How U.S. Senators Are Appointed to Fill Vacancies
Most states let the governor appoint a senator when a seat opens mid-term. Here is where that power comes from, how long appointees serve, and the limits.
U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate explained, including how senators are elected, the six year term and class system, and how vacancies are filled.
What Is the Filibuster?
What the filibuster is: how extended debate works in the Senate, the 60-vote threshold to end it, and why it shapes which bills pass.
Congressional Committees Explained
How congressional committees work: what they do, standing versus other committees, how bills move through them, and why a committee seat matters.
What Does a U.S. Senator Do?
What a U.S. Senator does: writing and voting on laws, confirming appointments and treaties, committee work, statewide representation, and the six-year term.
How to Find Your U.S. Senators
Every state has two U.S. senators elected statewide. Learn how senators differ from your House member and how to look up your state’s senators.
How a Bill Becomes Law
The steps a bill takes to become law: introduction, committee review, floor votes in the House and Senate, reconciling versions, and the President’s sign-off.
House vs Senate: What’s the Difference?
How the House and Senate compare: 435 members versus 100, district versus statewide seats, two-year versus six-year terms, and what each does.