The latest congressional news and analysis from political experts and historians.
The Unusual Circumstances of the 50–50 Senate – July 1, 2021
The United States is in the midst of an unusual political time, and among the quirkier features of 2021 is the current 50–50 Senate, composed of fifty Democrats and fifty Republicans, with a Democratic vice president breaking the tie. A look back in history can put the phenomenon in perspective. In this Congress Report, former congressional reporter, Deborah Kalb, studies the occasions and impacts of an evenly split Senate.