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44 unusual facts about United States Senate


1987 Winston 500

Just 32 years prior to this racing event, the United States Congress almost banned all forms of automobile racing (including NASCAR) before the bill was defeated outside the jurisdiction of the United States Senate and then-American president Dwight Eisenhower.

Agenda 21

The United States is a signatory country to Agenda 21, but because Agenda 21 is a legally non-binding statement of intent and not a treaty, the United States Senate was not required to hold a formal debate or vote on it.

Anti-pharming

In March 2005, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced the Anti-Phishing Act of 2005, a bill that proposes a five-year prison sentence and/or fine for individuals who execute phishing attacks and use information garnered through online fraud such as phishing and pharming to commit crimes such as identity theft.

Ashkan Soltani

In 2011, he testified at two different hearings held by US Senate committees focused on privacy related matters.

Benjamin Franklin Tilley

A treaty to that effect was written and submitted, but it was not approved by the United States Senate.

Black Day of the Indiana General Assembly

Gray desired to be elected by the Indiana General Assembly to the United States Senate, but leaders in his party did not want him to rise farther because of his actions while he was a Republican.

Blue slip

In the Senate, a blue slip is an opinion written by a Senator from the state where a federal judicial nominee resides.

Bruce Kupper

Bruce served Senator William Cohen, then U.S. Senator from Maine and later United States Secretary of Defense in the Clinton administration, as central district staff member and office manager from 1973 to 1975.

Charles Gayarré

In 1830 he was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives; in 1831 was appointed deputy attorney general of his state; in 1833 he became presiding judge of the city court of New Orleans; and in 1834 he was elected as a Jackson Democrat to the United States Senate.

China Hands

Notable was the invitation to the surviving China Hands to testify to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 1971.

Chip Reid

Reid began covering the Senate and the House of Representatives for NBC News in the fall of 2004; and, he served as a political coverage anchor for MSNBC, as well as a reporter for all the major NBC News broadcasts.

Eugene Roche

Roche was also known on Airwolf as United States Senator William Dietz in the pilot episode "Shadow of the Hawke" in season 1 and as a drunken friend of Dominic Santini's named Eddie in the episode "Firestorm" in season 2.

George H. Bender

He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1939 to 1947 and 1951 to 1954, and also in the U.S. Senate from 1954 to 1957.

George H. McLain

McLain also ran twice for the United States Senate: as a write-in Democrat in 1946 (special election) and for his party's nomination 1964, losing both times.

Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park

The United States Senate appointed a committee to study the value of Low's proposal.

Henry B. Krajewski

He was also an American Third Party candidate for the United States Senate from New Jersey in 1954.

Indirect election

In the United States, most members of the Senate were elected by the legislatures of the states until 1913, when the Seventeenth Amendment instituted direct elections for those office-holders.

James P. Lucier

James P. Lucier, is an author, and was a staff member of the United States Senate for 25 years, and was a former staff director for the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

John Michael Manos

He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 26, 1976, and received his commission on March 29, 1976.

Laos–United States relations

In an effort to halt the planned repatriation, the Republican-led U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives both appropriated funds for the remaining Thailand-based Hmong to be immediately resettled in the U.S.; Clinton, however, responded by promising a veto of the legislation.

McLane–Ocampo Treaty

Although U.S. President James Buchanan strongly favored the arrangement, and Mexican President Benito Juárez badly needed the money to finance the war he was waging against the Conservative Party, it was never ratified by the U.S. Senate.

Morton A. Hill

The Hill-Link Report, which recommended maintaining anti-obscenity statutes, was read into the record of both the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.

NumbersUSA

On June 28, 2007, NumbersUSA claimed a victory after a sweeping immigration bill collapsed in the U.S. Senate.

Objection to the consideration of a question

In the United States, particularly in the United States Senate, a motion to table is more common because it only requires a simple majority.

Office of War Mobilization

It was headed by James F. Byrnes, a former U.S. Senator and Supreme Court Justice.

Peru–United States Trade Promotion Agreement

The agreement was signed on April 12, 2006; ratified by the Peruvian Congress on June 28, 2006; by the U.S. House of Representatives on November 2, 2007 and by the U.S. Senate on December 4, 2007.

Richard O. Boyer

Richard Owen Boyer (January 10, 1903 – August 7, 1973) was an American freelance journalist who, before appearing at a Senate hearing, had contributed profiles to The New Yorker and written for the Daily Worker.

Rockline

Notable non-musical guests include then Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton with running mate, then-United States Senator from Tennessee Al Gore during their presidential campaign in 1992; and on December 16, 1993 radio superstar Howard Stern, the latter of whom was promoting his New Year's Eve Pay-per-view special.

S.R. 819

The background check leads Mulder to Senator Richard Matheson (Raymond J. Barry), which results in a dead end.

Savannah Smiles

The film centers around a six-year-old girl named Savannah (Andersen), whose father is running for the United States Senate.

The Problem of Thor Bridge

Neil Gibson, the Gold King and former Senator for "some Western state", approaches Holmes to investigate the murder of his wife Maria in order to clear his children's governess, Grace Dunbar, of the crime.

The Silver Star Families of America

On May 19, 2010 the United States Senate followed suit and approved Senate Resolution 534 and it was sent to the President of the United States.

The Terrorists

The main plot of the book involves Martin Beck leading a team of policemen to prevent a presumed terrorist attack on a highly unpopular American senator who is paying an official visit to Sweden.

Thomas B. Fargo

However, an uproar was created in the Senate as it was customary for a Navy flag officer to serve as Commander of PACOM and no other branches, thus the Air Force general was not confirmed by the Senate.

Toombs County, Georgia

The County is named for Robert Toombs, United States representative and senator.

Under Secretary of Energy for Energy and Environment

The Under Secretary of Energy is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security

The Under Secretary for Nuclear Security is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

United States Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

The Deputy Secretary is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

United States Senate election in Connecticut, 1992

The 1992 United States Senate election in Connecticut took place on November 3, 1992, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in 34 other states, as well as with a presidential election and elections to the United States House of Representatives in all 50 states.

United States Senate elections, 1876

The United States Senate election of 1876 was an election in which the Democratic Party gained three seats in the United States Senate, and which coincided with Rutherford B. Hayes narrow election as President.

United States Senate elections, 1886

The United States Senate election of 1886 was an election which had the Republican Party lose three seats in the United States Senate.

United States Senate elections, 1906

The United States Senate election of 1906 was an election which had the Republican Party gain three seats in the United States Senate, expanding their majority to almost twice that of the opposing Democratic Party.

Voice of the Martyrs

In 1966, Wurmbrand testified before the Internal Security Subcommittee of the US Senate about the treatment that Christians received under Communist governments, raising world-wide interest in Christian persecution, and through his influence several missions were founded around the world to help support Christians who suffered under Communist persecution.

William Wesley Cox

He ran in many elections, and his last attempt at office was in 1944, running for the United States Senate seat in Missouri, at the age of 79.


1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak

Senator Charles Percy and Illinois Governor Otto Kerner visited to speak with victims and thank the recovery volunteers.

A Sense of Where You Are

In A Sense of Where You Are, John McPhee profiles Bill Bradley during Bradley's senior year at Princeton University. Bradley, who would later play in the National Basketball Association and serve in the United States Senate, was widely regarded as one of the best basketball players in the country, and his status as a Rhodes Scholar playing in the Ivy League only added to his allure.

A. Jeff McLemore

In 1928, McLemore made one more run for public office for an open U.S. Senate seat, but was defeated by Thomas T. Connally.

Ana Marie Cox

Cox and Wonkette gained notoriety in the political world for publicizing the story of Jessica Cutler, also known as "Washingtonienne", a staff assistant to Senator Mike DeWine (R.-Ohio) who accepted money from a George W. Bush administration official and others in exchange for sexual favors.

Bob Schieffer

On October 13, 2004, he was the moderator of the third presidential debate between President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry in Tempe, Arizona.

Canadian Parliamentary Motion on Alexander Graham Bell

During the 108th Congress another almost identical resolution, SRes 223 was introduced in the United States Senate, but which was then sent to a committee where it died, unenacted.

Civil Rights Act of 1875

The bill was proposed by Senator Sumner and co-sponsored by Representative Benjamin F. Butler, both Republicans from Massachusetts, in the 43rd Congress of the United States in 1870.

COICA

Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, proposed legislation in the United States Senate that allows the blocking the domain names of web sites accused of piracy

Compleat Angler Hotel

In addition to Ernest Hemingway, additional notable visitors have included Lucille Ball, singer and writer Jimmy Buffett, and Colorado senator Gary Hart, whose presidential aspirations were sunken in 1987 when compromising photographs were released of him at the lodge with a woman who was not his wife.

Congressional Committees Investigating The Iran-Contra Affair

The Congressional Committees Investigating The Iran-Contra Affair were committees of the United States House of Representatives and of the United States Senate formed in January 1987 to investigate the Iran-Contra affair.

Conservatives without Conscience

Conservatives Without Conscience is a book written by John Dean, who served as White House Counsel under U.S. President Richard Nixon and then helped to break the Watergate scandal with his testimony before the United States Senate.

Dewey Jackson Short

Short was an unsuccessful candidate in 1932 for nomination to the United States Senate but was elected to the Seventy-fourth Congress and the ten succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1935-January 3, 1957).

Firearm Owners Protection Act

In the Report of the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, 97th Congress, Second Session (February 1982), a bipartisan subcommittee (consisting of 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats) of the United States Senate investigated the Second Amendment and reported its findings.

Government of Memphis, Tennessee

Harold, Jr. gave up the seat to make an unsuccessful run for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Bill Frist.

Governor of Wisconsin

Four governors have resigned: William Barstow due to fraud allegations, Robert La Follette, Sr. to take his seat in the United States Senate, Patrick Joseph Lucey to become Ambassador to Mexico, and Tommy Thompson to become United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Indirect election

the United States Senate was indirectly elected by state legislatures until, after a number of attempts over the previous century, the 17th amendment to the constitution was ratified in 1913.

J. Greg Hanson

He previously served as the first Assistant Sergeant at Arms and Chief Information Officer of the United States Senate from June 2003 to January 2008 under Senate Majority Leaders Bill Frist and Harry Reid.

James Kimbrough Jones

Jones was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth Congresses (March 4, 1881-March 4, 1885); he was re-elected to the Forty-ninth but tendered his resignation on February 19, 1885, having been elected to the United States Senate that year.

John C. Sanborn

He was a candidate for United States Senate in 1950 and 1956 but was defeated both times in the Republican primary by Herman Welker.

John Earl Haynes

During the last years of the 1970s Haynes served as a legislative assistant to Sen. Wendell Anderson, a Democratic Governor of Minnesota named to replace Walter Mondale in the United States Senate when the latter was elected Vice President of the United States.

Joseph Alioto

His second wife, Kathleen Sullivan Alioto, was a member of the Boston School committee and a candidate for a United States Senate in Massachusetts in 1978 primary.

Keith Starrett

On July 6, 2004, Starrett was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi vacated by Charles W. Pickering, Sr. Starrett was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 20, 2004, and received his commission on December 13, 2004.

Marion De Vries

On December 5, 1900, President McKinley nominated De Vries to the same seat, which had been vacated by Joseph Biddle Wilkinson, Jr. He was confirmed by the Senate on December 10, 1900.

Martin D. Hardin

Following the expiration of his term as Secretary of State, Governor Gabriel Slaughter appointed Hardin to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by William T. Barry, who resigned.

Mini-Tuesday

The Democratic primaries and caucuses were contested between retired General Wesley Clark of Arkansas, former Governor Howard Dean of Vermont, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, and the Reverend Al Sharpton of New York.

National Freedom Day

National Freedom Day is a United States observance on February 1 honoring the signing by Abraham Lincoln of a joint House & Senate resolution that later became the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Office of Territorial Affairs

The first Director of Territories was Ernest Gruening, who served from 1934 to 1939, and later served as the territorial governor of Alaska and then as one of the first senators elected from Alaska upon statehood.

Richard W. Mallary

He was not a candidate for reelection to the Ninety-fourth Congress in 1974 but was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the United States Senate, losing to present U.S. Senator from Vermont Patrick Leahy in his initial run for the U.S. Senate.

Sizing Up the Senate

Sizing Up the Senate: The Unequal Consequences of Equal Representation, by Frances E. Lee and Bruce I. Oppenheimer, is a book that analyzes the behavior of United States Senators based on the size of the states they represent.

Styles Bridges

Bridges ran for the position of governor of New Hampshire in 1934, and won, becoming the nation's youngest governor at the time, according to John Gunther's book, Inside U.S.A. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1936, and would serve until his death in 1961.

Ted Patrick

Patrick testified before an ad hoc Congressional committee organized in 1979 by Senator Bob Dole.

The Marshall News Messenger

The Texas Republican and the Tri-Weekly Herald, both published by Robert W. Loughery, were credited with aiding the election of Marshall citizens J.P. Henderson, Edward Clark, and Pendleton Murrah to the Governor's office and Louis T. Wigfall to the U.S. Senate.

United States Deputy Undersecretary of Defense

Officials are appointed Deputy Undersecretary of Defense by the President and are confirmed by the Senate by majority vote.

United States House of Representatives election in Pennsylvania, 1788

On July 8, 1788, the Congress of the Confederation passed a resolution calling the first session of the 1st United States Congress for March 4, 1789, to convene at New York City and the election of Senators and Representatives in the meanwhile by the States.

United States Senate election in Montana, 2008

Montana generally gives its presidential electors to Republican candidates, but historically has elected several prominent Democrats to the United States Senate, including Thomas Walsh, Burton K. Wheeler, Mike Mansfield, and Lee Metcalf.

United States Senate election in North Dakota, 1952

The incumbent, Non-Partisan League (NPL) Senator William Langer, sought and received re-election to his fourth term in the United States Senate on the Republican ticket, defeating Democratic candidate Harold A. Morrison.

United States Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime in Interstate Commerce

The United States Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime in Interstate Commerce was a special committee of the United States Senate which existed from 1950 to 1951 and which investigated organized crime which crossed state borders in the United States.

Webster County, Georgia

The County is named for Daniel Webster, U.S. representative of New Hampshire and U.S. representative and U.S. senator of Massachusetts.

William Lockhart Garwood

1629 (President Jimmy Carter previously had nominated Andrew L. Jefferson, Jr. to the seat, but the United States Senate had declined to act on Jefferson's nomination before Carter's presidency ended).