Civics_Ch4_webquest-Senate

=**Senate**=

1. The U.S. Senate has 2 members from each state, which was from the New Jersey Plan's suggestion of a legislature with the same number from each state. There are 100 total Senators. Like the House of Representatives, the Senate has leadership.
 * According to the Constitution, the Vice President will serve as the President of the Senate. Since the Vice President is also part of the executive branch, the Vice President only acts in that position if there is a tied vote and has to cast the tie-breaking vote. Who is the current President of the Senate a.k.a. Vice President? [|Click here for the answer]


 * Since the Vice President is usually involved in executive branch duties, the President Pro Tempore acts as the presiding officer in the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is usually from the party that has the majority in the Senate and is the oldest or longest serving member. Who is the current President Pro Tempore? [|Click here for the answer]


 * The position that holds the most power in the Senate is the Senate Majority Leader. The majority leader in the Senate is more powerful than the one in the House since the majority leader in the Senate is the leader of the political party that has the majority of members. Who is the current Senate Majority Leader? [|Click here for the answer]


 * The Senate Majority Whip is the assistant to the majority leader and is the second most powerful Senator from the majority party. Like the House, the whip is the assistant and is suppose to get party members to vote for party agenda. Who is the Senate Majority Whip? [|Click here for the answer]


 * The position in charge of the party with a minority of members in the Senate is the Senate Minority Leader. This person is the most powerful Senator from the political party that is in the minority. Who is the current Senate Minority Leader? [|Click here for the answer]


 * The Senate Minority Whip is the assistant to the Senate Minority Leader and is in charge of getting party members to vote for the party agenda. This position is held by the second most powerful Senator from the party in the minority. Who is the current Senate Minority Whip? [|Click here for the answer]

2. Each state has 2 senators (equal state representation in the Senate). Who are the two U.S. Senators that serve Pennsylvania? [|Click here for the answer]

3. Currently, the Democrat Party controls the U.S. Senate. There are a total of 100 Senators (2 from each state in all 50 states) with 51 Democrats, 47 Republicans, and 2 Independents (not members of either party). Senators serve 6 year terms with 1/3 of the Senate up for re-election every 2 years (same as when the entire House of Representatives is up for re-election.
 * With the Senate's majority party the Democrat Party, is it likely that the Senate and House will pass similar bills or will the two chambers have to compromise more often? Why?
 * When one of the two houses is controlled by the Republican Party and the other chamber is controlled by the Democrat Party, how is that a type of check and balance?

Back to the web quest main page to move to the second part