Who is the presiding officer of the US Senate?

The presiding officer of the US Senate is the vice president. This role is established by the U.S. Constitution, which designates the vice president as the official leader of the Senate. In this capacity, the vice president's primary responsibility is to oversee Senate sessions, maintain order, and ensure that the rules of the Senate are followed during debate.

The vice president has the authority to cast a tie-breaking vote when the Senate is evenly divided on a measure. While the vice president does not frequently preside over daily proceedings, this position is constitutionally vital, particularly in situations that require a decisive vote.

In contrast to the vice president, other roles such as the president pro tempore, majority leader, and majority whip serve different functions within the Senate. The president pro tempore typically presides over the Senate in the vice president's absence and is usually a senior member of the majority party. The majority leader focuses on managing the legislative agenda and strategy for the majority party. The majority whip assists the majority leader in ensuring party discipline and counting votes, but none of these individuals serve as the formal presiding officer.