Eleanor Finch
The United States Congress is made up of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is the lower house, with the Senate being the upper house. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected members, with each state receiving a number of representatives proportional to its population. The House has several exclusive powers, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the president in the case of an electoral college tie. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and has the power of judicial review, or the ability to declare a Legislative or Executive act in violation of the Constitution. The Court has original jurisdiction over certain cases and appellate jurisdiction over almost any other case involving a point of constitutional or federal law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nature | The House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress.) |
| Composition | The House of Representatives is composed of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are also 6 non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other territories of the United States. |
| Powers | The House of Representatives has the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an electoral college tie. |
| Leadership | The leadership of the House of Representatives includes the speaker, majority and minority leaders, assistant leaders, whips, and a party caucus or conference. |
| Committees | The House of Representatives has several committees, including the Committee on Ethics, the Rules Committee, and the Committee of the Whole House. |
| Rules | The House of Representatives has rules that address a two-party system, with a majority and minority party, and establish the conduct and procedures for members. |
| Constitutional Basis | The House of Representatives is established by Article I of the United States Constitution, which also enumerates its powers. |
| Judicial Review | The House of Representatives has the power to impeach federal officials, but it does not have the authority to review and strike down laws in the same way as the Supreme Court. |
| Supreme Court | The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States and has the power of judicial review, meaning it can declare laws or acts in violation of the Constitution. |
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What You'll Learn
The US House of Representatives
The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House, who is elected by the Representatives. The House leadership also includes the 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. Majority and minority leaders represent their respective parties on the House floor. Whips assist leadership in managing their party's legislative program on the House floor.
The House is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population. In addition, there are six non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other US territories. To be elected as a representative, a person must be at least 25 years old, a US citizen for at least seven years, and an inhabitant of the state they represent.
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The Supreme Court
The House of Representatives, on the other hand, is the lower house of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper house. The House has the power to impeach federal officials, initiate revenue bills, and elect the president in the case of an electoral college tie. It is made up of 435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their population, and a few non-voting members representing territories. The House's rules generally address a two-party system, with a presiding speaker elected by its members.
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Powers of the House
The United States House of Representatives, also known as the House, is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress. The House has several powers and responsibilities, including:
Passing or Defeating Federal Legislation
Together with the Senate, the House has the authority to pass or defeat federal legislation, known as bills. These bills are then sent to the president for signature or veto if they are also passed by the Senate.
Exclusive Powers
The House holds exclusive powers, including initiating all revenue bills, impeaching federal officers, and electing the president if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the Electoral College.
Representation and Committee Work
Each representative in the House serves a two-year term and represents the people of a specific congressional district. They introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, and serve on committees. The number of representatives per state is proportional to the population, with 435 representatives currently holding full voting rights.
Leadership and Influence
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 can exert substantial power over its business. When the speaker is from the opposition party to the president, they can become the de facto "leader of the opposition".
Coalition-Building and Bipartisan Cooperation
In a divided House, where no single party holds a significant majority, coalition-building and bipartisan cooperation become critical for passing legislation. This dynamic influences the strategies of lobbyists and public affairs professionals.
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Impeachment
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress and is the lower house, with the Senate being the upper house. The House of Representatives has the sole power to impeach federal officials. Impeachment is the process of bringing charges against a government official for wrongdoing. The Constitution empowers the House of Representatives to impeach federal officials for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors". The House may approve "articles of impeachment" by a simple majority vote. After the House of Representatives sends its articles of impeachment to the Senate, the Senate sits as a High Court of Impeachment to consider evidence, hear witnesses, and vote to acquit or convict the impeached official. A committee of representatives, called "managers", act as prosecutors before the Senate. The Senate holds the sole power to try impeachments, and a two-thirds vote is required for conviction.
The impeachment power also had a toehold in Revolutionary-era America. Prior to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1788, individual states had provided for impeachment in cases of "maladministration" or "corruption". During the Constitutional Convention, the Founders—fearing the potential for abuse of executive power—considered impeachment so important that they included it in Article I of the Constitution even before they defined the contours of the presidency in Article II. The practice of impeachment originated in England and was later used by many of the American colonial and state governments. In the case of presidential impeachment trials, the chief justice of the United States presides. The penalty for an impeached official upon conviction is removal from office and disqualification from holding public offices in the future. There is no appeal.
In U.S. history, the House of Representatives has impeached seventeen officials, seven of whom were convicted. Another, Richard Nixon, resigned after the House Judiciary Committee passed articles of impeachment but before a formal impeachment vote by the full House.
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The Constitution
The United States Constitution establishes the federal judiciary and outlines the powers of the three coequal branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The legislative branch, also known as the United States Congress, is comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives, established by Article I of the Constitution, is the lower house of Congress. It works alongside the upper house, the Senate, to pass or defeat federal legislation, known as bills. The House has several exclusive powers, including the ability to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the president in the case of an electoral college tie.
Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution sets out the minimum and maximum sizes for the House of Representatives, with each state receiving representation proportional to its population. The House currently consists of 435 elected members from the 50 states, with an additional six non-voting members representing the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and four other US territories.
The House leadership includes the speaker, majority and minority leaders, assistant leaders, whips, and a party caucus or conference. The speaker, elected by the Representatives, presides over the House and combines several institutional and administrative roles. The majority and minority leaders represent their respective parties on the House floor, while whips assist leadership in managing their party's legislative agenda.
The House of Representatives plays a crucial role in the legislative process, working with the Senate to shape federal legislation. It also has oversight and investigative powers, including the ability to conduct investigations through special committees.
The judicial branch, led by the Supreme Court, is responsible for interpreting the Constitution and ensuring that the legislative and executive branches operate within its boundaries. The Supreme Court has the power of judicial review, enabling it to strike down laws or acts that violate the Constitution.
The Supreme Court's nine justices, including one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices, are appointed for life, ensuring judicial independence. The Court's jurisdiction includes original jurisdiction over specific cases and appellate jurisdiction over a broad range of constitutional and federal law matters.
The Supreme Court's decisions have a significant impact on the country's legal landscape and the interpretation of the Constitution. The Court's rulings on matters such as judicial review and the application of the Bill of Rights to the states have shaped the nation's constitutional system of government.
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Frequently asked questions
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. It has the power to declare a Legislative or Executive act in violation of the Constitution. The Court has original jurisdiction over certain cases and appellate jurisdiction over almost any other case that involves a point of constitutional and/or federal law.
The House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress. It is the lower house, with the Senate being the upper house. The House has several exclusive powers, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an electoral college tie.
No, the Constitutional Court and the House of Representatives are not the same. The Constitutional Court is the highest court in the land, while the House of Representatives is a part of the legislative branch of the United States government.
