By MyCitizenPrep Editorial Team
Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government and consists of two chambers: the Senate (100 members, 2 from each state, 6-year terms) and the House of Representatives (435 members, based on state population, 2-year terms). Together they make the nation's laws.
Key facts:
- 100 U.S. Senators — 2 per state, 6-year terms
- 435 voting Representatives — based on state population, 2-year terms
- Senate confirms presidential appointments and ratifies treaties
- House originates all spending and tax bills
- Both chambers must pass a bill for it to become law (bicameral)
- The Vice President serves as President of the Senate
Two Chambers, One Congress
The Founders created two chambers as a compromise. Large states wanted representation based on population. Small states wanted equal representation. The solution: give them both.
- The Senate — equal representation. Every state gets 2 senators, regardless of size. California (40 million people) and Wyoming (580,000 people) each have exactly 2 senators.
- The House — proportional representation. States with more people get more representatives. California has 52 representatives. Wyoming has 1.
Together, they form Congress.
The Senate
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total members | 100 (2 per state) |
| Term length | 6 years |
| Minimum age | 30 years old |
| Must be a citizen for | At least 9 years |
| Leader | Vice President (President of the Senate) |
| Day-to-day leader | Senate Majority Leader |
Unique powers of the Senate:
- Confirms presidential appointments (Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, ambassadors)
- Ratifies treaties (requires two-thirds vote)
- Holds impeachment trials (the House impeaches, the Senate decides guilt)
Senators are elected by the entire state. One-third of senators are up for election every 2 years, so the full Senate turns over every 6 years.
The House of Representatives
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total voting members | 435 |
| Term length | 2 years |
| Minimum age | 25 years old |
| Must be a citizen for | At least 7 years |
| Leader | Speaker of the House |
Unique powers of the House:
- Starts all revenue (tax) bills — only the House can introduce bills that involve federal spending
- Initiates impeachment proceedings against the President or other officials
- Elects the President if no candidate wins a majority in the Electoral College
Representatives are elected by voters in their specific congressional district, not the whole state. Districts are redrawn every 10 years based on the census.
How a Bill Becomes a Law
- A member of Congress introduces a bill
- The bill is discussed in committee
- The full chamber (Senate or House) debates and votes
- If it passes one chamber, it goes to the other
- Both chambers must pass the same version of the bill
- The bill goes to the President, who can sign it into law or veto it
- Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers
This process is intentionally slow. The Founders wanted to make sure bad laws were hard to pass.
Senate vs House — Quick Comparison
| | Senate | House | |---|---|
Continue Learning
Frequently Asked Questions
How many U.S. Senators are there?
There are 100 U.S. Senators — two from each of the 50 states. Senators serve 6-year terms.
How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?
The House has 435 voting members. The number of Representatives from each state is based on the state's population — California has the most (52), while several states have only one.
What is the difference between the Senate and the House?
The Senate has 100 members (2 per state, 6-year terms), while the House has 435 members (based on population, 2-year terms). The Senate confirms presidential appointments; the House originates spending bills.
Who is the Speaker of the House?
The Speaker of the House is elected by the members of the House of Representatives and is the leader of the chamber. The Speaker is second in line to the presidency, after the Vice President.
How long are congressional terms?
Senators serve 6-year terms with no limit on re-election. Representatives serve 2-year terms, also with no term limits.
What does Congress do besides making laws?
Congress declares war, approves the federal budget, confirms federal judges and Cabinet officials (Senate), originates revenue bills (House), and has the power to impeach the President.