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United States Senate: Quick Facts

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News •

Van Hollen rules out White House run as he mounts bid to replace Schumer as Senate leader • Nov. 13, 2026, 3:55 PM ET (AP)
Van Hollen to challenge Schumer for Senate Democratic leader • Nov. 13, 2026, 7:42 AM ET (AP)
Senators probe RFK Jr.'s Samoa trip testimony after AP and Guardian showed documents that refute it • Nov. 12, 2026, 5:13 PM ET (AP)
Scott Colom makes history in Mississippi. Two other Black men did the same 150 years before him • Nov. 12, 2026, 4:33 PM ET (AP)
Black voters view Scott Colom's historic US Senate win through lens of Mississippi's racial legacy • Nov. 12, 2026, 1:08 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Date 1789 - present
Areas Of Involvement Congressional term limits • What is the role of the parliamentarians in the U.S. Congress? • History of Women in the U.S. Congress
Related People Chris Coons • John G. Carlisle

Photos and Videos

U.S. Senate chamber
The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., with its white dome and neoclassical facade, stands behind a statue and landscaped grounds.
Hubert Humphrey's signature
Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial in the Senate, 1868
Senators Blanche Lincoln, Jean Carnahan, Susan Collins, Patty Murray, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Barbara Mikulski, and Dianne Feinstein sit and talk together in a Capitol Hill office with coffee cups on a table.
Black and white photo of eight women U.S. Senators sitting in a circle and talking in a formal room.
A hand places a ballot in a box with an American flag in the background. Large text reads What's the point? with a blue arrow pointing to the ballot.
See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

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