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Congress makes the federal laws that affect all Americans.
The Two Houses of Congress
SS.7.C.3.3, SS.7.C.3.8, SS.7.G.4.2, LA.7.1.6.1, LA.7.1.6.2
Why is Congress composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate?
Congress creates our nation’s laws. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have their own special rules and
procedures. Why is Congress divided into two houses, each with its own special character?
When writing the Constitution in 1787, the Framers wanted to create a Congress with the power to pass laws. They had a
problem, however. They could not agree about how the states should be represented in this Congress. Delegates from the
smaller states wanted each state to have equal representation. Those from the larger states wanted votes in Congress to be
based on population. This would give them more power. In the end, the Framers reached a compromise. They made
Congress a two­part, or bicameral, body. In the Senate, each state would have an equal number of representatives—two. In
the House of Representatives, the number of members for each state would be based on its population.
The Framers wanted the legislative branch of government to have more power than the other two branches. They described
Congress in the first part of the Constitution, Article I. As James Madison said, Congress is “the First Branch of this
Government.”
Every year, 535 of our fellow citizens gather inside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. There, they make new laws and
address the many issues facing our country. These are our elected representatives, the members of Congress.
Terms and Sessions
The government calendar is set by law. Each Congress lasts for a term, or a period of time, of two years. Each Congress
usually starts on January 3 of odd­numbered years and lasts for two years. Each “new” Congress is numbered to identify its
two­year term. For example, the first Congress met in 1789, and the 112th Congress is in session from January 2011 to
January 2013.
Each Congress is divided into two sessions, or meetings. A typical session of Congress today lasts from January until
November or December. Congress may also meet during special sessions or in times of crisis. A joint session occurs, or
happens, when the House and Senate meet together. The two chambers have joint sessions to do business as a unit or to
hear a presidential speech.
The House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is the larger of the two houses of Congress. It has 435 voting members who are divided
among the states on the basis of their population. These representatives serve two­year terms.
The United States Constitution allows each state at least one representative, no matter how small its population. Every 10
years, a census, or population count, is taken by the Census Bureau. Congress then adjusts, or changes, the number of
representatives given to each state based on the census results. States that have gained enough people since the last
census might get one or even two more House members. Those that lose people might lose one or more seats.
Each state is divided into one or more congressional districts. One representative, or House member, is elected by the voters
of each district. State legislatures must draw the boundaries of these districts. Legislatures are required to draw the districts
so that they each include roughly the same number of constituents (kuhn•STIHCH•wuhnts), or people represented.
Sometimes lawmakers abuse their power to draw district lines. They might draw these lines to favor one political party over
another, for instance. This practice is called gerrymandering. A gerrymander is an oddly shaped district designed to
increase the voting strength of a particular group. Suppose that one party has a strong majority in the state legislature. That
party would be able to control how the map is drawn for new House districts. In that case, party members might draw the
lines so that as many districts as possible have voters from their party outnumbering those from other parties. Laws have
tried to limit gerrymandering, but the practice has not been stopped.
The House of Representatives also has six nonvoting members. One represents the people of the District of Columbia. The
other five represent the people of Puerto Rico and four island territories in the Pacific Ocean. These six members do not vote
on bills being considered in the House.
The Senate
The Senate has 100 members, with two coming from each of the 50 states. Each senator represents his or her entire state
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rather than a particular district. Senators serve six­year terms. However, elections are staggered. This means that no more
than one­third of the senators are running for reelection at any one time. The remaining two­thirds of the senators ensure that
the Senate is stable through each election. This helps shield the Senate from sudden shifts in public opinion.
A senator may die or resign before the end of his or her term. How the vacant seat is filled depends on state law. In most
states, the governor can name someone to fill the empty position. That person will hold the office until there is an election.
Most states wait until the next regular election to choose a permanent new senator. Other states will call for a special election
to be held sooner.
Congressional Leadership
In both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the political party to which more than half of the members belong is
known as the majority party. The other party, with less than half of the members, is called the minority party. At the
beginning of each new Congress, each party’s members in each house choose the party’s leaders to direct its activities.
Each political party chooses its leader, called either the majority or the minority leader, depending on that party’s position in
the new Congress. Each leader speaks for his or her party on issues that come up in that house. Each leader tries to push
along and sway votes in favor of bills supported by his or her party. An assistant leader, called a “whip,” helps each party
leader. For example, the whip makes sure legislators are present for key votes.
Top Leadership in the House
In addition to these party leaders, each house of Congress has one presiding officer. In the House of Representatives, this
leader is called the Speaker of the House. Members of the majority party choose the Speaker at a caucus, or closed meeting.
The rest of the House then approves the choice of Speaker.
The Speaker of the House has great power. He or she presides over the House and leads its majority party. The Speaker
guides legislation through the House and leads floor debates. If anything happens to the president and vice president, the
Speaker is next in line to become president, provided he or she is legally qualified.
Speakers rely on persuasion and the power of their position to influence other House members. On a typical day, the
Speaker may talk with dozens of members of Congress. Often the Speaker listens to requests for a favor. In return for
meeting such requests, the Speaker expects the representatives’ support on important issues.
The office of the Speaker is mentioned in the Constitution. That document gives no other details about the office or its
powers, however. The duties of the office have developed over time, shaped by the actions of the people who have served
as Speaker.
Top Leadership in the Senate
Like the House, the Senate needs a presiding officer. That person runs the sessions of the Senate and keeps order. The
presiding officer in the Senate is the vice president. The vice president differs from the Speaker of the House in an important
way. The Speaker can vote on any matter before the House. The vice president, however, can vote in the Senate only when
there is a tie.
The vice president cannot always be present when the Senate is in session, though. When he or she is absent, a temporary
officer fills in. That officer is named the president pro tempore (proh•TEHM•puh•ree)—meaning “for the time being.” He or
she is from the majority party and is usually its most senior member. The president pro tempore is also in the line of
succession to fill the presidency, coming after the Speaker of the House.
Recalling How many members are there in the House? The Senate?
435 house members 100 senate members
Florida CONNECTION
An End to Gerrymandering?
In November 2010, Florida voters approved two amendments to their state constitution that would stop the practice of
gerrymandering in the drawing of legislative and congressional districts. Opponents of these amendments filed a lawsuit–Brown v.
State of Florida–seeking to block these amendments.
The Committee System
SS.7.C.3.3, SS.7.C.3.8
Why are members of Congress assigned to work on committees?
In a single session, each house of Congress handles thousands of bills, or proposed laws. In order to carefully consider so
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many bills at one time, each house has set up many different committees. The committee system makes Congress’s large
workload easier. President Woodrow Wilson noted the importance of committees.
"It is not far from the truth to say that Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee
rooms is Congress at work ."
­Woodrow Wilson, Congressional Government, 1885
Types of Committees
Congress has three types of committees. They are standing committees, select committees, and joint committees. Standing
committees are permanent, meaning they are used each term. They focus on specific areas of government work. For
example, both the Senate and the House have standing committees to deal with agriculture, commerce, and veterans’
affairs.
The House and Senate sometimes form temporary committees to deal with special issues. These select committees meet for
a limited time until they complete their assigned task.
Occasionally, the Senate and the House form joint committees, which include members of both houses. Joint committees
meet to consider specific issues.
Serving on Committees
Newly elected senators and representatives try to get placed on committees that affect the people who elected them. For
example, members of Congress from farm areas might want to serve on agriculture committees. Those with many factories in
their districts might be interested in serving on labor committees.
It is the task of party leaders to make committee assignments. In doing so, they consider members’ interests, experience, and
loyalty to their party. Another key factor is seniority, or years of service. The senators and representatives who have been in
Congress longest usually get to serve on the most favored or most powerful committees.
The longest­serving committee member from the majority party usually becomes the chairperson. The person in this position
has a great deal of power. Chairpersons decide when and if a committee will meet. They also decide which bills will be
studied and who will serve on each of the subcommittees. The longest­serving committee member from the minority party
leads the members of that party in the committee. He or she is called the ranking minority member.
Some people think the seniority system is a good idea. They say that it prevents fights over committee jobs. They also say it
ensures that chairpersons will have experience. Opponents complain that talented committee members may be overlooked
in favor of those who have simply been around for a while. There has been so much criticism of the seniority system over the
years that both political parties have moved slightly away from it. The senior majority party member still usually becomes the
committee chair. It is no longer guaranteed, however.
Identifying What are the three types of committees?
Florida CONNECTION
Charles William “Bill” Young
When the 112th Congress convened in 2011, Charles William “Bill” Young was the longest serving Republican member of the
House. He has represented Florida in that chamber since 1971. He held the powerful position of Chairman of the House
Appropriations Committee from 1999 till 2005. How do you think seniority helped him get this job? SS.7.C.3.8
LESSON 1 REVIEW
Review Vocabulary
1. How does the census affect representation in the House of Representatives?
LA.7.1.6.1
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2. How do states divide the number of constituents in their congressional districts? How are constituents divided in a
gerrymander?
LA.7.1.6.2
3. What determines which is the majority party and which is the minority party in each house?
SS.7.C.3.3
Answer the Guiding Questions
4. Expressing Why are the two houses of Congress good places to discuss issues that might require new laws?
SS.7.C.3.3
5. Explaining Why does Congress rely on the committee system?
SS.7.C.3.8
6. PERSUASIVE WRITING Do you think that government by committee makes the role of individual members of Congress
less important? Express your opinion in a paragraph. Give reasons to support your opinion.
SS.7.C.3.8
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