The House Of Representatives: Constitutional Cornerstone

The Constitution of the United States of America outlines the role and function of the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, with each state having at least one representative based on its population. To be elected to the House of Representatives, a person must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States for seven years or more, and a resident of the state they represent. The House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment and all bills for raising revenue originate in the House.

Explore related products

Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence

$29.95

The Constitution of the United States of America: The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights

$9.99 $9.99

Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, the Rules of the House of Representatives of the ... Congress, and a Digest and Manual of the Rules of Practice of the House of Representatives of the United States

$48.5

The U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights with Amendments: Pocket Size (Annotated)

$7.49

Digest And Manual Of The Rules And Practice Of The House Of Representatives: To Which Are Added The Constitution Of The United States Of America, With ... Of Parliamentary Practice As Under Rule

$41.95

The United States Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights with Amendments: Large Print Edition (Annotated)

$9.99

The House of Representatives has a minimum of one representative per state

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses that make up the US Congress, the other being the Senate. Each state is represented in the House based on its population and has a minimum of one representative per state. This was decided as part of the Great Compromise, which also established equal representation in the Senate.

The House of Representatives is a legislative body with "an immediate dependence on, and intimate sympathy with, the people", as described by James Madison, a key architect of the Constitution. The House is made up of members chosen every two years by the people of the states. The constitutional requirement for representatives to stand for election every two years has defined the House as an institution that is responsive to the will of the people.

To be elected to the House of Representatives, a person must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States for seven years or more, and a resident of the state that they will represent. The House leadership includes the speaker, majority and minority leaders, assistant leaders, whips, and a party caucus or conference. The speaker acts as the leader of the House and combines several institutional and administrative roles.

Representatives are chosen every two years

The Constitution of the United States establishes the House of Representatives as one of the two chambers of Congress, the other being the Senate. Members of the House of Representatives are chosen every two years through elections. This is in contrast to the Senate, where senators are elected for six-year terms, with only about a third of the Senate being up for re-election every two years.

The House of Representatives is based on population, with each state having at least one representative. The number of representatives a state has is determined by its population, and each representative serves a specific congressional district. The Constitution sets out three qualifications for representatives: they must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and be a resident of the state they represent.

Elections for representatives are typically held in every even-numbered year on Election Day, which falls on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The timing of these elections is based on the Uniform Congressional District Act, which stipulates that representatives must be elected from single-member districts. The census, conducted every ten years, plays a crucial role in determining the apportionment of seats in the House among the states.

The House of Representatives is led by the speaker, who is elected by the members of the House. The speaker acts as the leader of the House and combines various institutional and administrative roles. The House also includes majority and minority leaders, assistant leaders, whips, and a party caucus or conference. These individuals play important roles in representing their respective parties and managing their legislative programs.

Representatives must be at least 25 years old

The Constitution of the United States requires that members of the House of Representatives be at least 25 years old. This is outlined in Article I, Section 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution, which states that "no person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years".

The founders of the Constitution wanted the House to be the legislative chamber closest to the people, and so they placed few hurdles between ordinary citizens and membership of the House. They wanted the House to be the least restrictive on age and citizenship, and it was the only federal office at the time subject to frequent popular election. The minimum age of 25 was not settled upon without debate, however. During the Federal Constitutional Convention, George Mason of Virginia proposed raising the age from 21 (the voting age) to 25, arguing that there should be a period between being free to manage one's own affairs and managing "the affairs of a great nation".

The House has not always strictly adhered to the 25-year minimum. For example, William Claiborne of Tennessee was elected to the House in 1797 aged 22, and was re-elected at 24. John Young Brown of Kentucky was elected to the House in 1859 aged 24, but the House refused to administer the oath of office to him until he was 25. In more recent times, the minimum age for the House was lowered to 21 in 2019 following an amendment to the Constitution.

The minimum age of 25 for the House of Representatives is in contrast to the minimum age of 30 for the Senate, which was decided upon by the delegates in 1787.

Explore related products

Constitution Of The United States With The Amendments Thereto (1868)

$42.95

Debates Which Arose in the House of Representatives of South-Carolina: On the Constitution Framed for the United States, by a Convention of Delegates ... of the Convention As Could Be Procured

$30.95

Lecompton constitution: in the House of Representatives, March 10, 1858 : Mr. Stephens, of Georgia, from the Select Committee of Fifteen, made the following report, The

$8.99

[Manuals] Constitution of the United States as proposed by the Convention September 17, 1787, To which are added standing rules and orders for conducting business in the Ho [Leather Bound]

$18.99

Digest and Manual of the Rules and Practice of the House of Representatives of the United States: Constitution of the United States, Jefferson's ... Sixtieth Congress, Second Session

$36.99

Constitution Jefferson's Manual & Rules Of The House Of Representatives Of The U.S. (House Rules And Manual): 114th Congress

$133

The House has the sole power of impeachment

The Constitution of the United States establishes the House of Representatives, also known as the House, in Article 1, Section 2. The House has the sole power of impeachment, as outlined in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, which states that the House of Representatives "shall have the sole Power of Impeachment". This power is a fundamental component of the system of checks and balances in the US government.

The House may bring impeachment charges against federal officials, including the president, vice president, federal judges, and other civil officers, as part of its oversight and investigatory responsibilities. The process typically begins when a lawmaker introduces an impeachment resolution, or when the House passes a resolution authorizing an inquiry. The Committee on the Judiciary has jurisdiction over impeachments and chooses whether to pursue articles of impeachment. If the articles are adopted by a simple majority vote, the House appoints Members to manage the ensuing Senate trial, acting as prosecutors.

The House has initiated impeachment proceedings more than 60 times, with approximately one-third of these proceedings leading to full impeachments. Notable individuals impeached by the House include three presidents: Andrew Johnson in 1868, William J. Clinton in 1998, and Donald J. Trump in 2019 and 2021. Johnson became the first president impeached by the House but was later acquitted by the Senate by a single vote.

While the House has the sole power to impeach, it is important to note that the Senate is the sole court for impeachment trials. The Senate requires a two-thirds majority vote to convict an official, and upon conviction, the penalty is removal from office. Additionally, the Senate can disqualify an impeached individual from holding future office with a simple majority vote.

The House has standing committees with legislative jurisdictions

The House of Representatives, as outlined in the US Constitution, represents citizens based on district populations, with each state being represented in the House based on its population. The House has standing committees with legislative jurisdictions. These committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for the House's consideration. They also have oversight responsibilities, monitoring agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions.

The concept of the "grand committee" has been an integral part of the House's operations since its early days, providing a means to consider complex and controversial legislation. The House resolves itself into a new Committee of the Whole for the consideration of a bill. This committee, which includes all representatives, meets in the House Chamber to discuss measures from the Union calendar.

The standing committees are permanent panels with specific responsibilities and jurisdictions defined in the Senate's rules. They are essential to the effective functioning of the Senate, gathering information through investigations and hearings. While most standing committees recommend authorized fund levels for government operations and programs, some have other functions.

The process of assigning members to committees involves several steps. First, party leaders decide on the committee size and the ratio of Republicans to Democrats. Then, each party uses a committee on committees to make initial recommendations for assignments, taking into account member preferences. Finally, each committee submits its slate to the full Chamber for approval.

Frequently asked questions