The House Explained · House.gov House History What is a Representative? 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. The number of representatives with full voting rights is 435, a number set by Public Law 62-5 on August 8, 1911, and in effect since 1913. The number of representatives per state is proportionate to population. Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution provides for both the minimum and maximum sizes for the House of Representatives. Currently, there are five delegates representing the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. A resident commissioner represents Puerto Rico. The delegates and resident commissioner possess the same powers as other members of the House, except that they may not vote when the House is meeting as the House of Representatives. To be elected, a representative must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for at least seven years and an inhabitant of the state he or she represents.

View the list of House members by state or by last name . Find Your Representative Enter your ZIP code in the banner of this page to find the representative for your congressional district. Did You Know? After extensive debate, the framers of the Constitution agreed to create the House with representation based on population and the Senate with equal representation. This agreement was part of what is referred to as The Great Compromise . Leadership House leadership includes the speaker, majority and minority leaders, assistant leaders, whips and a party caucus or conference. The speaker acts as leader of the House and combines several institutional and administrative roles. Majority and minority leaders represent their respective parties on the House floor. Whips assist leadership in managing their party's legislative program on the House floor. A party caucus or conference is the name given to a meeting of or organization of all party members in the House. During these meetings, party members discuss matters of concern. The majority party members and the minority party members meet in separate caucuses to select their leader. Third parties rarely have had enough members to elect their own leadership, and independents will generally join one of the larger party organizations to receive committee assignments. How many people have served as Speaker of the House? Has the Speaker ever become President? Find out!

Committees The House’s 20 standing committees have different legislative jurisdictions. Each considers bills and issues and recommends measures for consideration by the House. Committees also have oversight responsibilities to monitor agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions, and in some cases in areas that cut across committee jurisdictions. Current standing committees of the House: Agriculture; Appropriations; Armed Services; Budget; Commerce; Education and the Workforce; Ethics; Financial Services; Foreign Affairs; Homeland Security; House Administration; Judiciary; Natural Resources; Oversight and Government Reform; Rules; Science, Space, and Technology; Small Business; Transportation and Infrastructure; Veterans’ Affairs; and Ways and Means. The Committee of the Whole House is a committee of the House on which all representatives serve and which meets in the House Chamber for the consideration of measures from the Union calendar. Before members are assigned to committees, each committee’s size and the proportion of Republicans to Democrats must be decided by the party leaders. The total number of committee slots allotted to each party is approximately the same as the ratio between majority party and minority party members in the full chamber. All committees have websites where they post information about the legislation they are drafting. What's a Select Committee?

The House will sometimes form a special or select committee for a short time period and specific purpose, frequently an investigation. Did You Know? Each committee has a chair and a ranking member. The chair heads the full committee. The ranking member leads the minority members of the committee. Commissions Congress has created a wide variety of temporary and permanent commissions to serve as advisory bodies for investigative or policy-related issues, or to carry out administrative, interparliamentary, or commemorative tasks. Such commissions are typically created by either law or House resolution, and may be composed of House members, private citizens, or a mix of both. In some cases, the commissions are entities of the House or Congress itself; in other cases, they are crafted as independent entities within the legislative branch. Examples of commissions Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission: a temporary, independent investigative body created by law and made up of private citizens. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (also known as the Helsinki Commission): an independent U.S. government agency composed of nine members of the United States Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.

House Page Board: a permanent, Congressional advisory group created by law and made up of House members, Officers, and private citizens. House Commissions Representatives’ schedules are sometimes planned out in increments as short as five minutes. House Rules The Rules of the House of Representatives for the 114th Congress were established by the House with the adoption of H. Res. 5 (PDF) on January 5, 2015. A section by section analysis is also available. Rules of Conduct The Committee on Ethics has jurisdiction over the rules and statutes governing the conduct of members, officers and employees while performing their official duties. Key Concept The Rules Committee controls what bills go to the House Floor and the terms of debate. Majority Rules The makeup of the Rules Committee has traditionally been weighted in favor of the majority party, and has been in its current configuration of 9 majority and 4 minority members since the late 1970s. Did You Know? The Rules Committee has an online Parliamentary Bootcamp that gives an overview of House Floor procedures, process and precendents. As outlined in the Constitution , the House represents citizens based on district populations, while the Senate represents citizens on an equal state basis.

This agreement was part of what is called The Great Compromise which, in turn, led to the Permanent Seat of Government Act establishing the nation’s federal capital in Washington, DC. In 1789, the House assembled for the first time in New York. It moved to Philadelphia in 1790 and then to Washington, DC, in 1800. Key Concept Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives - Member FAQs Member FAQs Contract All | Expand All 1. Who is a Member of Congress? A Member of Congress is a U.S. Representative, who serves in the House of Representatives, or a U.S. Senator, who serves in the Senate. A Member of the House also is called a Congresswoman or Congressman. (Delegates and the Resident Commissioner are nonvoting members of the House.) For lists of current Members of the House, visit the Member Information page . For lists of current Senators, visit the U.S. Senate website . 2. What are Delegates and the Resident Commissioner? How long do they serve, and what do they do?

The office of Delegate was established by ordinance of the Continental Congress (1774–1789) and confirmed by a law of the U.S. Congress. From the beginning of the Republic, the U.S. House of Representatives has admitted Delegates from territories or districts organized by law. There are currently five Delegates, including one from the District of Columbia, and one from each of the following territories: American Samoa The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands The Virgin Islands. Congress created the post of Resident Commissioner in 1900 to apply to Puerto Rico. Congress granted a Resident Commissioner to the Philippines several years later. Since 1946, when the Philippines became independent, only Puerto Rico has had a Resident Commissioner. Delegates and Representatives serve a two-year term, and the Resident Commissioner serves a four-year term. In most respects, Delegates and the Resident Commissioner have most of the authority that Members have. On the House Floor, they can speak, introduce bills, and offer amendments. They can serve on House Committees and possess most of the authority that other Committee members have. Delegates and the Resident Commissioner also may offer amendments while the House is conducting business as the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

However, unlike Members, they may not vote while the House is conducting business as the Committee of the Whole or vote on the final passage of legislation when the House is meeting. For current lists of the Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioner, visit the Member Information page . 3. Do Members take an Oath of Office when they enter the House? Article VI of the U.S. Constitution requires that Members of the U.S. Congress be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution. Members-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives typically take the Oath of Office on the House Floor on the first day of a new Congress, immediately after the Speaker of the House has been elected and sworn in. The Speaker administers this oath: “I, (name of Member), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God” (5 U.S.C. §3331).

If elected in special elections during the course of a Congress, Representatives, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner generally take the Oath on the Floor, once the Clerk of the House has received a certificate of election from the appropriate election commission. On rare occasions, because of illness or other such circumstances, a Member-elect has been authorized to take the Oath at a location other than the House, and the Speakerâs designee administers the Oath. For information on Members who have taken the Oath of Office, visit the Member Information page . 4. What are the requirements for becoming a Member of the House? Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states: "No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen." These requirements cannot be changed without a constitutional amendment. 5. When are House elections held? General elections for the U.S. House of Representatives are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, in even-numbered years. For election results and resources, visit the Election Information page. 6.

How are Representatives, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner nominated and elected? In most states, territories, and the District of Columbia, candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives who are members of major political parties are nominated in a primary election. Some states also provide for a party convention to nominate candidates or to endorse candidates before a primary. In many states, no primary election is held for a particular office if a candidate is unopposed. Minor-party candidates are nominated according to individual party rules and procedures, while Independent candidates are nominated by self-declaration. States automatically place major-party candidates on the primary ballot. Minor-party and Independent candidates must meet state-specific requirementsâsuch as submitting a petition with the signatures of registered votersâto be placed on the ballot. House Members are elected by plurality vote (the largest number of votes received) in the congressional district in which they are candidates. Special cases include: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas, which require that a candidate receive a majority (more than half) of popular votes to be nominated. In these states, a runoff primary election between the top two candidates is held if no candidate receives a majority in the first primary.

Louisiana, which requires that all candidates compete in an “open primary,” an all-party primary election. The candidate who wins the majority (more than half) of the votes is declared elected. The election is held on general election day (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November). If necessary, a runoff election between the top two finishers will follow several weeks later. For election results and resources, visit the Election Information page . 7. What is the size of the House Membership, and how is it determined? The current size of the U.S. House–435 Representatives–was established by Public Law 62-5 on August 8, 1911, and the law took effect in 1913. Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution stipulates the minimum and maximum numbers of Members in the House. Learn More about Congressional Apportionment and view a chart of apportionment by state. . Additional information on apportionment is available on the website of the U.S. Census Bureau, on the Congressional Affairs Office page or on the Congressional Apportionment page . 8. How many Representatives does each state have in the House?

Under Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution , each state, territory, or district is entitled to at least one representative. Additional seats are apportioned based on population. The U.S. Congress fixes the size of the U.S. House of Representatives and the procedure of apportioning the number of Representatives among the states. State legislatures pass laws that determine the physical boundaries of congressional districts, within certain constraints established by Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court (through reapportionment and redistricting rulings). The number of Members for each state is apportioned according to the results of the decennial census conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Census Bureau. For more information on current congressional districts, visit the Congressional District Profiles page on the U.S. Census Bureau's website. 9. Where are the Members’, Delegates’, and Resident Commissioner’s offices? Member offices are located in Washington, DC, in the Cannon, Longworth, and Rayburn House office buildings south of the U.S. Capitol, along Independence Avenue. In addition, House Committee offices and support services are located in the buildings and the Ford House Office Building.

House leadership offices are located in the House wing of the Capitol. Visit the Architect of the Capitol website for more information on the location and history of the House office buildings. For specific Member contact information, visit the Member Information page . Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner also maintain offices in their states, territories, and districts. For a list of district office websites, visit the House website . For information on historic room assignments in House office buildings, visit the History, Art & Archives website . 10. Do Members of the House have assigned seating in the House Chamber? Assigned seating for Members was abolished during the 63rd Congress, in 1913. Today, Members may sit where they please. Generally, Democrats occupy the east side of the Chamber to the right of the Speaker of the House, and Republicans sit across the aisle on the Speaker's left. The tables on either side of the aisle are reserved for party leaders and for Committee leaders during debate on bills their Committees bring to the House Floor. For information on the locations of historic desks in the Old House Chamber, visit the History, Art & Archives website . 11.

How is a vacancy filled in the event of a House Memberâs death, resignation, declination (refusal to serve), or expulsion? View the list of current congressional vacancies and vacancies listed in overviews of previous Congresses . 12. What is meant by “Member at Large”? A Member at Large is a Representative, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner of the U.S. House of Representatives who has been elected by the voters of a state, district, or territoryânot by the voters from a specific congressional district. The U.S. Congress enacted a law in 1967 that prohibits states with more than one Representative from holding Member at Large elections (2 U.S.C. §2c). For information on current Members’ “at Large” and district designations, view the following official lists on the Member Information page : “Official Alphabetical List of Members” “Official List of Members by State” “Official Member Telephone Directory.” 13. What is the proper way to address a letter to a Member of the House? Acceptable forms of address for Members of the U.S. House of Representatives include “the Honorable” and “Representative.” Address correspondence according to the following samples: The Honorable J.Q.

Smith For information on how to contact Members, visit the Member Information page . 14. How much are House Members paid? For current and historical information on Members’ salaries, visit the Congressional Research Service website . 15. How many women are serving in Congress? For the number of women currently serving in the U.S. Congress–and other information about women in Congress–visit the History, Art & Archives website 16. How many Members of the House are in each party? For data on the party divisions in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, visit the Congressional Profile page . House Leadership & Officers 1. What is the role of the Speaker of the House? Who has served as Speaker? The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives customarily has the following roles: Institutional, as presiding officer and administrative head of the House Representative, as an elected Member of the House Party leader, as leader of the majority party in the House. By statute, the Speaker is second in line, after the Vice President of the United States, to succeed the President (3 U.S.C. §19). For more information on the current Speaker, visit the Speaker’s website . 2. How is the Speaker of the House elected?

For more information on the current Speaker, visit the Speaker’s website . 3. What are the duties of the Speaker of the House? The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives: Presides over the House Administers the Oath of Office to House Members Communicates with the President of the United States and the U.S. Senate Leads his or her party conference or caucus Chairs his or her party’s steering committee, which is involved in the selection of party members for standing committees Nominates chairs and members of the Committee on Rules and the Committee on House Administration. The Speaker also appoints: Speakers pro tempore The chair who presides over the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union Members to House-Senate conference committees A Member to the Committee on the Budget Select committees Certain House staff The Speaker recognizes Members to speak on the House Floor or make motions during Floor proceedings. The Speaker makes many important rulings and decisions in the House. The Speaker may debate or vote, but typically only occasionally does so. The Speaker also serves as an ex officio member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. For more information on the current Speaker, visit the Speaker’s website . 4. What are the duties of the House Majority Leader and Minority Leader?

Who has served in these positions? The Majority Leader helps plan daily, weekly, and annual legislative agendas for the U.S. House of Representatives and customarily schedules legislative business on the House Floor. The Majority Leader works closely with the Speaker of the House, and communicates and consults with House Members to advance the majority party’s legislative goals. The Minority Leader leads and serves as a spokesperson for the minority party. The Minority Leader chairs the party’s steering committee, which is involved in the selection of party members for standing committees, and nominates or appoints the party’s members to certain standing committees. The Minority Leader also serves as an ex officio member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The Minority Leader directs the party’s legislative strategies and operations, in consultation with party colleagues. The Majority Leader and Minority Leaderâalso called party Floor leadersâare selected by the party conference and the party caucus. For more information on the current leaders, visit the Majority Leader’s website and the Minority Leader’s website . 5. How are the House Majority Leader and Minority Leader selected? Every two years, before the U.S.

House of Representatives convenes for the first time at the start of a new Congress, the members of the House Republican Conference and House Democratic Caucus separately meet and elect their respective Floor leader. Visit the House Republican Conference’s website and House Democratic Caucus website . 6. What are House whips? Who has served as a whip? In addition to the Majority Leader and Minority Leader, each party in the U.S. House of Representatives elects a whip. Other whip positions vary by party and can include one or more chief deputy whips as well as deputy whips, assistant whips, regional whips, and other whips. The Whips are elected or appointed at organizational meetings before the start of a two-year Congress. Whips maintain communication between party leadership and party members, build the members’ support for the leadershipâs priorities, and inform and mobilize members on voting on key legislation. Visit the current Majority Whip’s website and Minority Whip’s website . 7. What are House party conferences and party caucuses? A party conference or party caucus is an organizational body of all of a party’s members in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The terms “conference” or “caucus” also can refer to some Congressional Member Organizations , or refer to a meeting that includes all of a party’s members in the House. House Republicans call their organization the House Republican Conference; House Democrats call their organization the House Democratic Caucus. The House Republican Conference and House Democratic Caucus officially elect the parties’ leaders. The organizations elect their chairs before the start of a new Congress. Typically, each establishes a steering committee or steering and policy committee, which approves assignments of party members to standing committees, as well as establishes task forces. View the list of House Republican Conference Chairmen, 1863–present and the list of House Democratic Caucus Chairmen, 1849–present . 8. What is a Congressional Member Organization? Congressional Member Organizations (CMOs) in the U.S. House of Representatives are voluntary informal groups of House Members that register with the Committee on House Administration (CHA). Each CMO pursues legislative objectives shared by a group of Members, and many CMOs meet regularly to exchange information. View the list of current and past Congressional Member Organizations on the CHA website. 9. Who are the House Officers, and what are their duties?

AllGov - Departments more less History: Prior to the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, the newly created federal government operated under the Articles of Confederation , which established a unicameral (one house) legislative body in which each state held one vote. Leaders from the original 13 colonies realized that this system would not work long-term for the nation, and in 1787, a Constitutional Convention was held. A great debate ensued between representatives of large states (e.g., Virginia) and small states (e.g., New Jersey) over how Congress should be structured according to the Constitution . Eventually, representatives to the convention agreed on the Connecticut Compromise , or “Great Compromise,” which set forth a bicameral Congress consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The House (commonly called the “lower house”) would consist of varying members from each state based on population, while the Senate provided equal representation from each state. Members of the House would serve only two-year terms, while senators were given six-year terms. When it was first established, the House consisted of 65 members, one for every 30,000 citizens.

After the first national census the number rose to 105, and it grew steadily as the population increased and new states were added. In 1910, Congress fixed the membership at 435, and the decision was made to require a reapportionment every 10 years that shifted the number of representatives each state sent to Washington D.C., depending on changes in population. While the House shares many of the same functions as the Senate, it diverges from its upper house counterpart in some key areas. Stemming from controversies that arose during England’s control of the colonies regarding unfair taxation, the House was given the so-called “power of the purse”—meaning, all actions involving the spending or raising of revenue would originate in the lower house. The House also was given the power to elect the President in the event of a tie. Twice in its history the House has decided the winner of a presidential contest. In 1800, the campaign between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr was thrown to the House of Representatives, and after dozens of ballots, members selected Jefferson as President.

In 1824, a four-way race involving Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, William Crawford, and Henry Clay resulted in none of the candidates winning a majority of the electoral votes. The outcome was then decided in the House, where Adams was chosen as President. House members were also given the responsibility of deciding whether the President, or other federal officials, should be impeached (removed from office). The House may approve articles of impeachment by a simple majority vote; however, conviction rests with the Senate, which requires a two-thirds vote. In its long history, the House has impeached 16 officials (with only seven convicted): William Blount, senator from Tennessee; charges dismissed for want of jurisdiction, January 14, 1799. John Pickering, judge of the U.S. District Court for New Hampshire; removed from office March 12, 1804. Samuel Chase, associate justice of the Supreme Court; acquitted March 1, 1805. James H. Peck, judge of the U.S. District Court for Missouri; acquitted January 31, 1831. West H. Humphreys, judge of the U.S.

District Court for the middle, eastern, and western districts of Tennessee; removed from office June 26, 1862. Andrew Johnson , President of the United States; acquitted May 26, 1868. William W. Belknap, secretary of war; acquitted August 1, 1876. Charles Swayne, judge of the U.S. District Court for the northern district of Florida; acquitted February 27, 1905. Robert W. Archbald, associate judge, U.S. Commerce Court; removed January 13, 1913. George W. English, judge of the U.S. District Court for eastern district of Illinois; resigned November 4, 1926; proceedings dismissed. Harold Louderback, judge of the U.S. District Court for the northern district of California; acquitted May 24, 1933. Halsted L. Ritter, judge of the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Florida; removed from office April 17, 1936. Harry E. Claiborne, judge of the U.S.

District Court for the district of Nevada; removed from office October 9, 1986. Alcee L. Hastings, judge of the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Florida; removed from office October 20, 1988. Walter L. Nixon, judge of the U.S. District Court for Mississippi; removed from office November 3, 1989. William J. Clinton, President of the United States; acquitted February 12, 1999. (In 1974, the House began impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon based on actions stemming from the Watergate controversy. However, Nixon resigned from office before the full House could vote on the articles of impeachment .) In December 1998, the Republican-dominated House voted to impeach President Clinton on charges of perjury, obstruction of justice and abuse of power that arose from scandals involving his sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky and Paula Jones. Only five Democratic House members voted to impeach Clinton. It was only the second impeachment of a President in American history, following that of Andrew Johnson in 1868. Clinton was acquitted by the Senate in February 1999.

The most powerful member of the House is the Speaker. This leadership post did not evolve into the force it is today until the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The rise of the Speaker’s influence began in the 1890s, during tenure of Republican Thomas Brackett Reed . Known as “Czar Reed,” he ruled the House with the philosophy that “the best system is to have one party govern and the other party watch.” Other key leadership posts that developed during this time were the Majority Leader and Minority Leader. Each was created in 1899. While the Minority Leader was the head of the minority party, the Majority Leader remained subordinate to the Speaker. The Speaker’s dominance over the House peaked during the reign of Republican Joseph Gurney Cannon , 1903 to 1911. At that time, the powers of the Speaker included chairmanship of the influential Rules Committee and the ability to appoint members of other House committees. These powers were curtailed in the “Revolution of 1910” led by Democrats and dissatisfied Republicans who opposed Cannon’s heavy-handed tactics. For much of the 20th century, the Democratic Party dominated the House.

During the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Democrats often controlled two-thirds of the seats. Republicans enjoyed brief periods of House control until 1954, when Democrats again took over and maintained dominance for the next 40 years. Democratic control came to an end in 1994 when Republicans led by Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia) used its “ Contract with America ” campaign to sweep their way into power, much to the surprise of Democrats and many analysts. Speaker Gingrich promised to impose radical changes in the structure and size of the federal government—from downsizing the budget and eliminating federal agencies to imposing term limits—but most of these never materialized. Republicans managed to control the House until 2006, when voter dissatisfaction over the war in Iraq and numerous ethics scandals involving Republicans resulted in the Democrats returning to power. Leading the Democrats was Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California), who was elected the first woman Speaker in House history in January 2007. Republicans bounced back in the 2010 midterm election, regaining control of the House by adding 63 seats and erasing the gains that Democrats had achieved in 2006 and 2008.

Republicans won control of the most House seats since 1946, and Democrats suffered the highest loss of a party in a House midterm election since 1938. more less What it Does: The House of Representatives is made up of 435 members elected from throughout the country . Representatives, commonly referred to as a Congressman or Congresswoman, serve for two-year terms from districts within a specific state, such as 1st District, Arkansas. They must run for re-election before their terms expire, and unlike many lawmakers in state legislatures, members of the House are not subject to term limits that restrict how many times they can run for office. The House of Representatives is first and foremost charged with adopting new laws that govern the United States. Most new laws start out as bills—documents that go through varying degrees of review and changes (called amendments) by lawmakers. Once a bill (also called a “measure”) is first introduced , it is assigned a number, preceded by the letters “HR” (for House of Representatives) and then printed where it is available for review not only by lawmakers but also by the public. Bills are then assigned to at least one committee that examines what the proposed new law intends to do.

If a committee does not approve the bill, or simply takes no action on it, the bill “dies” and cannot be considered any further. This does not mean, however, that the “meat” of the bill won’t resurface in another bill, as lawmakers are wont to do to keep pushing a proposal in the hopes of getting it adopted one way or another. Bills that pass their initial committee may be subject to review by a second or third committee, depending on the subject matter of the bill. For new laws that will affect the raising or spending of money, bills have to go through one or more of the House’s finance committees, such as Appropriations. Once a bill is approved by all committees that see it, it is sent to the “floor”—meaning the chamber where the entire House of Representatives meets. If it is approved by a majority of members, it is then sent to the Senate, where the committee process begins all over again. A bill must pass both bodies in the same form before it can be presented to the President for signature into law. If the Senate changes the language of the measure, it must return to the House for concurrence or additional changes.

This back-and-forth negotiation may occur on the House floor, with the House accepting or rejecting Senate amendments or complete Senate text. Often a conference committee will be appointed with both House and Senate members. This group will resolve the differences in committee and report the identical measure back to both bodies for a vote. Conference committees also issue reports outlining the final version of the bill. Only after it is approved by both the House and Senate is a bill sent to the President for approval or veto. In addition to bills, the House considers joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and simple resolutions. Joint resolutions may originate either in the House or Senate. There is little difference between a bill and a joint resolution. Both are subject to the same procedure, except for a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. For joint resolutions that seek to amend the Constitution, two-thirds of both the House and Senate must adopt it before being sent to individual states for ratification. They are not presented to the President for approval. Concurrent resolutions are for changing the operations of both the House and Senate. These too are not presented to the President for action.

Simple resolutions are often used by the House to simply make a declaration of sorts, such as expressing concern over a problem without taking formal action by introducing a bill. Key Distinctions from the Senate Although the House and Senate can both introduce legislation, the authority to initiate tax increases or revenue expenditures rests with the lower house of Congress. Bills that perform either of these functions are first introduced in the House, although the Senate must approve such measures before they can be submitted to the President. Another important power held by the House of Representatives involves the election of the President. In the event that a tie occurs in the Electoral College, members of the House are required to vote and decide the winner of the election. However, there is not a direct vote. Instead, each state is given one vote, no matter how many representatives it has. Impeachment of federal officials also begins in the House. Although it is the Senate that votes to convict or acquit, no President or federal judge can be removed from office without the House first voting to approve articles of impeachment (similar to an indictment in criminal law). The Senate then decides whether an official has committed “high crimes and misdemeanors.” House Leadership: The top official in the House is the Speaker.

The position is filled at the start of each two-year term in a vote by the full House membership. The selection of the Speaker is generally determined by the majority party, and thus the Speaker is always a leading member of that party. The Speaker’s broad powers and privileges allow the majority to control the House’s legislative agenda. The Speaker wields considerable power over the House. The position sets the rules of the House and adjudicates when procedural conflicts arise. Behind the scenes, the Speaker’s powers are even broader—appointing committee chairs, influencing the referral of bills to the committees, and deciding the timetables of bills. Bills favored by the Speaker will leave committee more quickly and come to an early vote. The Speaker also plays a vital role in succeeding the President in the event he or she dies or is unable to carry out their duties. In this event, the Vice President assumes command of the Oval Office, but if the Vice President cannot, then the Speaker of the House takes control. Controversies: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Passed in the House (and Choice to Run It) Stirs Controversy Republicans in Congress have waged a concerted campaign to prevent a new consumer protection agency from ever becoming a reality in Washington.

First, GOP lawmakers (and the banking industry) fought hard to prevent legislation from passing that established the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which was charged with protecting consumers from financial institutions that try to gouge them over credit cards, payday loans, mortgages and student and auto loans. Some Republicans claimed the new agency would be as unpopular as the Transportation Security Administration, which operates airport screeners, while others wildly predicted the director of consumer protection would enjoy dictatorial powers. Once Democrats managed to adopt the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009, Republicans turned to blocking the CFPB leader from taking control. They prevented Elizabeth Warren, President Barack Obama’s first choice to run the bureau, from being confirmed in the Senate. So Obama selected another choice, former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, and used his presidential authority to make a recess appointment and bypass Congress altogether. Next, Republicans introduced legislation in 2012 that would give Congress direct control over the bureau’s budget, presumably so the GOP could eliminate its funding. Currently, the bureau is funded by the Federal Reserve. This bill is still pending in Congress, but Obama’s re-election, strengthened the CFPB’s position on forging ahead with consumer protections.

Suggested Reforms: Why 435? If the House of Representatives is to meet the needs of a 21st century America, then it must undergo considerable reform, according to Jerry Climer, president of the Congressional Institute. Climer offers up a wide range of changes that should be implemented in both the composition and operation of the House. First, congressional districts need to smaller to offer voters better representation in Washington D.C. Currently, the ratio is one representative for every 600,000 citizens. (In 1910, it was one for every 200,000.) Also, candidates should be required to raise at least 75% of their total campaign funds from individuals within their home district. “This would return real control of congressional campaign funding to the local constituency and also slash the amount of outside special-interest money,” Climer argues. Furthermore, candidates should not be allowed to carry surplus campaign funds from one election to the next. The number and function of House committees should be reduced, leaving fewer than 10 standing committees.

In a reformed House, permanent committees would consist of: Debate: Health Care Reform In April 2008, Democratic and Republican members of Congress debated the state of health care in America and ways it can be made more affordable and accessible. Julie Rovner of National Public Radio moderated the event, which was sponsored by the House Democratic Caucus and the House Republican Conference in cooperation with the Democratic Leadership Council and the Congressional Institute. Democrat side: (Xavier Becerra, Marion Berry, Kathy Castor, Allyson Schwartz) According to Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Florida), another 8.5 million Americans lost access to health insurance since 2001, bringing the grand total to 74 million in the country as a whole. Up to 9 million children do not have access to pediatricians. The premiums for family coverage now are up 78% since 2001. Family coverage now costs a family over $12,000 per year. Out-of-pocket costs are rising. Co-pays are going up and premiums are going up.

“In addition to all of that, President Bush and the Republican colleagues have undermined, continue to undermine, our health care safety nets in this country.” Castor insists Democrats want to create comprehensive solutions to provide quality, affordable health care. They want to spend more money to improve the primary care system, strengthen community health centers and make prevention education a priority. They argue that these changes will help reduce long-term costs facing the health care system. They want changes that won’t force uninsured people into emergency rooms. They also want more access to online prescriptions for Americans and the right to negotiate fair drug prices for Medicare. Republican side: (Charles Boustany, Shelley Moore Capito, Nathan Deal, John Shadegg) Republicans don’t disagree that there is a serious problem with health care. But they insist on market-based solutions to fix things, not greater government involvement or more mandates. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Arizona) says that restoring tax fairness is essential. Individuals should be allowed to purchase health care coverage under the same tax treatment given to those who receive their care through their employer. This will help all Americans obtain affordable health care coverage. Today’s workers need to know that if they leave their employer they do not risk losing their coverage.

Further, individuals and small businesses should be allowed to take advantage of additional pooling mechanisms so they can purchase group coverage with the same cost saving benefits that large employers now enjoy. Medical liability reform is essential. Too often the interests of trial lawyers are put in front of the interests of patients and doctors. The Department of Health and Human Services estimated that over $125 billion could be saved if “reasonable medical liability reforms were adopted.” Americans should be able to have a health savings account (HSA) so they can put money aside for their ordinary health care expenses. Recently housed Democrats further restricted HSAs. Republicans argue that patients, not Congress, should decide whether an HSA is right for them. “These reforms will lead to real patient choice. Not a government program. Not more rules and regulations.”

Question: How many members are there in the US lower house, the House of Representatives?
Answer: 435