The United States Senate

The Senate is authorized by Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines the Legislative Branch of the Federal Government. 

The Senate is comprised of two Senators from each state, regardless of size or population. The Vice President is considered a member ( Senate President) and acts as the tie-breaking vote in matters where a 50-50 tie has occurred. This is the only time the Vice President votes in the Senate. According to the Constitution of the United States, Senators are to be chosen by their respective state legislatures, however; in 1912, the unconstitutional Article XVII was proposed and was ratified in 1913. This unconstitutional amendment changed the process of how a Senator is selected by making it law to make that selection by popular vote of the people. This action greatly diminishes the interest and power of the individual states and reduces states’ rights. 

Only one-third of its membership runs for re-election at any one time. The continuity and six-year terms were meant to allow the Senate to serve as a restraining influence on the House. Since a Senator represents an entire state, he/she has a more diverse electorate and must be concerned with a broader range of views and interests than a Member of the House with a narrower constituency.

I. Structure 

The Senate is made up of four members known as ‘floor leaders’. These positions are referred to as the Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Majority Whip and Minority Whip. The structure further branches into ‘committees’. Due to the high volume and complexity of its work, Congress divides its tasks among approximately 250 committees and sub committees. The House and Senate each have their own committee system, which are similar. Within chamber guidelines, however, each committee adopts its own rules; thus, there is considerable variation among panels. Committees are further broken down into categories, which are Sixteen Standing Committees, four Select Committees, and three Joint Committees. 

Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Appropriations
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Budget
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Committee on Indian Affairs
Energy and Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations
Governmental Affairs
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Economic Committee
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Select Committee on Ethics
Select Committee on Intelligence
Small Business
Special Committee on Aging
Veterans’ Affairs
There are also five non-elected positions in the Senate;
Chaplain
Majority Secretary
Minority Secretary
Secretary 
Sergeant at Arms

II. Treaties

In accordance with the Constitution, the Senate has responsibility for advice and consent to ratification of treaties with other nations that have been negotiated and agreed to by the Executive Branch.

III. Bills

Bills are prefixed with H.R. when introduced in the House and S. when introduced in the Senate, and they are followed by a number based on the order in which they are introduced. The vast majority of legislative proposals are in the form of bills. Bills deal with domestic and foreign issues and programs, and they also appropriate money to various government agencies and programs.

Public bills pertain to matters that affect the general public or classes of citizens, while private bills affect just certain individuals and organizations. 

A private bill provides benefits to specified individuals (including corporate bodies). Individuals sometimes request relief through private legislation when administrative or legal remedies are exhausted. Many private bills deal with immigration–granting citizenship or permanent residency. Private bills may also be introduced for individuals who have claims again the government, veterans benefits claims, claims for military decorations, or taxation problems. The title of a private bill usually begins with the phrase, "For the relief of. . . ." If a private bill is passed in identical form by both houses of Congress and is signed by the President, it becomes a private law. 
When bills are passed in identical form by both Chambers of Congress and signed by the President (or repassed by Congress over a Presidential veto), they become laws.

IV. Appropriations

The President submits an omnibus budget to Congress for the federal government every fiscal year. Congress must then pass appropriations bills to provide money to carry out government programs for that year. Appropriations bills are usually divided up by type of program and agency into thirteen separate bills: Agriculture, Commerce/Justice/State, Defense, District of Columbia, Energy and Water, Foreign Operations, Interior, Labor/Health and Human Services/Education, Legislative Branch, Military Construction, Transportation, Treasury/Postal Service, and Veterans Affairs/Housing and Urban Development.

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