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<div class='tabWrapper'><a href='index.html'>Home</a> | <a href='committees.html'>Committees</a> | <a href='differences.html'>Differences</a> | <a href='legislation.html'>Legislation</a></div><br><br><br>

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<p>The Senate is designed to be the more prudent house. For example, if a bill is being considered on the floor of the Senate and has a majority planning on passing it, a Senator may decide to speak to the Senate until enough people leave so that the bill dies. This is called a filibuster and can only be overcome by a ⅗’s vote. Also, each individual Senator has much more power than an individual person in the HR. This is designed so that if a minority of Senators have a serious problem with the bill, they have more leverage, so this helps make the Senate more prudent.</p>

<p>Currently, there are two independent Senators and zero independent Representatives. These Senators caucus with the Democrats, but they are able to even reach the Senate without an official affiliation with one of the two parties because individualism is much more prized in the Senate. In the HR, you are expected to vote with your party, and if you don’t, you are much more likely to find that you are abandoned by your party. In the Senate, on the other hand, Senators often do not vote with their party, and the consequences are much lesser than they would be in the House.</p>

<p>Another difference is that appropriations bills (bills that spend the government’s money) must originate in the HR. This is balanced by the fact that the Senate confirms presidential appointments. Here are some other key differences:</p>

<b>Senate:</b><ul>

<li>100 members</li>

<li>Each state gets two members</li>

<li>Leader is the Majority Leader.</li>

<li>Currently controlled by Republicans</li>

</ul>

<b>House of Representatives:</b><ul>

<li>435 members</li>

<li>Members allocated by population, but each state gets at least one Representative</li>

<li>Leader is the Speaker of the House</li>

<li>Currently controlled by Democrats</li>

</ul>

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