President Pro Tempore

The Constitution mandates that the Senate select a president pro tempore to oversee its proceedings when the vice president is unavailable. The term pro tempore is Latin for "for the time being," indicating that this role was initially intended as a temporary substitute. The framers of the Constitution expected the vice president to frequently lead the Senate, thus requiring the election of a president pro tempore only for brief intervals. While the Constitution does not dictate who is eligible to serve as president pro tempore, the Senate has consistently chosen one of its own members for this role. Since the mid-20th century, it has become customary for the most senior member of the majority party to hold this position. Beyond presiding over the Senate, the president pro tempore has several additional duties. For instance, in collaboration with Senate leaders, the president pro tempore appoints the director of the Congressional Budget Office (jointly with the Speaker of the House) and Senate legislative and legal counsel. The president pro tempore also makes appointments to various national commissions and advisory boards and receives reports from certain government agencies. When the vice president is absent, the president pro tempore has the authority to administer all oaths required by the Constitution, sign legislation, co-preside with the Speaker of the House during joint sessions or meetings, and fulfill other responsibilities of the presiding officer. However, unlike the vice president, the president pro tempore does not have the power to cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.