How many U.S. Senators are there?

The United States Senate is one half of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the House of Representatives. Together, they compose the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government.

The U.S. Constitution, in Article I, Section 3, provides for the Senate and establishes that each state, regardless of its population size, is to be represented by two senators. This structure was designed to ensure equal representation for each state in the Senate.

Senators serve six-year terms with staggered elections, meaning that approximately one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years. This is done to ensure that the entire body isn't replaced at once and provides a degree of continuity in the Senate.

The roles and responsibilities of a U.S. Senator include creating laws, confirming Presidential appointments (including justices to the Supreme Court), and trying impeachments decided upon by the House of Representatives. The Senate also has the exclusive power to ratify treaties.

The Vice President of the United States serves as the President of the Senate but can only vote in the Senate to break a tie. In the Vice President's absence, the Senate's presiding officer is the President pro tempore, a position traditionally held by the senior member of the majority party.

As 2023, there are 100 Senators in the U.S. Senate.