Jonah Patel
The United States Congress is divided into two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state elects two senators, regardless of population, resulting in a total of 100 senators in the Senate. On the other hand, the number of representatives in the House of Representatives is based on the population of each state, with a minimum of one representative and a cap of 435 representatives in total. The House of Representatives determines the rules for passing legislation, and both houses must approve a bill for it to become a law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Representatives | 435 |
| Number of Senators | 100 |
| Number of Congressional Districts | 435 |
| Population per Congressional District | 780,000 |
| Minimum Age to be a Representative | 25 years |
| Minimum Age to be a Senator | 30 years |
| Minimum Citizenship Duration for Representatives | 7 years |
| Minimum Citizenship Duration for Senators | 9 years |
| Term Length for Representatives | 2 years |
| Term Length for Senators | 6 years |
| Proportion of Male Representatives over 59 | 33% |
| Proportion of Female Representatives 59 or under | 17% |
| Proportion of Male Senators over 59 | 50% |
| Proportion of Female Senators 59 or under | 7% |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution determines House rules
The US Constitution outlines the rules and workings of the House of Representatives, also known as the lower house. The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states. Each state receives a minimum of one representative, with the number of representatives per state apportioned by state according to population. The Constitution sets out three qualifications for representatives: each representative must be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years, and be an inhabitant of the state they represent at the time of the election.
The House of Representatives determines the rules according to which it passes legislation. Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, including the ability to punish its members for disorderly behaviour and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member. The House is also responsible for keeping a journal of its proceedings, publishing the journal, and recording the yeas and nays of the members on any question.
The House of Representatives plays a crucial role in the passage of legislation. Both the House and the Senate, also known as the upper house, must approve a bill for it to become a law. In most cases, the same version of the bill must be passed by both Houses. However, if there are differences, a conference committee including members of both bodies may resolve them.
The House of Representatives also has specific powers and responsibilities outlined in the Constitution. These include the power to establish uniform laws on naturalization and bankruptcies, coin money and regulate its value, provide for the punishment of counterfeiting, promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing exclusive rights to authors and inventors, and more.
The Constitution also addresses the salaries and benefits of representatives. Congress sets the salaries of members, and the Twenty-seventh Amendment prohibits a change in salary from taking effect until after the next election of the whole House. Representatives are eligible for retirement benefits after serving for five years, and their salaries are subject to a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase unless Congress votes against it.
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Qualifications for representatives
The US Constitution sets out three qualifications that must be met for representatives:
- Representatives must be at least 25 years old at the time of election. However, it is worth noting that William Claiborne of Tennessee became the youngest person to ever serve in the House when he was elected and seated in 1797 at the age of 22.
- They must have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years.
- They must be an inhabitant of the state they represent at the time of election.
The constitutional requirements of Article I, Section 2, for election to Congress are the maximum requirements that can be imposed on a candidate. The age and citizenship qualifications for representatives are less than those for senators, who must be at least 30 years old and have been a citizen for nine years or more.
The constitutional qualifications for office originate in British law. Members of the House of Commons were required to live in the shires or boroughs they represented, and the British prevented anyone born outside England or its Empire from serving in the Commons, even if that individual had subsequently become a citizen. The founders of the US Constitution used this as a model, requiring that Members of the House live in the state they represent, although not necessarily the same district.
The US Constitution places few hurdles between ordinary citizens and becoming a Member of the US House of Representatives. The founders wanted the House to be the legislative chamber closest to the people—the least restrictive on age and citizenship, and the only federal office at the time subject to frequent popular election.
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Each state elects two senators
The United States Congress is divided into two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each state elects two senators, regardless of the state's population, resulting in a total of 100 senators serving in the Senate. This is in contrast to the House of Representatives, where representation is proportional to each state's population, with each state guaranteed a minimum of one representative.
The concept of each state electing two senators stems from the early days of the US Constitution, when the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan proposed different structures for Congress. The Virginia Plan, supported by larger states, advocated for bicameral legislation with proportional representation in the House and equal state representation in the Senate. On the other hand, smaller states favoured the New Jersey Plan, which proposed a unicameral Congress with equal representation for all states.
The debate over congressional representation was resolved through the Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise. This compromise struck a balance between the two plans, adopting the Virginia Plan's proposal for the Senate, with each state electing two senators, while accepting the New Jersey Plan's suggestion for the House of Representatives, ensuring proportional representation based on population.
It is important to note that the US Senate does not include representation for US territories or the District of Columbia. To be elected as a senator, an individual must fulfil certain requirements as outlined in the US Constitution. Candidates must be at least 30 years old, have been a citizen of the United States for a minimum of nine years, and be a resident of the state they represent. Senators are elected for six-year terms, and elections are staggered, with one-third of the Senate up for reelection every two years.
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House representatives earn $174,000 annually
The number of representatives in the US Constitution is not fixed. Each state elects two senators, while seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned by state according to population, with each state receiving a minimum of one representative. After each decennial census, the House of Representatives used to increase in size, but in the 1910s, overall membership was capped at 435.
Members of the US House of Representatives earn $174,000 per year. This has been the case since December 2014. Representatives are entitled to a cost-of-living raise each year, but Congress can vote not to accept it. This has been the case since 2010, with the salary remaining at the same nominal amount since 2009. The Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits a change in salary from taking effect until after the next election of the whole House.
The Speaker of the House and the majority and minority leaders earn more than other representatives. The Speaker of the House earns $223,500 per year, while the majority and minority leaders earn $193,400. These salaries are the same as those for Senate leaders. Representatives are also eligible for retirement benefits after serving for five years. They can acquire life insurance through the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program, and they must purchase health care from the Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange. Representatives are limited in how they can earn outside income. They may not have an outside income that is more than 15% of their basic pay, and certain types of income, such as fiduciary responsibilities or personal endorsements, are prohibited.
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Senators serve six-year terms
The United States Congress consists of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each state elects two senators, regardless of its population, while the number of representatives from each state is proportional to its population, with each state receiving a minimum of one representative. The U.S. territories and the District of Columbia are not represented in the Senate.
Senators are elected to six-year terms, as outlined in Article I, Section 3, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution. This means that approximately one-third of the Senate, or 33 to 34 senators, face election or reelection every two years. The six-year term for senators was adopted by the delegates of the Constitutional Convention through a vote of 7 to 4. James Madison defended this term length, arguing that it would have a stabilizing effect on the new national government. He believed that long terms would reduce turnover in the legislature, allow senators to take responsibility for measures over time, and make senators largely independent of public opinion.
The idea of longer terms for senators was supported by Randolph and Madison, who cited Maryland's system as an example of how long terms could create stability in the Senate and provide an effective check on the more democratic House of Representatives. Madison even endorsed the idea of a nine-year term proposed by George Read of Delaware, arguing that it would contribute to the "wisdom and virtue" needed to counter a "levelling spirit" among the people.
On the other hand, some delegates, such as Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina, argued that longer terms could lead senators to lose sight of their state's interests. Connecticut's Roger Sherman preferred four-year terms, believing that frequent elections would "preserve the good behavior of rulers."
It is worth noting that while the U.S. Constitution sets the term length for senators, it does not impose term limits on the number of terms a senator can serve. However, some states have implemented their own legislative term limits, which vary across the country.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 435 representatives in the US Constitution.
Representatives are elected every two years.
There are three requirements to be a representative: 1) be at least 25 years old, 2) have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years, and 3) be an inhabitant of the state they represent at the time of the election.
Since 2014, representatives have earned an annual salary of $174,000.
