Overview of the United States Congress and Political System

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The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Representatives are elected every two years based on districts, while senators serve six-year terms elected at-large in their states. Congress consists of 535 members and plays a crucial role in shaping legislation and governance. Established in 1789 under the U.S. Constitution, Congress is primarily dominated by the Republican and Democratic parties, with minimal third-party representation.


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  1. PURNEA UNIVERSITY, PURNEA M.L.ARYA COLLEGE KASBA DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE ,GUEST FACULTY DR.ANUNAY PRAKASH SINHA

  2. The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, and consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election, though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a gubernatorial appointment. Congress has 535 voting members: 435 representatives and 100 senators.

  3. The House of Representatives has six non-voting members representing Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia in addition to its 435 voting members. Although they cannot vote in the full house, these members can address the house, sit and vote in congressional committees, and introduce legislation.

  4. The members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms representing the people of a single constituency, known as a "district". Congressional districts are apportioned to states by population using the United States Census results, provided that each state has at least one congressional representative. Each state, regardless of population or size, has two senators.

  5. Currently, there are 100 senators representing the 50 states. Each senator is elected at-large in their state for a six-year term, with terms staggered, so every two years approximately one-third of the Senate is up for election. To be eligible for election, a candidate must be aged at least 25 (House) or 30 (Senate)

  6. The Congress was created by the Constitution of the United States and first met in 1789, replacing in its legislative function the Congress of the Confederation. Although not legally mandated, in practice since the 19th century, Congress members are typically affiliated with the Republican Party or with the Democratic Party and only rarely with a third party or independents.

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