In Reed v. County Commissioners of Delaware County, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that a special committee of the Senate has the power to investigate a Pennsylvania Senate election. The Court holds that the 17th Amendment acknowledges a federal right to elect senators and that the Senate is authorized to protect these rights. The Court also finds that the power of the Senate committee comes from the Senate’s authority to judge the elections, votes, and qualifications of members of the Senate as written in Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution.