#31: CIVICS 101: The Legislative Branch
Q&A #31: Who presides over the Senate?
Our American Government
Our American Government is a small book published by the House of Representatives for citizens and those who seek a greater understanding of the American interpretation of democracy. It follows a question-and-answer format and covers a broad range of topics dealing with the three branches of our Government, the electoral process, and the role of political parties.
The Savvy Citizen is reproducing the 169 questions-and-answers through a series of posts called Civics 101. Each post will contain the Q&A as well as some additional commentary to add historical context, fun facts, or anything we believe will add to our collective understanding of these topics.
Think of it as your adult Civics class, but without the test!
Let’s keep at it.
SECTION: The Legislative Branch: The Congress
Members, Offices, and Staff
Q&A #31: Who presides over the Senate?
The Constitution provides that the “Vice President of the United States shall be the President of the Senate (Article 1, section 3). As President of the Senate, the Vice President presides over the Senate, makes parliamentary rulings (which may be overturned by a majority vote of the Senate or by supermajority, 60 votes, in certain instances), and may cast tie-breaking votes, but in recent years they are present in the chair only when a close vote is anticipated, during major debates, or on important ceremonial occasions (such as the swearing in of newly elected Senators, or during joint sessions).
In the absence of the Vice President, the Senate elects a President pro tempore (president “for the time being”) to preside. In recent decades it has become traditional for this post to go to the senior Senator from the majority party to preside by rotation during each day’s proceedings. These Senators and the President pro tempore retain their rights to vote on all issues before the body and to debate when they are not presiding.
My Thoughts
Some fun facts from Ballotpedia …
“John Adams cast the first tie-breaking vote on July 18, 1789. As of December 5, 2023, there were 301 tie-breaking votes from 37 vice presidents. Kamala Harris (D) (2021-present) has cast the most tie-breaking votes (33) during her tenure as vice president, John C. Calhoun (1825 - 1832) cast the second most (31), and Adams (1789 - 1797) cast the third most (29).
Twelve vice presidents, including Joe Biden and Dan Quayle, never cast a tie-breaking vote during their time in office.1”
You can read the list of Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking votes onn the Senate’s website here.
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Back next time with Q&A #32: Who are the officers of the Senate, how are they chosen, and what are their duties?
Meanwhile, don’t forget that we’re organizing the post links on a single page available here.
xo,
Kelley for the Savvy Citizen Team
December 24, 2024
Can a Vice President serve as the President of the Senate while serving as Acting President under the 25th Amendment? If so, the same individual would be head of the upper house of the legislature and the executive branch at the same time, breaching separation of powers. We came close to having this situation and, as far as I know, it is unchartered Constitutional waters.