Isabella Carter
The United States Congress, established by Article I of the Constitution, is made up of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, as well as the right to confirm or reject Presidential appointments. The House of Representatives is responsible for making and passing federal laws and consists of 435 elected members, with each representative serving a two-year term. On the other hand, the Senate is considered a continuing body due to the rotation of senators, where only one-third of its members are elected every two years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of houses | 2 (House of Representatives and the Senate) |
| Basis of representation | House of Representatives: Proportional to the population of the state; Senate: Equal state basis |
| Number of members | House of Representatives: 435; Senate: 100 |
| Term length | House of Representatives: 2 years; Senate: Varies |
| Powers | Power to enact legislation, declare war, confirm or reject Presidential appointments, and investigative powers |
| Legislative process | A bill must be passed by both houses before it goes to the President for approval |
| Veto process | Congress can override a Presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses |
| Committees | House of Representatives: 23 committees, 104 subcommittees; Senate: 17 committees, 70 subcommittees |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution established a bicameral Congress
The delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 debated the Virginia Plan, and the characteristics of the two houses were the product of fierce debate and compromise. The delegates agreed on equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives, a plan known as the "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise". The House of Representatives would be the "grand depository of the democratic principle of government", while the Senate would be a smaller, more independent body.
The US Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, and the right to confirm or reject Presidential appointments. Congress is one of the three coequal branches of government, and all legislative power is vested in it. Congress can also override a Presidential veto by a two-thirds vote in both houses.
The House of Representatives and the Senate each have their own rules and procedures. For example, the House of Representatives chooses its own Speaker and other officers, and has the sole power of impeachment. Senators, on the other hand, serve for longer terms than members of the House, and the Senate is considered a "continuing body".
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The House of Representatives and the Senate make up Congress
The United States Congress is made up of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Established by Article I of the Constitution, the Legislative Branch, which consists of these two houses, is granted significant powers by the Constitution. These include the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers.
The House of Representatives, also referred to as Congress's lower chamber, is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also six non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. Each representative is elected to a two-year term, serving the people of a specific congressional district. Representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, and serve on committees. The House chooses its Speaker and other officers and has the sole power of impeachment.
The Senate, on the other hand, is the upper chamber of Congress. It is a "continuing body", with two-thirds of its members carrying over from Congress to Congress, unlike the House, where all members are elected every two years. The Senate represents citizens on an equal state basis, with each state having two senators. The characteristics of the Senate, such as the basis of representation, the qualifications for office, and the powers exercised, were the product of fierce debate during the Constitutional Convention.
Both houses of Congress must pass a bill by a majority vote for it to become law. If passed, the bill is then presented to the President for approval. The President may veto the bill, but Congress can override this veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses. This process highlights the crucial role that both the House of Representatives and the Senate play in the legislative process and their joint responsibility in shaping the laws and policies of the United States.
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Each state has equal representation in the Senate
The United States Congress is made up of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The former is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also six non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. The Senate, on the other hand, represents citizens on an equal state basis.
The idea of a two-house Congress was first proposed by James Madison of Virginia at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. Madison's Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral national legislature, with the "rights of suffrage" in both houses proportional to the size of the state. This proposal was met with objections from delegates from smaller states, who argued that their states contributed less to the nation's financial and defensive resources and therefore ought to have a lesser say in the central government.
The issue of congressional representation was resolved through the "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise". This compromise established equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives. Each state, regardless of its size, has two senators. This compromise was intended to balance the interests of large and small states in the national government.
The characteristics of the Senate, including the basis of representation, the number of senators per state, the qualifications for office, the terms of service, and the powers that the body exercises, were the product of fierce debate and compromise. The Senate is considered a "continuing body", with two-thirds of its members carrying over from Congress to Congress, unlike the House of Representatives, whose entire membership faces election every two years. The Senate also has the power to establish its own rules and procedures, and its members serve for longer terms compared to members of the House of Representatives.
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The number of Representatives is proportional to state population
The United States Congress is made up of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. This bicameral national legislature was established in Article I of the US Constitution during the Federal Convention of 1787, also known as the Constitutional Convention.
The number of voting representatives in the House is fixed by law at no more than 435, proportionally representing the population of the 50 states. Each representative is elected to a two-year term serving the people of a specific congressional district. The number of representatives per state is proportional to the population, with each state having at least one representative.
The House of Representatives is responsible for making and passing federal laws. Representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, and serve on committees. The House also has the sole power of impeachment.
The Senate, on the other hand, represents citizens on an equal state basis, with each state having two senators. Senators serve for a term sufficient to ensure their independence, which varies from state to state. The Senate is considered a "continuing body" as only one-third of its members are up for election every two years, while the entire membership of the House of Representatives faces election every two years.
Both houses of Congress must pass a bill by a majority vote before it goes to the President for consideration. The President may veto the bill, but Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses. Congress has the sole authority to enact legislation, declare war, confirm or reject Presidential appointments, and conduct investigations.
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Congress has the sole power to enact legislation and declare war
The US Constitution, established in 1787, outlines a bicameral national legislature, or Congress, consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The powers of Congress include the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war.
The Constitution's Article I, Section 8, specifically lists as a power of Congress the ability "to declare war," which gives the legislature the power to initiate hostilities. This is further supported by Article I, which outlines the structure and powers of Congress, including the ability to make all Laws.
While the President generally serves as the nation's voice in foreign affairs, the Declare War Clause is seen as a key check on the President's power. Leading framers, such as Hamilton, emphasised that only the legislature could "place the nation in a state of war." This interpretation is reflected in historical conflicts, where it was assumed that the President could not initiate hostilities without Congress's approval, even in cases without formal declarations of war.
Congress's role in declaring war has been a subject of debate and dispute between Congress and the Executive Branch. The War Powers Resolution (WPR) was enacted in 1973 to address these issues, but it has not effectively resolved them. The WPR requires the President to report to Congress on the use of military force and seeks to protect Congress's central role in authorising offensive military actions. However, it has faced challenges due to broad interpretations of statutory authorisations by Presidents and Congress's reluctance to seek repeal.
To uphold the original understanding of Congress's authority, scholars suggest a commitment from Congress to avoid open-ended use-of-force authorisations or to enact them with sunsets, requiring regular reauthorisation and affirmative action from the legislature.
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Frequently asked questions
Two. The House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives makes and passes federal laws.
The Senate is a "continuing body" that provides a counterbalance to the popular influence of the House of Representatives.
435.
Congress must assemble at least once a year, and this meeting must be on the first Monday in December unless a different day is appointed by law.
