Congress: The Senate and the House of Representatives


Congress is the combined legislative branches of the Senate and The House of Representatives.

Facts about the Senate
  • There are 100 senators - 2 from each state.
  • A senator must be at least 30 years old; must be an United States citizen for at least nine years; and must be a resident of the state the senator represents
  • Senators serve six-year terms, with a third of the Senate overturning every two years
  • The Vice-President of the United States is the President of the Senate

The Senate web site is The United States Senate

Much of the work of the senate is done by committee. Their name implies what they do. These links lead directly to the Senate Committee web pages:

Facts about the House of Representatives
  • The number of representatives per state is determined by the most recent census
  • Each state has at least one representative, regardless of the state's population
  • House Representatives serve two year terms
  • California has the largest number of reprentatives - currently 53

The House of Representatives web site is The United States House of Representatives

Party Leaders in the House of Representatives:
Speaker of the House: The Speaker of the House (currently Nancy Pelosi) is vested with certain responsibilities:
  • Administering the oath of office to Members of the House
  • Recognizing Members to speak or to make motions when in session
  • Putting Questions to a vote by Members
  • Referring bills and resolutions to committees
  • Counting and declaring the resuls of votes
  • Deciding points of order
  • Appointing Members to select and conference committees
  • Signing all bills and resolutions passed by the House
  • Submits names of Members to serve as Speaker pro tempore
  • Is third in line for Presidential Succession (after the President and Vice-President
Speaker pro tempore:: Serves as the temporary Speaker of the House in the event the Speaker is unable to fulfill his/her duties to due illness or other disabling effects, or if the Speaker position becomes vacant.

Majority Leader:
  • Second in the House hierarchy (after the Speaker of the House)
  • Schedules legislation for floor discussions
  • Influences colleagues to support or defeat measures on the floor
  • Works to advance the goals of the majority party

Minority Leader:
  • Acts as speaker for the minority party's policies
  • Devises strategies and tactics to help the minority party influence legislative outcomes
  • Does not lead floor debates
  • If the party of the President of the United States is the minority party in the House, then the Minority Leader may be the President's chief spokesperson in the House

These links lead directly to the House of Representatives Committee web pages: