House and Senators Requirements, Terms, and More

House of Representatives Requirements

At least 25 years old, 7 years U.S. citizenship, and reside in represented state

Senator Requirements

Minimum 30 years old, 9 years U.S. citizenship, and state residency

Representative Term

2 years in office

Senator Term

6 years in office

Senate Selection Process

Originally chosen by state legislatures, now directly elected by state citizens

Congress Term Length

Two years

Congress Session Length

One year

House vs. Senate Debate

House debates are shorter with more members; Senate debates have no time limit

Necessary and Proper Clause

Allows Congress to act on responsibilities not explicitly in the Constitution

Congressional Reserved Powers

Includes raising an army, taxation, and citizenship laws

Speaker of the House Role

Leads House, interprets rules, schedules votes, and signs bills

Senate Leader Role

Vice President leads Senate, schedules business, and advises caucus

Committee Purpose

Gather expert opinions on legislative topics

Agriculture Committee Role

Establishes federal agricultural policy and funds research

Education and Workforce Committee Role

Oversees education programs from early learning to job training

Veteran Affairs Committee Role

Recommends legislation on veterans' benefits and oversees VA operations

Rules Committee Function

Sets rules for bill presentation in the House, like time limits for debate

Bill to Law Process

Includes drafting, committee review, full House and Senate debate, presidential approval or veto

Gerrymandering

Drawing district lines to favor a political party

Filibustering

Endless talking to delay a bill's progress

Cloture

Procedure to end a filibuster and limit debate

Reapportionment

Redistributing House seats based on population changes every ten years

Subcommittee Definition

Part of a committee that focuses on specific matters and reports back

Conference Committee Role

Creates identical House and Senate bills for presidential approval

Joint Committee Purpose

Includes members from both houses for specific or ongoing issues

Simple Resolution

Passed by one house to initiate actions involving that house only

Joint Resolution

Requires passage by both houses, deals with temporary or unusual matters

Quorum Definition

Minimum number of members needed for official business

Reserved Powers

Powers designated to a specific group or entity

Surplus vs. Deficit

Surplus: Government earns more than spent; Deficit: Government spends more than earned

Corporate Tax

Tax on corporations' annual earnings

Income Tax

Tax deducted from employees' paychecks

Payroll Tax

Tax on a percentage of individuals' earned income