The Imperial Republic's Senate is an important body within the government of the Republic, though it is mostly subordinate to the Supreme Council of Twelve. Supreme Council members are elected for life by the senators.
The Senate can pass legislation, but bills are subject to vetoes by the Supreme Council. Decrees of the Supreme Council can be only be vetoed by the senators in cases they violate the Imperial Constitution of the Republic.
Most senators obtain their seats by inheriting them from their "parents" (the heirs actually being clones produced from the DNA of the current senators), but some Senate seats are appointed by local governments or private interests.
Most senators are humans, but some are A.I. machines or chimeras (animal-human hybrids) (see races in the universe of the Imperial Republic).