The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of Congress, often referred to as the "upper house." Established by Article I of the U.S. Constitution , it was designed as a body of "sober second thought" to provide stability and represent state interests equally.
: While the House has the power to impeach, the Senate conducts the trial and serves as the jury to decide on conviction . Membership and Qualifications
: Elections are staggered so that one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years. us senate
: It has the exclusive authority to approve treaties negotiated by the executive branch with a two-thirds majority vote.
: To be a senator, an individual must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least nine years, and a resident of the state they represent. Working within the Senate How laws are made | USAGov The United States Senate is one of the
: There are 100 senators in total—two from each state—serving six-year terms .
: The Senate must approve or reject presidential nominees for executive and judicial positions, including Cabinet members, federal judges, and Supreme Court justices. Membership and Qualifications : Elections are staggered so
The Senate holds unique constitutional powers that distinguish it from the House of Representatives: