Senators represent their entire states, but members of the House represent individual districts. The number of districts in each state is determined by a state's population. … Today, Congress consists of 100 senators (two from each state) and 435 voting members of the House of Representatives.
What does the House of Representatives do?
As per the Constitution, the U.S. House of Representatives makes and passes federal laws. The House is one of Congress's two chambers (the other is the U.S. Senate), and part of the federal government's legislative branch.
What can the Senate do that the House cant?
The House has several powers assigned exclusively to it, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an electoral college tie. … The Senate has the sole power to confirm those of the President's appointments that require consent, and to ratify treaties.
What is the Senate and the House?
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. … The Senate is composed of senators, each of whom represents a single state in its entirety.
What three powers does the Senate have?
The Senate takes
action on bills, resolutions, amendments, motions, nominations, and treaties by voting
. Senators vote in a variety of ways, including roll call votes, voice votes, and unanimous consent.
Can the House pass a bill without the Senate?
Ultimately, a law can only be passed if both the Senate and the House of Representatives introduce, debate, and vote on similar pieces of legislation. … After the conference committee resolves any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, each chamber must vote again to approve the final bill text.
What is the nickname for the House of Representatives?
Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives This campaign button from one of Tip O'Neill's re-election efforts puts the Congressman's accepted nickname front and center. “Old Man Eloquent,” “Sunset Cox,” “Czar Reed,” “Uncle Joe,” “Vinegar Bend,” “Mr. Sam,” the “Little Giant.”
What are 2 things that the Senate is responsible for?
The Senate has the sole power to confirm those of the President's appointments that require consent, and to provide advice and consent to ratify treaties. There are, however, two exceptions to this rule: the House must also approve appointments to the Vice Presidency and any treaty that involves foreign trade.
What are the qualifications to be a senator?
The Constitution sets three qualifications for service in the U.S. Senate: age
(at least thirty years of age); U.S. citizenship
(at least nine years); and residency in the state a senator represents at time of election.
What is the main purpose of the Senate?
The framers of the Constitution created the United States Senate to protect the rights of individual states and safeguard minority opinion in a system of government designed to give greater power to the national government.
How long does a senator serve?
A Senate term is six years long, so senators may choose to run for reelection every six years unless they are appointed or elected in a special election to serve the remainder of a term.
Are filibusters allowed in the House?
At the time, both the Senate and the House of Representatives allowed filibusters as a way to prevent a vote from taking place. Subsequent revisions to House rules limited filibuster privileges in that chamber, but the Senate continued to allow the tactic.
Who has power of the Senate?
The Senate shares full legislative power with the House of Representatives. In addition, the Senate has exclusive authority to approve–or reject–presidential nominations to executive and judicial offices, and to provide–or withhold–its “advice and consent” to treaties negotiated by the executive.
What are the 4 powers denied to Congress?
Today, there are four remaining relevant powers denied to Congress in the U.S. Constitution:
the Writ of Habeas Corpus, Bills of Attainder and Ex Post Facto Laws, Export Taxes and the Port Preference Clause
.
Why is legislative branch most powerful?
The most important power of Congress is its legislative authority;
with its ability to pass laws in areas of national policy
. … Most of the laws which are passed down by Congress apply to the public, and on some cases private laws. The second key role of Congress falls into the way they manage their budget.
Do bills go from the House to the Senate?
If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate. … Finally, a conference committee made of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval.
