The Senate is one of the greatest deliberative bodies in the world, partially because of its unsurpassed protection of minority rights. It is designed so that one individual Senator can slow down, or even stop, the Senate from passing a bill. Although some in today’s culture of immediacy see this as a weakness, it is actually a strength of the Senate.

The Founding Fathers did not create our government to be fast acting. The process was designed to be slow and make sure that the government was actually doing the right thing. James Madison once wrote, “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” Our Founders created a government with checks and balances, both among the three branches as well as within the legislative branch. The House of Representatives follows a majority rule system that can be fast, but not always the most thoughtful process. Therefore, the Founding Fathers wisely designed the Senate to be slower, more deliberative body. According to Madison, it would serve as a “necessary fence” against the “fickleness and passion” that tended to influence the attitudes of the members of the House.

The Senate not only serves as a check against the House, but is also check against the executive branch. Although the executive has the responsibility to negotiate treaties, it is the Senate's obligation to ensure that the United States does not enter into any treaties that are against our interests. The Senate also must give its advice and consent to the President’s nominees to many positions in the executive and judicial branches. The Senate also exercises oversight of the executive branch though committee hearings and occasionally legislative action. 

Here you will find all the bills currently in the Senate (either in a Senate Committee or on the Senate Calendar), whether they originated in the Senate or came to the Senate from the House of Representatives. 

Here you will find the Nominations which the President has submitted to the Senate for Confirmation

Here are resources designed to aid Senators as they represent their states. However, observers of the Senate may find these resources useful as they follow the Senate in action.