The Constitution provides that ‘‘the Vice President of the United States shall be the President of the Senate'' (Article 1, Section 3). As President of the Senate, the Vice President presides over the Senate, makes parliamentary rulings (which may be overturned by a majority vote of the Senate), and may cast tie-breaking votes. At first, Vice Presidents presided on a regular basis, but in recent years they are present in the chair only when a close vote is anticipated, during major debates, or on important ceremonial occasions (such as the swearing in of newly elected Senators, or during joint sessions). In the absence of the Vice President, the Senate elects a President pro tempore (president ‘‘for the time being'') to preside. In recent decades it has become traditional for this post to go to the senior Senator from the majority party. __
