Congress

[Odinson]

UNITED STATES CONGRESS​

Public​

The United States Congress is considered the voice of the people and the primary democratic organ of the United States Federal Government. The Congress is a bicameral legislature consisting of chambers: the Senate (the upper chamber composed of 100 senators) and the House of Representatives (the lower chamber composed of 435 congressmen). Every state is allocated two senators, while the House of Representatives is roughly proportional to population. The Senate has staggered elections where senators enjoy 6-year terms, while their colleagues in the House of Representatives only have two-year terms. As part of the separation of powers, the Senate and House of Representatives themselves have some of their own specific powers. For example, only the Senate can approve treaties with foreign governments, while all spending bills must originate from the House of Representatives. Proposed legislation must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the President in order to become law. The President has the power to veto legislation, which can be overpowered by a two-thirds supermajority from both chambers. The Congress, collectively, has the exclusive powers to declare war and to amend the United States Constitution.

"All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."
-Article 2, Section 1, Clause 1, United States Constitution​

 

[Odinson]

UNITED STATES SENATE​

Public​

PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE​

Richard Blumenthal (I-Connecticut)​

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE​

Olympia Snowe (R-Maine)​

MAJORITY LEADER​

John Cornyn III (R-Texas)​

MINORITY LEADER​

Chuck Whitehouse (D-New York)​

DEMOCRATS​

41​

REPUBLICANS​

55​

INDEPENDENT​

4​

The United States Senate is designated as the senior congressional chamber. Originally, senators were not directly elected by the people but were instead appointed by the state legislatures from wince they came. Senators are elected to terms of six years, which is substantially longer than their colleagues in the House of Representatives. The Senate is responsible for approving appointments made by the President. Also, if the House of Representatives were to impeach the President, Vice President, or other federal official, the Senate conducts a trial with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court acting as judge. Senators are often considered seasoned political veterans who often considered for President. As outlined by the Constitution, the Vice President is the presiding officer (officially, "President") of the Senate, and the most senior member of the majority is the President Pro Tempore who takes the Vice President's place when he is absent.

"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote."
-Article 1, Section 3, Clause 1, United States Constitution​

​

FLAG OF THE SENATE

---

---

PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE​

The Vice President of the United States, who is the only person that can legally occupy the office of "President of The Senate" is, as directly enumerated by the Constitution, the presiding officer of the Senate. The Constitution also states that the Vice President, when presiding over the Senate as President, cannot vote except in the event of a tie. The Senate previously placed exceptional limitations on the President's ability to speak while the Senate is in session, but this was recently overturned after the inauguration of then-Vice President Benjamin Sinclair in 1998. The Senate's former restrictions on the Vice President's presiding powers were in part due to America's first Vice President, John Adams. His lengthy monologues made him unpopular among his senatorial colleagues and led to the President only being permitted to keep order, recognize others to speak, take certain procedural stances, and of course vote in the case of ties. Nevertheless, the President has the privilege of chairing any meeting of the Senate for any reason and at any time with or without warning.​

"The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided."
-Article 1, Section 3, United States Constitution​

 

[Odinson]

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES​

Public​

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE​

Edmund Williams (D-Michigan)​

MAJORITY LEADER​

Patrick Cole (D-New Hampshire)​

MINORITY LEADER​

Jack Landry (R-Louisiana)​

DEMOCRATS​

230​

REPUBLICANS​

193​

LIBERTARIANS​

3​

INDEPENDENTS​

9​

The United States House of Representatives is the lower-chamber of the Untied States Congress. The House of Representatives has a number of important duties and abilities ranging from impeaching the President, Vice President, and other high officials of the Federal Government to creating all new spending bills and new federal legislation. While the Senate is the upper-chamber and considered more prestigious, the House of Representatives is considered to be "The Chamber of The People". Members are elected directly by the people, unlike Senators who were originally appointed by their respective States, and members also serve shorter terms of just two years so that they can be more easily replaced by the people if the "national mood" changes. The House also uniquely has "The Power of The Purse" meaning that all spending bills must originate from that chamber.

"The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature."
-Article 1, Section 2, Clause 1, United States Constitution​

​

FLAG OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

---

---

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE​

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE​

Edmund Williams (D-Michigan)​

The Speaker of The House is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, and is a constitutionally-mandated position. While the Constitution does not require the speaker to be a member of the House, every speaker in America's history has been a congressman. Unlike the speaker's counterpart in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom, the U.S. speaker is a partisan figure who is an active member of his own party and regularly uses his position to appoint members of his own party to important committee positions and other such measures. The speaker's position has many "hard powers" which allow him to have significant control over what bills are even able to come up to a vote, which means that he can stifle proposed legislation not only from the other party, but even his own if he sees fit. The speaker serves at the pleasure of the House and can be removed at any time, but the speaker normally serves until he loses his congressional seat, or when a new congress is elected who decide to oust him.

"The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."
-Article 1, Section 2, Clause 5, United States Constitution​

​

 

[Odinson]

CAPITOL BUILDING
Washington D.C.​