authority to advise and consent on all nominations and . Most important, Mitch McConnell, Republican Leader the Senate provides a forum where senators,

WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES SENATe 1 Senators by State

Senators and Office Suite Numbers

Vice President Cheney, Richard B. (R) Chambliss, Saxby (R)...... SR-416 Isakson, Johnny (R)...... SR-120

Hawaii ARRANGED BY STATE Inouye, Daniel K. (D)...... SH-722 Senior senator listed first Akaka, Daniel K. (D)...... SH-141

Alabama Shelby, Richard C. (R)...... SH-110 Craig, Larry E. (R)...... SH-520 Sessions, Jeff (R) ...... SR-335 Crapo, Mike (R) ...... SD-239

Alaska Stevens, Ted (R)...... SH-522 Durbin, Richard J. (D)...... SH-309 Murkowski, Lisa (R)...... SH-709 Obama, Barack (D)...... SH-713

Arizona Indiana McCain, John (R) ...... SR-241 Lugar, Richard G. (R) ...... SH-306 Kyl, Jon (R)...... SH-730 Bayh, Evan (D)...... SR-131

Arkansas Iowa Lincoln, Blanche L. (D)...... SD-355 Grassley, Chuck (R)...... SH-135 Pryor, Mark L. (D)...... SD-257 Harkin, Tom (D)...... SH-731

California Feinstein, Dianne (D)...... SH-331 Brownback, Sam (R)...... SH-303 Boxer, Barbara (D)...... SH-112 , Pat (R)...... SH-109

Colorado Allard, Wayne (R) ...... SD-521 McConnell, Mitch (R)...... SR-361A Salazar, Ken (D)...... SH-702 Bunning, Jim (R)...... SH-316

Connecticut Dodd, Christopher J. (D)...... SR-448 Landrieu, Mary L. (D)...... SH-724 Lieberman, Joseph I. (D-I)...... SH-706 Vitter, David (R) ...... SH-516

Delaware Biden, Joseph R., Jr. (D)...... SR-201 Snowe, Olympia J. (R)...... SR-154 Carper, Thomas R. (D) ...... SH-513 Collins, Susan M. (R)...... SD-413

Florida Nelson, (D)...... SH-716 Mikulski, Barbara A. (D)...... SH-503 Martinez, Mel (R)...... SR-356 Cardin, Benjamin L. (D) ...... SH-509

2 The United States Senate 110 th Congress Oklahoma , Edward M. (D)...... SR-317 Inhofe, James M. (R)...... SR-453 Kerry, John F. (D)...... SR-304 Coburn, Tom (R)...... SR-172

Michigan Levin, Carl (D)...... SR-269 Wyden, Ron (D)...... SD-230 Stabenow, Debbie (D) ...... SH-133 Smith, Gordon H. (R) ...... SR-404

Minnesota Coleman, Norm (R)...... SH-320 Specter, Arlen (R)...... SH-711 Klobuchar, Amy (D)...... SH-302 Casey, P., Jr. (D)...... SR-383

Mississippi Rhode Island Cochran, Thad (R)...... SD-113 Reed, Jack (D)...... SH-728 Lott, Trent (R)...... SR-487 Whitehouse, Sheldon (D)...... SH-502

Missouri South Carolina Bond, Christopher S. (R)...... SR-274 Graham, Lindsey (R)...... SR-290 McCaskill, Claire (D)...... SH-717 DeMint, Jim (R)...... SR-340

Montana Baucus, Max (D)...... SH-511 Johnson, Tim (D)...... SH-136 Tester, Jon (D)...... SR-204 Thune, John (R)...... SR-493

Nebraska Hagel, Chuck (R)...... SR-248 Alexander, Lamar (R)...... SD-455 Nelson, E. Benjamin (D) ...... SH-720 Corker, Bob (R)...... SD-185

Nevada Reid, Harry (D)...... SH-528 Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R)...... SR-284 Ensign, John (R)...... SR-119 Cornyn, John (R)...... SH-517

New Hampshire Gregg, Judd (R)...... SR-393 Hatch, Orrin G. (R)...... SH-104 Sununu, John E. (R)...... SR-111 Bennett, Robert F. (R) ...... SD-431

New Jersey Vermont Lautenberg, Frank R. (D)...... SH-324 Leahy, Patrick J. (D)...... SR-433 Menendez, Robert (D)...... SH-317 Sanders, Bernard (I)...... SD-332

New Mexico Domenici, Pete V. (R)...... SH-328 Warner, John (R)...... SR-225 Bingaman, Jeff (D)...... SH-703 Webb, Jim (D)...... SR-144

New York Schumer, Charles E. (D)...... SH-313 Murray, Patty (D) ...... SR-173 Clinton, Hillary Rodham (D)...... SR-476 Cantwell, Maria (D)...... SD-511

North Carolina West Virginia Dole, Elizabeth (R)...... SD-555 Byrd, Robert C. (D)...... SH-311 Burr, Richard (R)...... SR-217 Rockefeller, John D., IV (D)...... SH-531

North Dakota Conrad, Kent (D)...... SH-530 Kohl, Herb (D)...... SH-330 Dorgan, Byron L. (D)...... SH-322 Feingold, Russell D. (D)...... SH-506

Ohio Wyoming Voinovich, George V. (R)...... SH-524 Enzi, Michael B. (R)...... SR-379A Brown, Sherrod (D)...... SR-455 Barrasso, John (R)...... SD-307

Senators By State 3 History of the Senate

The two houses of Congress resulted from the first five years while meeting in New the “Great Compromise of 1787” between York and . Initially, senators large and small states reached at the expected that they would act primarily as Constitutional Convention. Membership of an advisory council to the president and, the House of Representatives is apportioned as a senior body, perfect legislation by according to a state’s population, and the amendment that came up from the House. number of representatives varies from state As early as 1789, however, the Senate began to state. In the Senate each state is equally originating some legislation, and public pres- represented by two senators. sure soon encouraged the body to construct a visitors gallery, which opened in 1795. In The Constitution assigns the Senate and 1800, when the federal government moved House equal responsibility for declaring from Philadelphia to the newly created war, maintaining the armed forces, assess- District of Columbia, both the House and ing taxes, borrowing money, minting Senate chambers provided public galleries. currency, regulating commerce, and mak- ing all laws necessary for the operation of By the , the Senate had attracted the the government. The Senate holds exclusive nation’s leading political figures and most authority to advise and consent on treaties gifted orators. , , and nominations.

The Constitution requires that senators be at least 30 years of age, citizens of the United States, and residents of the states from which they are elected. Originally the Constitution provided that state legisla- tures would elect senators, but passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913 established direct election of senators by the people.

While the House in 1789 immediately opened its doors to the public, the Senate conducted its business in secret session for Senator Daniel Webster addressing the Senate, January 1830

4 The United States Senate 110 th Congress held in the Senate chamber, the president escaped removal from office by a single vote.

A series of weak presidents followed Johnson throughout the remainder of the 19th century, allowing the Senate to become the strongest branch of the federal government. Senators argued that the execu- tive should be subordinate to the , and that the president’s only role was to enforce the laws enacted by Congress. By the beginning Henry Clay addressing the Senate during the of the 20th century, the ener- getic presidencies of Theodore John C. Calhoun, and other towering Roosevelt and challenged figures made the the senatorial dominance, and the balance of chief forum for debating the great national power shifted toward the White House. Still, issues of the day. The French observer the Senate delivered Wilson a major blow Alexis de Tocqueville described the Senate at the end of his presidency by rejecting the he visited as a body of “eloquent advocates, of Versailles, which ended distinguished generals, wise and and created the League of Nations. statesmen of note, whose language would at times do honor to the most remarkable In the depths of the of the parliamentary debates in Europe.” 1930s, the Senate enthusiastically responded

From the 1830s to the 1850s, the Senate tackled the issues of federal authority versus states’ rights, as well as the spread of into the territories. Valiant efforts to achieve compromise eventually failed, and the nation split apart in a bloody civil war. Southern members resigned from the Senate as their states seceded, and in 1861 the new Republican party became the majority in the sharply reduced Senate, which had just moved into its spacious new chamber in 1859. Following the war, those senators who favored vigorous reconstruc- tion of the southern states frequently clashed with President , who adopted ’s more lenient policies. When the conflict culminated in the trial of President Johnson, ’s inaugural address, March 1905

History of the Senate 5 to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New During the 1950s the Senate engaged in Deal program of recovery, relief, and sharp debates over civil rights policies, reform. An unprecedented burst of legisla- stimulating lengthy , but eventu- tive activity profoundly altered the size, ally resulting in passage of the landmark shape, and scope of the federal government. and Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Senate was also divided By 1937, the Senate had broken with over American involvement in the war in President Roosevelt over his proposal to Vietnam. Although in 1964 senators over- “pack” the Supreme Court, and strong whelmingly approved the Gulf of Tonkin isolationist sentiments limited Roosevelt’s Resolution that authorized the president to international policies. The attack on Pearl repel North Vietnamese attacks, they later Harbor in 1941, however, brought a sharp disagreed over its application and voted for its repeal. Senate concern over increased presiden- tial powers in foreign affairs led to the passage of the War Powers Act of 1973, requiring con- gressional notification and approval whenever American troops are sent into combat.

The Watergate burglary and irregularities of the presidential campaign in 1972 led to a Senate investigation chaired by Senator of The Senate in session during the 1930s . Testi- mony and evidence shift in public opinion, and senators ral- gathered by Ervin’s committee eventually lied behind the war effort. The slogan led to the 1974 resignation of President that “politics stops at the water’s edge” . In 1999 the Senate con- expressed the new spirit of bipartisanship ducted the impeachment trial of President in American foreign policy. , ultimately voting not to remove him from office. In recent years, A major turning point in the Senate’s his- the Senate has sought to maintain a balance tory occurred with the passage of the 1946 with the president, supporting presidential Legislative Reorganization Act, which initiatives while maintaining vigilant reshaped the committee system and pro- oversight of executive branch operations. vided the first professional staff for senators This is the system of checks and balances and . The brought an the framers of the Constitution had envi- increase in legislation that resulted in the sioned, which has endured for over 200 expansion of the national defense program, years of American . foreign aid, and economic and military assistance to America’s allies.

6 The United States Senate 110 th Congress The Senate Chamber

The Senate first occupied its current Walter of Philadelphia became the archi- chamber on January 4, 1859. On that day, tect and was later joined by army Captain senators proceeded down the corridor from Montgomery C. Meigs as chief engineer. the smaller chamber that had served as Together they designed the Senate chamber their meeting place for nearly half a century. based on the latest advances in lighting, The old chamber has been restored to its acoustics, and ventilation. A room without 1859 appearance. windows prevented outside noises from disturbing debate and eliminated drafts that might affect the health and speaking voices of senators. Steam-powered fans provided the room with a constant and reliable supply of fresh air. Originally, sun- light was admitted to the room through a large skylight ornamented with colored glass. At night the room was lighted by gas jets located above the glass ceiling. Almost a century later, in 1938, the skylight was found to be dangerously weak, so plans were made to replace it. At the same time the robust Victorian interior design of the chamber was changed to a more traditional architectural treatment. These changes, designed by the Philadelphia firm of Bust of Vice President in the Senate chamber Harbeson, Hough, Livingston, and Larson, When Congress moved into the Capitol in were undertaken from 1949 to 1950. 1800, the Union included only 16 states. In just 50 years the number of states had Twentieth century alterations, however, grown to 31. Plans were begun to enlarge did not affect the arrangement of the the building to provide larger Senate chamber floor where senators sit, chambers for the Senate and the House or its surrounding lobbies, cloakrooms, of Representatives. In 1851 Thomas U. and galleries. The press gallery, situated

The Senate CHAMBER 7 following the fire that badly damaged the Capitol and its furnishings. Over the years, as new states have joined the Union, match- ing desks have been added to the chamber, the most recent for in 1959. Each desk has an inkwell and a sand shaker for blotting ink. Starting in the 1830s, a writing box was affixed to the top of each desk to provide more space for members. Senator Daniel Webster reportedly refused to have his desk altered, reasoning that if his pre- decessors had done without the additional space, so could he. Traditionally assigned to the senior senator from , Webster’s desk remains the only one in the chamber without a writing box.

The custom of dividing Senate seating by party goes back to the creation of politi- cal parties in the United States, but has not always been rigidly followed. In the old A Senate chamber desk Senate chamber, equal numbers of desks were placed on each side of the center , immediately above the presiding officer’s requiring a few members to sit across from chair, accommodates reporters from news- the rest of their party. Since 1877, however, papers, magazines, radio, and television. desks have been moved back and forth Other galleries have been set aside for the across the aisle to permit all members of diplomatic corps, members’ families, and each party to sit on the appropriate side. staff and visitors. Two large roll-top desks at the front of the chamber are reserved for the official Twenty busts line the walls at the gallery party secretaries. level, representing all vice presidents from John Adams to Thomas Hendricks, with the exception of , whose bust is located in the Vice President’s Room where he died. The busts pay tribute to the vice president’s role as . They are arranged in chronological order, beginning in the Senate gallery, with later busts continuing in the second floor hallway around the chamber.

Arranged below the galleries in a semi- circular pattern are 100 desks—one for each senator. Forty-eight of these desks date back to 1819, when they were purchased The presiding officer’s gavel

8 The United States Senate 110 th Congress The current Senate chamber

Unobtrusively located on ledges directly capped with silver, had been used in the behind the presiding officer’s rostrum are Senate since its first meeting in 1789. two small lacquer snuff boxes, relics of an earlier age when senators dipped snuff A series of inscriptions appear around during their debates. Spittoons at vari- the chamber. Over the presiding officer’s ous locations are other reminders of the desk is the motto (One Senate’s past. Out of Many). Above the doors are: Annuit Coeptis (God Has Favored Our A solid ivory gavel now used by the Undertakings) over the east entrance; presiding officer was presented to the Novus Ordo Seclorum (A New Order of Senate in 1954 by the vice president of the Ages) over the west entrance; and our India as a token of his country’s friend- national motto, , over the ship. The previously used gavel, yellowed south-central entrance. and cracked, occupies a place of honor on the rostrum when the Senate is in session. According to tradition, that gavel, of ivory

The Senate Chamber 9 88

99 75 93 24 14 Virginia, Island 25 73

2 83 38 51 65 York, 34 41 15 47 West 5 96

Hampshire,

Ohio, 36 Rhode 23 9 28 100 , New IV, 66

Dakota, Maine, TOTAL 100 , Oregon, Island, ,

, , Vermont, , E., New D., , Illinois,

, (1) Arkansas,

Pennsylvania, Virginia, Loiusiana, Alabama, Oregon, South Kansas, , , , , Sheldon, Nevada, L., , ,

, , , John Rhode Virginia

Debbie, 110th Congress Charles Barack, Ron, Ken, ITALICS

Jim, Jon,

Mark Jack, Harry, Reid, Reed, Pryor, Obama, Rockefeller, Schumer, Stabenow, Tester, Wyden, Salazar, Webb, Roberts, Pat Sanders, Bernard Sessions, Jeff Richard C. Shelby, Smith, Gordon H. Snowe, Olympia J. , Stevens, Ted Sununu, John E. Thune, John , George V. Voinovich, , Whitehouse,

Parliamentarian Chaplain Journal Clerk Legislative Clerk Assistant Secretary for the Majority the for Secretary Assistant 94 , Assistant Republican Secretary

, SMALL Black,

95 Frumin, 59 33

Tinsley, Dove IN 37 C.

98 Sanborn, S. Davis 91 85 57 8 89 68 67 77 Jersey, 86 31 17 71 David Scott Alan Lula Laura Barry Jersey, 7 49 13 72 11 New Massachusetts, Maryland, , , 62 Dakota,

Arkansas, , Louisiana, New . Indiana, Kentucky, R., DEMOCRAT I A., , 22

Alaska, M.,

, , Vermont, , L., , L., , G eorgia, Florida, , Massachusetts, Washington, J., South , , ., Florida, Wisconsin, oseph Frank Michigan, Mississippi, F Amy, Robert, Claire, Benjamin, , , J , Barbara Mary , Edward Arizona, Tim, Blanche Patty, E. Bill, , Patrick Carl, John Herb, INDEPENDENT ieberman

L Klobuchar, Kohl, Levin, Kerry, Leahy, Kennedy, Lautenberg, Mikulski, Nelson, Landrieu, Menendez, Murray, Nelson, Johnson, Lincoln, Isakson, Johnny Kyl, Jon Lott, Trent Richard G. Lugar, Martinez, Mel McCain, John McCaskill McConnell, Mitch Murkowski, Lisa (1)

BOLD

IN

30 43

60

Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper 46 27 92 Republican Secretary 4 Assistant Secretary of the Senate 52 Secretary for the Majority 12 80 Secretary of the Senate 1 61 Deputy Sergeant at Arms 82 10 55 48 78 Dakota, Carolina, Mexico, 70

26 6 Texas, 79 Carolina, Dwyer, Paone, 45 G ainer, W. , Connecticut, Schiappa, 42 Dakota, Wisconsin, 74 P. 32 Erickson, Carolina, , Illinois, J. M. INDEPENDENT J., Willison, New North Maine, Hawaii, Hampshire,

California, Oklahoma, South , Wyoming,

Utah, D. , Iowa, , , J., North enate Idaho, , , , L., , , K., (49) Nebraska, Texas, North Iowa, Nevada, Idaho, South , , Tennessee, New David Sheila Nancy Martin Terrance Drew , , , , , floor. S Dianne, Russell Kent, Byron Richard Tom, Daniel Christopher ITALIC ITALIC Senate the Feinstein, Durbin, Conrad, Dodd, Inouye, Dorgan, Feingold, Harkin, Collins, Susan M. , Cornyn, John Craig, Larry E. Crapo, Mike DeMint, Jim Dole, Elizabeth Domenici, Pete V. Ensign, John Enzi, Michael B. , , Gregg, Judd Hagel, Chuck Hatch, Orrin G. Hutchison, Kay Bailey Inhofe, James M. the on

97 desk 40 of of

16 REPUBLICANS IN 50 90 29 York, 20

63 64 56 3 19 54 44 (49) 87 84*

69 18 76 New 21 53 Vice President Vice of the 81 Republican Leader 58 Assistant Majority Leader placement 39 Virginia, Missouri, Carolina, Maryland, 35 Mexico, , Pennsylvania, , President pro tempore Delaware, Utah, Tennessee, , Hawaii, Kansas, L., , ROMAN Jr., , Washington, , G eorgia, Minnesota, Jr.,

West Ohio, , R. Rodham, Mississippi, , California, Assistant Republican Leader Wyoming, New Majority Leader Colorado, , K., North Oklahoma, , P., Kentucky, Montana, , R., DURBIN, C., , , designates , BYRD, Indiana, J. B. CHENEY, Jeff, Maria, C. REID, Hillary McCONNELL, LOTT, Max, Benjamin Thomas Sherrod, Daniel Robert Joseph Barbara, Evan, Robert irectory Number * Casey, Carper, Cardin, Akaka, Brown, Bingaman, Cantwell, Biden, Boxer, Byrd, Clinton, Bayh, Alexander, , Allard, Wayne Barrasso, John Bennett, Robert F. Bond, Christopher S. Brownback, Sam Bunning, Jim , Chambliss, Saxby Coburn, Tom Cochran, Thad Coleman, Norm Baucus, RICHARD DEMOCRATS IN TRENT RICHARD United States and President of the Senate ROBERT D MITCH HARRY

10 The United States Senate 110 th Congress

WY TN

AK

FL

BARRASSO OH CORKER

70 71

MARTINEZ 69

72 MURKOWSKI

73 VOINOVICH

ID

CRAPO

SC

TX LA 74 NH GA

GRAHAM

SUNUNU

VITTER

CORNYN 42 43 41 75

44 CHAMBLISS KS 76 BROWNBACK NV

ENSIGN

45 NC VISITORS TO NOTICE OK GA IN MN DOLE LUGAR 77 Demonstrations of approval or of approval Demonstrations occupants of the by disapproval by forbidden galleries are strictly a rule of the Senate. NC

As of July 2007 As of July 46

COBURN ISAKSON

18 19

COLEMAN BURR AL 17

20 47 SESSIONS 78 NE HAGEL CO ME 48 ALLARD COLLINS 21

KYL AZ SD

TN SC 22 AZ

NH 49 McCAIN

THUNE 2

3 DeMINT KS

1 GREGG ALEXANDER 4 23 ROBERTS 79 CRAIG ID

VA 24 AL 5 WARNER SHELBY 50 BOND MO 80 INHOFE

OK

S 6 IA DOVE N DWYER

Secretary 51 Secretary

Assistant SNOWE ME

Assistant GRASSLEY Republican 25 PA

A SPECTER 81

BUNNING KY

C I 52 7 26 HUTCHISON TX

LOTT HATCH UT L MS

Leader 82 ENZI

B WY

Republican Secretary Assistant 53 Republican

SCHIAPPA BENNETT

Secretary 27 UT U DOMENICI of the Senate ERICKSON

Clerk NM Assistant Legislative ALVAREZ P 83

54 SMITH E OR 28 COCHRAN 8 MS McCONNELL STEVENS R KY AK Leader Clerk

Republican

TINSLEY Legislative

NV

WV

REID CHENEY HI

BYRD

the United States HI INOUYE Vice President of Vice 9

S 29 Leader

Majority AKAKA 55 tarian 84

T

FRUMIN Parliamen-

A NM

LA CT

BINGAMAN

LANDRIEU R DODD

56

85

30 Clerk C IL

AssistantMajority

Journal Leader

at Arms at DURBIN SANBORN

Sergeant MA

GAINER O

Majority WA

PAONE

Secretary

10 10

KERRY

VT

M MURRAY 57

86

E LEAHY

31

MT D CA

BAUCUS BOXER

MI

87 Deputy 58 DAVIS at Arms at Majority

Sergeant Assistant Secretary

WILLISON LEVIN WV

11 11

ND

IA

ROCKEFELLER

88

CONRAD

HARKIN

WI

12 32

MD KOHL

CT

MI MIKULSKI 13

MD

IL

RI 33

CARDIN LIEBERMAN

59

OBAMA ND STABENOW

REED 14

16

15 IN

34

DORGAN SD

OR

BAYH 60

CA

JOHNSON

35 WYDEN

89

DE NE

36

VT

PA

OH FEINSTEIN FL

61 BIDEN

CASEY

BROWN

SANDERS

37

90 NELSON, ,

AR

40 DE 38

39 NELSON, ,

62

LINCOLN

CARPER WA

WI 91

63

CANTWELL AR

FEINGOLD

64

VA

MN MO NY

92

PRYOR

WEBB

65 MA

68 SCHUMER

McCASKILL 66

67

KLOBUCHAR 93

NJ

KENNEDY

94

LAUTENBERG CO 95

MT NY

RI NJ

Seating Arrangement in the Senate Chamber Arrangement Seating SALAZAR

TESTER

96

CLINTON MENENDEZ

100 WHITEHOUSE 97

99 98

Directory of the Senate 11 The Senate in Session

The ringing of bells throughout the Capitol amendments offered by senators. At the two and the three Senate office buildings mahogany desks in front of these clerks sit signals the opening of a day’s session and the staffs of the party secretaries, who keep announces votes, calls, and other members of their parties informed about the legislative activities. The bells correspond subject matter at hand and tallies of votes with a series of lights above the doors on cast. Senate pages stationed on both sides the north side of the chamber and at various of the rostrum serve as messengers for sena- locations on the Senate side of . tors. Pages, who are in their junior year of high school, attend early morning classes at a At the beginning of each daily meeting, the school located a few blocks from the Capitol. presiding officer accompanies the Senate chaplain to the rostrum for the opening The majority and minority leaders occupy prayer and leads the Senate in the recitation the front desks on their respective sides of of the Pledge of Allegiance. The vice presi- the center aisle, with the Republicans to the dent of the United States serves as president presiding officer’s left and the Democrats to of the Senate and therefore its presiding the right. The more senior members of each officer. In the vice president’s absence, the party have priority in seat selection and president pro tempore—who is generally the generally sit toward the front and center of most senior member of the majority party— the chamber. presides or designates other senators from the majority party to take the chair. Senators As a senator speaks, an official reporter of must direct all remarks to the presiding offi- debates stands nearby, taking a verbatim cer, whom they address as “Mr. President” account of everything said. Reporters work or “Madam President.” ten-minute shifts in the chamber and then immediately transcribe their notes. By the The clerks of the Senate sit at a long marble next morning, the entire day’s proceedings, desk in front of the presiding officer. The along with related materials, are printed journal clerk records minutes of the pro- in the . In 1986 the ceedings, as is required by the Constitution. Senate began live radio and television cover- The parliamentarian advises the presiding age of its floor proceedings. The Senate’s officer and members regarding Senate rules gavel-to-gavel proceedings are beamed by and procedures. The legislative clerk calls the non-profit Cable Satellite Public Affairs the roll and receives bills, resolutions, and Network (C-SPAN) to a satellite orbiting

12 The United States Senate 110 th Congress high above the equator. These signals are bill at all, or may debate it at length and then returned to cable television systems across take a roll-call vote. the continent for distribution to viewers. Video recordings of Senate sessions are The Senate has long operated under the prin- available to the public at the Library of ciple of “unlimited debate,” in which all mem- Congress. bers may speak for as long as they wish on the matter under consideration. To expedite busi- The Senate usually begins the day with ten- ness, the leadership may request unanimous minute speeches by the majority and minor- consent to establish a time limit on debate for ity leaders or their designees, followed by a a specific legislative measure. Extended debate period called “.” During designed to defeat or amend a bill by dilatory this time, senators introduce bills and reso- tactics is called a “.” Those senators lutions, which are referred to the various opposed to a filibuster may file a “ committees for consideration. Members motion,” signed by at least sixteen senators, may also request permission to speak brief- under which a vote of sixty senators can limit ly on any subject that concerns them. the remaining debate.

Following Morning Business, the Senate When a bill is being debated, the floor may consider either executive or legisla- managers of the two parties often take the tive business. During an , front row, center aisle, seats of the majority the Senate may consider any nomination and minority leaders. If a time limit has been or treaty that the president submits for the established, they allot portions of their time Senate’s . Nominations to senators wishing to speak for or against are confirmed by a simple majority, but the the bill. It is not unusual to find only a few Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of members in the chamber at any given time the Senate to approve treaties. For much of during the debate, with other senators attending the Senate’s history, most executive sessions committee meetings or working in their offices. were conducted in secret, with the galleries Members’ offices are equipped with “hot lines” cleared and the doors locked, enabling sen- and televisions that provide instant access to ators to speak freely about the character of what is happening on the Senate floor. When nominees and to avoid causing any embar- the bells signal a vote, senators come to the rassment to the nation’s treaty partners. Not chamber to record their “yeas” and “nays.” until 1929 were executive sessions routinely opened to the public and the press. Whenever the Senate is in session, the American flag flies above the chamber’s roof. Legislative business consumes the largest When the legislative load is especially heavy, or share of the Senate’s time. When committees when a filibuster is underway, the Senate may report out legislation, the majority leader hold sessions long into the night or around attempts to schedule it for debate in the the clock. A lantern at the top of the Capitol chamber. If both parties have agreed to the dome is always lit during these night sessions. bill, it may be enacted simply by “unani- Whether at 2:00 in the morning or 2:00 in the mous consent,” with only a brief of afternoon, the public is always welcome to the its title and a request by the leadership that galleries to witness these legislative proceedings. it be adopted without objection, generally by voice vote. If a single member objects, however, the Senate may not consider the

The Senate In Session 13 Senate Activities Outside the Chamber

Visitors to the Senate chamber often ques- Under Senate rules, each committee has tion why so few members may be on the specific jurisdiction over certain legislation. Senate floor at any one time. The floor When legislation is introduced or nomina- proceedings comprise only a fraction of a tions are made, the parliamentarian senator’s average day. The daily schedule refers the legislation or nomination of a senator also includes consulting off to the proper committee. That committee the floor with fellow senators, administra- or one of its subcommittees schedules tion officials, staff, constituents, and other hearings and takes testimony regarding visitors; answering correspondence; and the matter. At “mark-up” sessions, the briefing the media. Generally, the larg- committee may recommend amendments est share of a senator’s time is devoted to for the full Senate to consider when the committee work. bill is taken up on the floor. Many bills referred to committees are never reported In the 110th Congress there are sixteen out. In some cases, several bills of the Senate standing committees, three select same nature are consolidated; in other committees, one special committee, and cases, the issue lacks sufficient support four joint committees with the House. to be considered further. On average, each senator serves on three standing committees and at least one Since far more legislation is shaped in select, special, or joint committee. In addi- committee than in floor debates, senators tion, there are numerous subcommittees necessarily direct their attention toward within each committee. This permits their committee assignments. Although virtually every member of the majority senators remain informed on the broad party to serve as chair, and every member range of issues important to their states of the minority to serve as ranking (senior) and the nation, the committees they serve member, of a committee or subcommittee. on generally determine the bills they

14 The United States Senate 110 th Congress Senators' office suites and committee rooms are located in the Russell, Dirksen, and Hart Senate Office Buildings, across from the Capitol. Offices designated SR are in the Russell building, named for the late Senator Richard Brevard Russell of Georgia; those designated SD are in the Dirksen building, named for the late Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen of Illinois; and those designated SH are in the Hart building, named for the late Senator Philip A. Hart of Michigan. The buildings are connected to the Capitol by underground railway cars, located on the basement level.

and the issues to which they To Learn More About the Senate: devote their greatest attention. Senators • On the Internet: come to the Senate floor to speak on many http://www.senate.gov matters about which they feel strongly, • From either of your senators: but they most frequently appear in floor United States Senate debates relating to bills reported from Washington, DC 20510 their committees. • From the Senate Historical Office: SH-201, U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510-7108 The daily schedule of committee meet- (202) 224-6900 ings is available on the Senate Web site Email: [email protected] by entering “Committees” and then • From the Office of Senate Curator: “Hearings & Meetings.” S-411, U.S. Capitol Washington, DC 20510-7102 (202) 224-2955 Email: [email protected]

Senate Activities outside the chamber 15 Senate Committees

Chairmen and Ranking Members

Unless otherwise noted, chairs are listed first

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Iowa) Patrick J. Leahy (Vermont) (Georgia) Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania) Appropriations Rules and Administration Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia) (California) (Mississippi) Robert F. Bennett (Utah) Armed Services Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Michigan) John F. Kerry (Massachusetts) John McCain (Arizona) Olympia J. Snowe (Maine) Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Veterans Affairs Christopher J. Dodd (Connecticut) Daniel K. Akaka (Hawaii) Richard C. Shelby (Alabama) Richard Burr (South Carolina) Budget Indian Affairs () Byron L. Dorgan (North Dakota) (New Hampshire) (Alaska) Commerce, Science, and Transportation Select Committee on Ethics Daniel K. Inouye (Hawaii) * (California) (Alaska) (Texas) Energy and Natural Resources Select Committee on Intelligence () John D. Rockefeller IV (West Virginia) Pete V. Domenici (New Mexico) Christopher S. Bond (Missouri) Environment and Public Works Special Committee on Aging Barbara Boxer (California) (Wisconsin) James M. Inhofe (Oklahoma) Gordon H. Smith (Oregon) Finance Joint Economic Committee (Montana) Charles E. Schumer () Chuck Grassley (Iowa) Chairman

Foreign Relations Joint Committee on the Library Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Delaware) Dianne Feinstein (California) Richard G. Lugar (Indiana) Chairman

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Joint Committee on Printing Edward M. Kennedy (Massachusetts) Dianne Feinstein (California) Michael B. Enzi (Wyoming) Vice Chairman Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Joint Committee on Taxation Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut) Max Baucus (Montana) Susan M. Collins (Maine) Vice Chairman

*Temporary Chair

16 The United States Senate 110 th Congress

S. Pub. 110-7