The Republic Senate

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The Republic Senate was the upper chamber of its legislative branch.

Origin

When the Republic was founded, the legislative branch was defined as bi-cameral house. The lower chamber, the General Assembly would be elected on a proportional basis but the upper chamber, the Senate, would be based around two senators per member world.

Constitutional Role

"The Senate will arbitrate disputes between member systems, review and approve treaties with foreign powers, declare war, and rule on interpretations of law. The Senate will also be able to veto laws passed by the General Assembly, but not who they select as President nor budgets or taxes. The Senate will judge any impeachment charges against a President."

Oversight Committee

The most prominent role for the Senate during the early 26th century was the Oversight committee which was given a wide remit to investigate and scrutinize actions by the government and other organizations.
Its first chairman, who held the gavel for forty years, was Senator Noah Haumont who set out the convention for integrity and collegial, constructive dialogue within the oversight committee.
Several prominent committee hearings were held, including the "Inkerman Committee", which helped propel Xavier Inkerman to the Presidency in 2540. Chairmen of the Senate Oversight Committee

1. Senator Noah Haumont -Independent - 2500-2550
2. Senator Davis Handley -SDP - 2550-2560
3. Senator Morse Cutbill -Isolationist -2560-2570
4. Senator Sedgwick Lewis-Librarius - 2570-2580

Other Committees

The Senate has several other committees including the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Judiciary committee, the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The Senate has a "leadership committee", the Senate Rules Committee which consists of the leader or spokesman for each group in the senate.

Alumni

Independent Senators

• Xavier Inkerman - Independent -Earth -later elected as President under the Valiant ticket
• Noah Haumont - Independent - -Nova Terra -known for his high level of integrity, chairman of the Oversight Committee
• Tarnat 118 - Independent -Celeste - veteran senator known for his sensible, pragmatic and non-partisan approach to the Senate
• Vee Blue - Independent -Celeste
• Van Zant 1191 -Independent - Aeppel
• Garibaldi 104 -Independent - Aeppel
• Josie Gallivan - Independent - Furnace

Social Democratic Senators

• Herrick Knottman -Earth - Social Democratic Party -later served in the cabinet as foreign secretary and then President of the Republic.
• Davis Handley -New Berlin -Social Democratic Party -veteran of the Senate, hugely respected by all parties
• Thorvald Reston -Social Democratic Party -Van Allen's World
• Dr Gemma Mears - Social Democratic Party -Van Allen's World
• Hedges Morseby -Federalist-Social Democratic Party -Fort Pitcairn
• Ruvinder Karnes - Federalist - Social Democratic Party - Van Allen's World
• Irina Solokova -Social Democratic Party -Earth
• Erland Shaw -Social Democratic Party -New Berlin
• Robisnon Goetze -Social Democratic Party -New Berlin -nominee for President in 2550
• Justus Markham -Social Democratic Party -Earth
• Karyn Handley -Social Democratic Party -New Berlin -nominee for President in 2510
• Darlenne Kaufman - Social Democratic Party - Jovian Belt -floor leader in 2570
• Luuk Tassacore - Social Democratic Party - Nova Terra
• Hannah de Moy - Social Democratic Party - Nova Terra -nominee for President in 2520
• Johnston Coady - Social Democratic Party - Eden
• Victoire Sondeheim -Social Democratic Party - Earth -named floor leader in 2560
• Selwyn Tancredo -Social Democratic Party -Fort Verekker - assassinated in 2562
• Tore Guttierez -Social Democratic Party - Jovian Belt
• Pik van Haerdens - Social Democratic Party - Earth 
• Johnston Coady - Social Democratic Party - Eden
• Harper Claridge -Social Democratic Party - Fort Kurzon -formerly Librarius
• Juvante Henderson - Social Democratic Party - Fort Kurzon
• Teshaun Takazawa - Social Democratic Party - New Carthage -formerly Librarius
• Annasyra - Social Democratic Party - Nova Terra
• Tyler Hoyle - Social Democratic Party - Nova Terra
• Seika Marahara - Social Democratic Party - Stark
• Ostor Malouf - Social Democratic Party - Whitworth -former Navy Admiral

Gurava Senators

• Davina Appleton - Gurava -Fort Pitcairn
• Hobart Hulse -Gurava -Van Allen's World
• Reiner Grumman - Gurava - New Berlin -ran for President in 2560 and then served as Foreign Secretary
• Helena Amarty - Gurava - Fort Pitcairn
• Tande Kurava-Singh - Gurava - Van Allen's World
• Raina Tancredo - Gurava - Fort Verekker
• Zaekes Morrison -Gurava - Van Allen's World
• Schofield Butler -Gurava - Van Diemen's World
• Hivante - Gurava - Fort Pitcairn
• Myranda Maguire - Gurava - St Lawrence
• Annie Osborne - Gurava - Van Allen's World

Valiant Senators

• Wavell Lazzaro -Valiant - New Berlin
• Yates Klopfer -Valiant - Van Allen's World
• Eleutheria Ashpool -Valiant -Celeste -former Imperial Chancellor, controversial character
• Gunther Ross - Valiant - New Berlin -formerly of the Destiny Party, later left the party and served as Secretary of Defence
• Shen Rutten - Valiant - Earth - controversial, outspoken Senator
• Satare 812 - Valiant - Celeste
• Jarrold Crooks - Valiant - Eden. Later charged with criminal corruption
• Rashaad Cross - Valiant - Eden
• Ebarian - Valiant - Fort Darwin
• Mads Boregon - Valiant - Jovian Belt
• Royce Sickles - Valiant - Lightning Point - grandson of President Everann Sickles. Floor leader from 2540
• Dinah Woscek - Valiant -New Carthage - ran for President in 2560
• Abdi al-Rafful -Valiant - Al Ahily
• Cal Beshear -Valiant - Al Ahily
• Keely Swofford -Valiant - Eden
• Everett Inkerman -Valiant -Earth - son of the former President Xavier Inkerman
• Kennedy Tiempe - Valiant - Fort Verekker -former Attorney General of the Republic.  Nominee for Vice President in 2580
• Saadiq al Abda - Valiant - Al Ahily
• Abdi al-Rafful -Valiant - Al Ahily
• Jander Speck -Valiant - Eden
• Voshon Graham - Valiant - Fort Pitcairn
• Hathaway Kingsford - Valiant - Jovian Belt

Vishnu Elpis Senators

• Natalie Kreig - Vishnu Elpis - Earth
• Sabine Sordell - Vishnu Elpis - Fort Darwin
• Obediah Heache - Vishnu Elpis - Mars - former Martian Attorney General and Lt-Governor
• Ophelia Valane - Vishnu Elpis - Mars
• Klaes Sharreck - Vishnu Elpis - New Corinth
• Tokarie - Vishnu Elpis - New Corinth -floor leader from 2550
• Fortis Abshire - Vishnu Elpis - Stark
• Elizabeth Sondeheim - Vishnu Elpis - Tyr
• Stovar Bream - Vishnu Elpis - Van Diemen's World
• Medhan Harrari - Vishnu Elpis - Van Diemen's World
• Dr Jenna de Veer - Vishnu Elpis - Van Allen's World
• Dr Mathis Hook - Vishnu Elpis - Fort Pitcairn - former preacher, nominee for President in 2550
• Dr Nancy Bulloch -Vishnu Elpis - Avalon
• Connolly Broughton -Vishnu Elpis - Whitworth
• Ingrid Mayer - Vishnu Elpis - Avalon
• Dr Kelly Joynes -Vishnu Elpis - Avalon
• Raelyn Blackwood -Vishnu Elpis - Fort Darwin
• Daesuki Kanzano -Vishnu Elpis - Mars
• Marnie Buxton -Vishnu Elpis - Mars - former Cydonia City Mayor
• Beatrice von Bulow -Vishnu Elpis - New Berlin
• Nikolas Grigaddis -Vishnu Elpis - New Carthage
• Dr Mason Petrelli -Vishnu Elpis - New Corinth
• Pavel Jarrie -Vishnu Elpis - New Corinth
• Dixon Tolliver -Vishnu Elpis - Van Diemen's World
• Deanna Colbert -Vishnu Elpis -Van Diemen's World
• Sarpedor - Vishnu Elpis - Whitworth - Floor leader in 2580

Isolationist Senators

• Gabriel Fayn -Isolationist - Gaia -floor leader from 2550
• Natasha Thornhill -Isolationist - Lightning Point
• Morse Cutbill -Isolationist - New Silesia - former Interior Secretary, outspoken conservative and chairman of the so-called "Cutbill Committee"
• Arundel Goss -Isolationist - New Silesia
• Graves Baskin -Isolationist - Stark
• Ava Boethe -Isolationist - Gaia -former Secretary of Defence
• Roddick Dutton -Isolationist - Jasper -former Interior Secretar
• Egan Heavar -Isolationist -Jasper
• Pave Buxton -Isolationist -New Berlin -former Independent politician
• Anna Kirschner -Isolationist - New Berlin
• Halman Buck - Isolationist - Fort Verekker
• Kota Miyahashi -Isolationist - Lightning Point
• Handell Woods -Isolationist -San Domingo
• Langdon Reid -Isolationist - Skerrit's World
• Alana Ashwell -Isolationist -Skerrit's World -floor leader from 2580
• Kayta Drummond -Isolationist - Stark

Librarius Senators

• Sedgwick Lewis -Librarius -Avalon
• Dr Dante Hill -Librarius -Fort Kurzon
• Shayne Gelgard - Librarius -Fort Kurzon
• Teshaun Takazawa -Librarius -New Carthage
• Dorsey Rooker -Librarius -New Carthage

Regional or Smaller Party Senators

• Tostig Fuller - VOS CORTANN -Vanheim
• Brigit Alfardson - Dagr / Freisi Vanheim-Vanheim
• Irving Hassert - Freisi Vanheim - Vanheim
• Dr Dante Hill -Libratum - Fort Kurzon
• Shayne Gelgard -Libratum - Fort Kurzon
• Dorsey Rooker - Libratum -New Carthage
• Voltaire Elazar -Libertarian - Gaia
• Otis Jenkins -Libertarian - Tyr
• Walid al Rassan - Centrist - Furnace
• Dr Elise Renan -Ravenheart -Nova Terra
• Voltaire Elazar -Ravenheart - Gaia - ran for President in 2560
• Strom Gallagher - Tyr First - Tyr
• Jashawn Lovoto -Tyr First - Tyr
• Adler Berg - Frelsi Vanheim - Vanheim

Role and Profile

Despite the limited political powers of the Senate, it has gained a huge amount of political press and profile, especially during its early time in the Republic. With the General Assembly comprising over a thousand members, later three thousand, it was difficult for anyone to emerge as a star and gain a lot of media visibility.
The Senate, with its much smaller membership and more collegial atmosphere, therefore gained a lot of visibility and has been a launching platform for several Presidential campaigns
There has been some criticism that the Senate represents a break in "separation of powers" as it has a judicial and a legislative role