| Congress makes the laws in the United
States. It has two parts, which are more or less equal in power. They are known
as the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is
larger than the Senate whose 100 members (two from each state) serve for six
years. The 435 members of the House are elected every two years, and the number
from each state is determined by the population of the state. For example,
California, which has a large population, has 43 representatives, while the
State of Nevada has only one. The House and Senate are divided into small groups which take care of special matters such as education or foreign affairs. The most important work of Congress is often done in these groups, which are called subcommittees. According to the Constitution of the United States, a senator must be at least 30 years old and he must have been a citizen of the United States for nine years at the time of his election. To be elected to the House a person must be 25 years old and must have been a United States citizen for seven years. At the present time, members of Congress include businessmen, farmers, teachers, and especially lawyers. In general, senators are better known than representatives because they are fewer in number and serve for a longer time. Many American presidents served in Congress before they became president. |