U.S. Senate

Basic Facts on the U.S. Senate• Qualifications of Members:

1. 30 years or older

2. U.S. Citizen for 9 years prior to election

3. Resident of State• Organization and Size:

100 members

Two Senators per state• Punishment

Punish by majority vote

Expel by a 2/3 vote

US Senate Terms and Elections• Terms and Term Limits:

6 year term

Saxby Chambliss (GA-R)

Johnny Isakson (GA-R)

No term limits• Senate Elections:

Continuous Body: Senators are divided into 3 groups and elections are staggered, only 1/3 of the Senate is up for re-election every 2 years

Ensures there are always experienced US Senators to continue the important policies

The Million Dollar Club• Originally, US Senators were elected by the State

Legislatures• Rich business men would bribe State lawmakers

with large campaign contributions (spend 1 million) and then would be elected as a US Senator

17th Amendment (1913)• Direct popular election of US Senators by the

qualified voters of the State• The executive authority of the state (Governor) may

fill Senate vacancies until the next election convenes

The Rod Blagojevich Scandal • Milorad "Rod“ Blagojevich (D) Governor of Illinois

• Senator Barrack Obama from Illinois won the 2008 Presidential Election leaving the Governor to fill the vacated Senate seat (17th Amendment)

• "I've got this thing, and it's f_____ golden," he told an aide a day after the November election on a home phone that was tapped by the FBI. "I'm just not giving it up for f______ nothing."

The Rod Blagojevich Scandal• The Illinois state legislature impeach and convicted

the Governor in January 2009 and he was removed from office.

• December 2011, Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison by a federal judge (18 convictions)

Senator Robert Byrd (D)

West Virginia

Elected: January 3, 1959

Longest Serving Senator

51 years! 5 months, 26 days

Life: 1917-2010