Table of Contents
How often does the House of Representative meet?
Each Congress generally has two sessions, based on the constitutional mandate that Congress assemble at least once a year. In addition, a meeting of one or both houses is a session. And the Senate and House of Representatives is said to be in session on any particular day when it is meeting.
Where do the House of Representatives meet?
The legislative branch of the U.S. government is called Congress. Congress has two parts, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress meets in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC.
How often is Congress supposed to meet and when are they supposed to meet?
Consequently, Article I, Section 4 of the United States Constitution states that “The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.”
Where does the Senate and House of Representatives meet?
The most recognized symbol of democratic government in the world, the United States Capitol has housed Congress since 1800. The Capitol is where Congress meets to write the laws of our nation, and where presidents are inaugurated and deliver their annual State of the Union messages.
How long is a session in Congress?
A term of Congress is two years long and begins on January 3 of each odd-numbered year. Each Member of the U.S. House of Representatives is elected to serve for one term at a time, and may be elected later to serve additional terms. A session of Congress is one year long.
Why are there 2 houses of Congress?
To balance the interests of both the small and large states, the Framers of the Constitution divided the power of Congress between the two houses. Every state has an equal voice in the Senate, while representation in the House of Representatives is based on the size of each state’s population.
What’s the difference between lower house and upper house?
Once a bill gets majority votes, it goes to the Upper House. In different countries, different names are used to address the Lower House. In USA, it is known as the House of Representatives. In India, Lower House is Lok Sabha. In United Kingdom, Lower House is House of Commons.
When does a bill go to the upper house?
For a bill to pass, the majority of the Lower House should vote in favor. Once a bill gets majority votes, it goes to the Upper House. In different countries, different names are used to address the Lower House.
How are members of the lower house elected?
Normally, it is the Lower House whose members are elected directly by the populace. In other words, members of the Lower House are elected directly by the population on the basis of adult suffrage.
How are members of the upper house chosen?
Normally, the members of the Upper House are chosen by the political parties. The members of the Upper House are influential, rich, or those who have done remarkably well in their chosen field of work. The idea of having an Upper House or Senate (in the case of US) was to have a stabilizing force.