The House, with its entire membership standing for election every two years, is considered the chamber closest to the electorate. Running for re-election virtually constantly means that Representatives come to know their constituents well, and therefore are more likely to reflect accurately the views of the local citizenry and advocate the needs of their districts. They are also more likely to be sensitive to changes in popular sentiment. However, it was feared that these same characteristics might also lead to a short-term view of what constitutes good public policy. In contrast, the Senate was designed to protect against the popular passions of the moment.
Senators stand for election every six years.
The framers expected Senators to be older, wiser, and more deliberative than Representatives and thus able to offer a long-term view of what makes good public policy. Although likely to be apocryphal, a famous simile for this is reputed to have been voiced by George Washington to Thomas Jefferson when the latter criticized the need for a second chamber. Under the U.S. Constitution, the two chambers are as equal. Both must give their consent to the enactment of a law. The Constitution does give certain exclusive powers to each chamber.