Question: who is the leader of the senate when the vp isn't there
Answer: Formerly , the vice president would preside regularly over Senate proceedings , but in modern times , the vice president rarely presides over day - to - day matters in the Senate ; in their place , the Senate chooses a President pro tempore ( or `` president for a time '' ) to preside in the vice president 's absence ; the Senate normally selects the longest - serving senator in the majority party .