Who presides over the Senate when the Vice President is not there?
Waldorf, Maryland Freshman Senators of the majority party are most often tapped to do the duties of the Chair. As has long been the tradition, Senators serve in the chair for approximately one hour at a time. The presiding officer in the Senate is addressed as “Mr. President” or “Madame President,” reflecting the fact that the Constitution bestows presiding duties in the office known as President of the Senate. The Constitution provides that, in the absence of the President of the Senate [the Vice President], the President pro tempore [PPT] will preside. However, the PPT, an elected position, is almost always the most senior majority party Senator and therefore usually a committee chairman as well, and quite busy. In his absence, the Senate tradition evolved of putting junior Senators in the Chair in order for them to better learn the procedures of their new home — and because more senior Senators don’t want the job! Under the “power-sharing” agreement negotiated by Democratic Leader
