ABSTRACT
The U.S. Senate has long been the subject of researchers seeking to understand the history and inner workings of the “upper chamber.” This tradition continues to the present day, as scholars seek to understand the unusual electoral structure and supermajority rules of the Senate. This chapter provides an overview of the institutional features of the Senate, explaining how the constitutional design of the chamber distinguishes it from the U.S. House. I then discuss the increasing partisanship among U.S. senators. This leads to a review of the Senate’s rules, including recent reforms to limit Senate filibustering. I conclude by discussing the choices facing the U.S. Senate and the implications for research on this legislative body.
