Senior Senator

Encyclopedia : S : SE : SEN : Senior Senator

Senior Senator and Junior Senator are terms commonly used in the media to describe U.S. Senators. Each U.S. state sends two senators to serve in the Senate; the longer (continuously) serving of the two is by convention referred to as the "senior" senator, and the other is referred to as the "junior" senator. If both are elected at the same time (e.g., one in a regular election and the other simultaneously to fill the seat of a senator who resigned), the one elected for the full term is senior.

There is no mandated difference in rights or power, although Senate rules give more power to senators with more seniority. Generally, senior senators will have more power, though being a member of the majority party is more advantageous than being senior.

Some of the perks of seniority offered by the U.S. Senate:

Senators are given preferential treatment for committee assignments based on seniority. Although the committee chairmanship is an elected position, it is traditionally given to the most senior senator of the majority party serving on the committee. The vice-chairman (or "ranking member") of a committee is the most senior member of the minority party thereon.
The most senior senator of the majority party is usually chosen as the President pro tempore, a mostly honorary position that is, however, third in line for the Presidency of the United States.
Greater seniority enables a Senator to choose a desk closer to the front of the Senate Chamber.

Traditionally, seniority brings with it greater clout. As a result of this, it is fairly difficult for the more junior members of both houses of Congress to have a significant impact on policy.

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