The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. It is commonly referred to as the lower house, while the Senate is considered the upper house. The House is composed of representatives who are elected by the people of each state, with the number of representatives from each state determined by its population. Members represent localities called "Districts", which on average have 750,000 people in them.
The primary responsibilities of the House of Representatives include proposing and passing federal legislation, initiating revenue-raising bills, and representing the interests of their constituents, like you! Representatives serve two-year terms, and elections for all 435 seats are held every even-numbered year. The Speaker of the House, elected by the members of the House, is the presiding officer and plays a significant role in setting the legislative agenda and guiding the legislative process.
The House of Representatives has the power to impeach federal officials, including the President, which is akin to an indictment, while the Senate conducts the trial. Officials can be impeached for wrongdoing that occurs during there time in office, (such as treason, bribery, or other crimes). Additionally, the House has the exclusive authority to initiate bills for raising revenue, such as bills to levy more taxes.
The Founding Fathers envisioned the House of Representatives as a key part of the United States government, motivated by several ideas. The first among these was the goal to establish a legislative body directly responsive to the will of the people. Through direct elections, citizens would choose representatives to voice their interests and concerns in the national legislature. The frequent elections every two years allows the house to directly respond to the will of the people, as opposed to the Senate who the founders attempted to make buffered against societal trends or movements.
Secondly, the Founders sought to ensure proportional representation, whereby states with larger populations would have more seats to ensure fair representation for states with more people. This proportional approach balanced the influence of densely populated regions against less populous ones. For example, the people of New York wanted more say in the federal government than Rhode Island because it had more people in it.
Finally, the House of Representatives was designed as part of a system of checks and balances, alongside the Senate and the Executive branch, to prevent the accumulation of unchecked power. By embodying the principle of popular sovereignty, where governmental authority derives from the consent of the governed, the House exemplified the Founders' commitment to democratic governance. The People have the ultimate authority in our democratic system, and the House of Representatives exemplifies this.
The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, alongside the House of Representatives. Often referred to as the upper house, the Senate is composed of two senators from each state, regardless of population size, currently totaling one hundred senators. Senators serve staggered six-year terms, with one-third of the Senate up for election every two years.
The Senate plays a particularly important role in the legislative process, sharing responsibility with the House of Representatives for proposing, debating, and voting on legislation. However, the Senate has unique powers and responsibilities, including the confirmation of presidential appointments, such as federal judges and cabinet members, and the ratification of treaties negotiated by the President.
One of the distinctive features of the Senate is its rules and traditions that encourage deliberation and debate. It is sometimes viewed as the more reasoned or "calm" of the two houses, and one that responds to societal pressure or change slowly. The filibuster, for example, allows senators to delay or block legislation by speaking for an extended period. Additionally, the Senate's rules require a supermajority of sixty votes to overcome filibusters on most legislation.
The Vice President of the United States serves as the President of the Senate but can only vote in the event of a tie. The Senate also elects a President pro tempore to preside in the Vice President's absence.
The United States Senate was created by the Founding Fathers with several core principles in mind. First and foremost was the idea of equal state representation. Unlike the House of Representatives, where seats are apportioned based on population, the Senate grants each state an equal voice, regardless of size or population. This design was intended to ensure that smaller states would have a meaningful role in the federal government and would not be marginalized by their larger counterparts. Additionally, the Senate was envisioned as a bulwark against the potential tyranny of the majority. People should still have a voice even when they don't live in big cities or important states.
By providing a place where minority interests could be heard and protected, the Senate aimed to promote compromise and prevent the domination of one faction over others. Furthermore, the Senate's structure, with staggered six-year terms, was intended to foster stability and deliberation, allowing senators to focus on long-term national interests rather than short-term political considerations.
Finally, the Senate's role in advising and consenting to presidential appointments and treaties is another example the Founders' commitment to a system of checks and balances, ensuring that important decisions would be subject to thorough scrutiny and debate by an independent body. In essence, the creation of the Senate reflected the Founders' vision of a federal government that balanced competing interests, protected minority rights, promoted stability, and provided a check on executive power.
Standing committees, the most common type, are permanent fixtures focusing on distinct policy domains, like agriculture, defense, or foreign affairs. They deliberate on bills, conduct oversight of agencies of the executive branch, and recommend funding priorities. Meanwhile, select committees are convened for specific purposes or to investigate particular issues, disbanding once their objectives are met. If a specific crisis happens, such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress can create these special committees to focus on investigating and overseeing the government's response to the crisis.
The final two committees consist of members of both houses. The first are the Joint committees, which help foster cooperation in oversight or policymaking between the House and the Senate. The second are conference committees, which are created when different versions of a bill require reconciliation between the House and Senate. For example, if the House passes a bill ordering that the post office be closed on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, but the Senate passes one that says the post office will only be closed on Sunday and Wednesday, they will create a conference committee to sort out their differences.
Before a bill becomes law, numerous steps must occur. First, a Representative or Senator proposes the bill in their respective chambers, with the bill being named H.R. "" or S."", depending on the bill’s origins.
After that, the presiding officer refers it to the relevant committee depending on the type of bill it is. In committee the bill is debated, people are interviewed about their thoughts on it, then amended with improvements. It is then voted on whether to refer it to their respective chambers. If the bill fails to get a majority vote, it “dies in committee”, and does not become a law. If it does get a majority, it is put on the docket by the presiding officer.
After this, the Senate or House debate the bill extensively. The bill is then voted on to see if the body wants to pass the bill. If it does not pass, the bill will die and will not become a law. If it does pass (with a majority vote), it is sent to the opposite house, where the committee process and the floor process repeat. The bill will continue to bounce back and forth to each house until both can agree on a version. After this, the bill is sent to the President, who either signs or vetoes the bill. If he vetoes, the Congress can override his or her veto with a 2/3 majority in both houses. If he or she signs the bill, it becomes a federal law that must be followed by everyone in America.
