To balance the interests of both the small and large states, the Framers of the Constitution divided the power of Congress between the two houses. Every state has an equal voice in the Senate, while representation in the House of Representatives is based on the size of each state's population.
Why are the requirements different for the two houses of Congress?
To balance the interests of both the small and large states, the Framers of the Constitution divided the power of Congress between the two houses. Every state has an equal voice in the Senate, while representation in the House of Representatives is based on the size of each state's population.
What are the major differences between membership in the Senate and membership in the House?
House members must be twenty-five years of age and citizens for seven years. Senators are at least thirty years old and citizens for nine years. Another difference is who they represent. Senators represent their entire states, but members of the House represent individual districts.
How is membership in each house determined?
— U.S. Constitution, Amendment XIV, section 2
The Constitution provides for proportional representation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the seats in the House are apportioned based on state population according to the constitutionally mandated Census.
What eligibility requirements does the Constitution establish for members of the House?
— U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 2, clause 2
The Constitution requires that Members of the House be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and live in the state they represent (though not necessarily the same district).
How many Democrats are in the House of Representatives 2020?
| Parties Seats | 2018 2020 | Democratic Party 235 222 | Republican Party 199 213 | Libertarian Party — — |
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What can the Senate do that the House Cannot?
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 happens if the House and Senate versions of a bill are different?
What happens if the House and Senate versions of a bill are different? ... Each version is voted on in a joint session with all members of the House and Senate. The Senate can pass its version by majority vote, and the bill then goes to the president .
How many years does a senator serve?
A senator's term of office is six years and approximately one-third of the total membership of the Senate is elected every two years. Look up brief biographies of Senators from 1774 to the present in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
What is difference between senator and congressman?
For this reason, and in order to distinguish who is a member of which house, a member of the Senate is typically referred to as Senator (followed by “name” from “state”), and a member of the House of Representatives is usually referred to as Congressman or Congresswoman (followed by “name” from the “number” district of ...
Why are there currently 435 members in the House?
Article I, Section II of the Constitution says that each state shall have at least one U.S. Representative, while the total size of a state's delegation to the House depends on its population. ... Because the House wanted a manageable number of members, Congress twice set the size of the House at 435 voting members.
What are the six states with only one representative?
States with the fewest (only one district “at-large”): Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. Alaska and Wyoming are the only states that have never had more than one district. Between 1810 and 1820, Delaware had two U.S. representatives, but they were elected at-large.
How long is the term of a representative in the House?
Also referred to as a congressman or congresswoman, each representative is elected to a two-year term serving the people of a specific congressional district. Among other duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees.
What three eligibility requirements does the Constitution establish for members of the Senate?
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 are the three qualifications that the Constitution establishes for the president?
The Constitution sets out three eligibility requirements to be President: one must be 35 years of age, a resident “within the United States” for 14 years, and a “natural born Citizen.” There is no Supreme Court case which has ruled specifically on the presidential eligibility requirements (although several cases have ...
Can Congress refuse to seat an elected member?
However, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Powell v. McCormack (1969), limited the powers of the Congress to refuse to seat an elected member to when the individual does not meet the specific constitutional requirements of age, citizenship or residency.
