Cygnian Senate (Joan of What?)

Imperial Senate of the Empire of the United Cygnian States
52nd Congress
Type
Type	Upper house of the Imperial Congress of Cygnia
Leadership
President	Lincoln Freeman, DLP since 6 February 2015
Leader of the Government	Gary Hatchworth, DLP since 6 February 2015
Leader of the Opposition	Karen Smithson, NUP since 6 February 2015
Government Whip	John Ray, DLP since 6 February 2015
Opposition Whip	Darryl Anderson, NUP since 6 February 2015
History
Established	3 July 1793
Structure
Members	82
Political groups	Government (46)   DLP (46) Opposition (31)   NUP (31) Crossbenchers (4)   Greens (2)   Liberal (1)   Christian Democrats (1)
Election
Voting system	First past the post
Last election	6 November 2014
Next election	6 November 2018
Meeting place
Senate Chamber Federation Hall, Swanstone

The Imperial Senate of the Empire of the United Cygnian States is a legislative chamber in the bicameral legislature of Cygnia, and together with the National Assembly makes up the Imperial Congress.

The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article I of the Cygnian Imperial Constitution and the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution. Each state, regardless of population, is represented by four senators who serve eight-year terms each. Elections are held every four years, when half of the Senate is dissolved. The Senate chamber is located in the west wing of Federation Hall in Swanstone. The National Assembly convenes in the east wing of the same building.

The Senate has several advice and consent powers not granted to the Assembly, including consenting to treaties as a precondition to their ratification and consenting to or confirming appointments of Cabinet secretaries, federal judges, other federal executive officials, military officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors and other federal uniformed officers, as well as the trial of federal officials impeached by the Assembly.