US Senate

Capitol Hill centurions

The US Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, comprising two senators from each state regardless of population.

Senators serve six-year terms and must confirm presidential appointments, ratify treaties, and try impeachment cases.

The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

Often shortened to simply the Senate in American political discourse.

leadership

majority leader

Party chief in legislature

conference · party · coalition · bipartisan · dealmaking · negotiation · compromise · consensus · unity · Schumer

procedure

filibuster

Delaying tactic through speech

roll call vote · voice vote · point of order · yielding · holds · reconciliation · nuclear option · amendment · markup · engrossment

election

campaign

Organized effort toward goal

primary · runoff · midterm · special election · voters · constituents · electorate · polls · turnout · swing state

legislation

bill

Amount owed, written

sponsor · cosponsor · rider · earmark · omnibus · appropriations · authorization · passage · veto override · conference

committee

judiciary

Law-interpreting government branch

intelligence · appropriations · budget · commerce · agriculture · hearing · subcommittee · chairman · ranking member · testimony

chamber

Capitol

Legislative assembly building

presiding · dais · chamber · upper house · hundred · seat · desk · roll call · sworn in · elder statesman

policy

healthcare

Organized provision of treatment

foreign affairs · trade · environment · energy · infrastructure · education · judiciary · agriculture · banking · veterans

Opposites
bicameral chamber

US SenateHouse of Representatives

Population-based legislative chamber

House · lower chamber · lower house

government branch

US SenateSupreme Court

Nation's top tribunal

federal judiciary · White House · Oval Office · federal courts

level of government

US Senatestate legislature

Lawmaking body below Congress

state senate · city council · local government · county board

Family

Senate, senates, senator, senators, senatorial, senior, seniority, seniors

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Mostly American · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G