Senate of Aumarea
United Federation Senate | |
|---|---|
| 1st Congress | |
| Type | |
| Type | of the Congress of Aumarea |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
| Founded | 3 March 2023 |
| Leadership | |
Vacant | |
President Pro Tempore | Vacant |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 14 |
Length of term | 2 Years |
| Elections | |
| First Past the Post | |
| Meeting place | |
| Senate Chamber Palace of Congress Kosa Federal District | |
| Constitution | |
| Constitution of Aumarea | |
The United Federation Senate, sometimes the Senate of Aumarea or UF Senate, is the upper chamer of the United Federation Congress, with the House of Delegates as the lower chamber.
The composition and powers of the Senate are established by Article One of the United Federation Constitution. The Senate is composed of senators, each of whom represents a single state in its entirety. Each state gets two senators who serve together for two year renewable terms.
As the upper chamber of Congress, the Senate has several powers of advice and consent which are unique to it. These include the approval of treaties, and the confirmation of cabinet ministers, federal judges (including Federal Supreme Court justices), military flag officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors, other federal executive officials and federal uniformed officers appointed by the president. The Senate conducts trials of those impeached by the House of Delegates.
The Vice President of the United Federation serves as presiding officer and president of the Senate by virtue of that office, despite not being a senator, and has a vote only if the Senate is equally divided. In the vice president's absence, the president pro tempore, who is traditionally the senior member of the party holding a majority of seats, presides over the Senate.
History
The senate was de facto established on 3 March 2023 as the upper house. However, the chamber was de jure established with the ratification of the Constitution of Aumarea on 12 March 2023.
Membership
Election and Term
Senators are elected by the first-past-the-post electoral system and are elected by the people of their states. In the event of a vacancy in a seat part way through a term or under special circumstances, state governors can appoint senators to fill vacancies in their state's seat(s).
Senators serve for renewable two year terms.
Oath
Upon election senator-elects are asked to swear the following oath before they take their seat:
I, ___ ___, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United Federation against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
Seniority
Senators can be ranked by seniority within the senate. Seniority is determined by the length of service of each senator with senators who have served for more terms being more senior.
Expulsion
The senate can expel senators with a two-thirds majority vote. In the event of this happening the state in which the senator was from can either elect a new senator or's governor can appoint a new one.
Functions
Legislation
Bills may be introduced in either chamber of Congress. However, the Constitution's Origination Clause provides that "All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Delegates".As a result, the Senate does not have the power to initiate bills imposing taxes. Furthermore, the House of Delegates holds that the Senate does not have the power to originate appropriation bills, or bills authorising the expenditure of federal funds.
The approval of both houses is required for any bill, including a revenue bill, to become law. Both Houses must pass the same version of the bill.
Checks and Balances
The Constitution provides several unique functions for the Senate that form its ability to "check and balance" the powers of other elements of the federal government. These include the requirement that the Senate may advise and must consent to some of the president's government appointments, also the Senate must consent to all treaties with foreign governments; it tries all impeachments in which the Vice President or Chief Justice usually preside, and it has the ability to elect the vice president in the event of vacancy.
The president can make certain appointments only with the advice and consent of the Senate. Officials whose appointments require the Senate's approval include members of the cabinet, heads of most federal executive agencies, ambassadors, associate justices of the Supreme Court and the chief justice, and other federal judges. Under Article II, Section II, of the Constitution, a large number of government appointments are subject to confirmation.
The Senate also has a role in ratifying treaties. The Constitution provides that the president may only make Treaties, provided two-thirds of the senators present concur in order to benefit from the Senate's advice and consent and give each state an equal vote in the process.
Officers
Except for the president of the Senate - who is the vice president, the Senate elects its own officers, who maintain order and decorum, manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate, and interpret the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
Presiding Officer
Under the constitution, the Vice President of the United Federation serves as the President of the Senate. However, the vice president is barred from voting in the senate unless a tie breaking vote is needed.
The Constitution authorises the Senate to elect a president pro tempore to act as presiding officer when the vice president is absent or unable to preside for other reasons.