Terrum Federation House of Councillors

## House of Councillors

**Minority Caucus**

* Prosperity Party (18)

**Presiding Officer**

* **Vice President**

## Overview

The **Terrum Federation House of Councillors** is the upper chamber of the Terrum Federation National Diet, with the National Assembly being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the Terrum Federation.

The composition and powers of the House are established by the Terrum Federation Constitution. The House is composed of Councillors, each of whom represent their state at-large elected by proportional vote within their states. Each state is entitled to at least one councillor (Coronis is delegated one councillor despite being much smaller than the rest of the states). The states are proportionally represented in the house with the number of councillors delegated to every state reflecting population size. Councillors serve staggered terms of eight years (ocassionally four years when redistricting occurs). There are currently 78 Councillors representing the 21 states (Previously 38 Councillors. House expansion with the Fair Representation Act of 144 A.G.R.). The practice of majority and minority caucuses electing their chairs began before the first official session. The House's legislative and executive business is managed and scheduled by the House majority caucus chair. The Vice President of The Terrum Federation serves as presiding officer and president of the House by virtue of that office, and has a vote only if the Councillors are equally divided. In the vice president's absence, the president pro tempore, who is traditionally a senior member of the party holding a majority of seats, presides over the House.

As the upper chamber of the National Diet, the House has several powers of advice and consent which are unique to it. These include the approval of treaties, and the confirmation of Cabinet secretaries, Supreme Court justices, federal judges, flag officers, regulatory officials, other federal executive officials and federal uniformed officers. The House also conducts trials of those impeached by the House.

The House is widely considered both a more deliberative and more prestigious body than the National Assembly due to its longer terms, smaller size, and statewide proportional representation, which historically led to a more collegial and less polarised atmosphere. Members of the current House are divided into Councillors of the 1st and 2nd Rank depending on their election results. Councillors of the 1st Rank being the senior of the two, are given priority in debates and choosing of committee seats. In times when more than 2 political parties hold seats, further ranks have been introduced with the highest number being the 5th Rank which was held by an independent councillor from Andromedai. Councillors of the 1st Rank are Councillors who come from the Party ticket who won the majority of the vote in their statewide Councillor elections hence their seniority over Councillors of the 2nd Rank who come from the Party ticket that did not win the majority of votes however, won enough votes to cross the thresholds to obtain seat(s)

The House chamber is located in the Palace of Councillors in Andres, Edonia.