the US Congress Structure

Leadership

• The Speaker of the House leads the chamber (elected by House members)
• The party with the most members controls the House agenda

House vs. Senate: Key Differences

Aspect	House	Senate
Members	435	100
Term length	2 years	6 years
Election cycle	All seats every 2 years	1/3 of seats every 2 years
Representation	By state population	2 per state (equal)
Power	Can initiate tax/budget bills	Can reject or modify House bills

Why Both Chambers Exist

The U.S. has two chambers as a system of checks and balances:

• The House represents population (larger states have more say)
• The Senate represents state equality (every state has equal power)
• Both must agree on a law for it to pass, so neither chamber can dominate