Why Only One-Third of the U.S. Senate Is on the Ballot Every Two Years
Article I, Section 3 divides the U.S. Senate into three staggered classes. Here are the 7 constitutional and historical reasons one-third is elected biennially.
Andreea C.
Edits the Constitution & Congress section, covering how bills move through committee, Senate procedure, and the clauses of the Constitution that shape federal power. Checks each entry against Congress.gov, the Constitution Annotated and Congressional Research Service reports.
15 stories
Andreea C. stories
10 Facts About the 1787 Constitutional Convention—Including the Delegates Who Walked Out or Refused to Sign
Of 55 delegates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, only 39 signed. Discover the boycotts, summer walkouts, and holdouts that forced the Bill…
7 Facts About the 9/11 Commission—and How Its 2004 Bipartisan Report Reshaped Washington
Explore 7 facts about the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, from its 2002 statutory mandate and executive interviews to the 2004 intelligence overhaul.
9 Facts About the Library of Congress—and How Its Non-Partisan Research Arm (CRS) Briefs Lawmakers
Explore 9 historical and statutory facts about the Library of Congress and how the Congressional Research Service (CRS) briefs federal lawmakers.
9 Ways the Presidential Line of Succession Changed Three Times Since 1792
How the Presidential Succession Acts of 1792, 1886, and 1947 altered the emergency line of succession across nine major statutory mechanisms.
Why Congress Passes Continuing Resolutions Instead of Regular Budgets
How the statutory federal budget calendar under the 1974 Budget Act compares with Congress's modern reliance on continuing resolutions and omnibus bills.
10 Major Laws That Always Take Effect on January 1—and How ‘Effective Dates’ Work in Legislation
Explore 10 major laws and statutory adjustments that take effect every January 1, and learn how Congress and state legislatures set effective…
9 Times Congress Used a Joint Session to Hear from Foreign Leaders
Explore 9 landmark speeches by foreign leaders to Congress, and learn the procedural difference between formal joint sessions and joint meetings.
10 Historic Supreme Court Dissents That Later Became the Law of the Land
Explore 10 historic Supreme Court dissents that later became binding U.S. law through constitutional amendments or landmark judicial reversals.
6 Constitutional Rules That Govern Impeachment—and How Many Federal Officials Have Been Removed
The House has impeached 21 federal officials across 22 proceedings, but the Senate has convicted and removed only eight. Here are the…