Introduction

branchesThe Us spent eight long years of drastic fighting for independence from 1775 to 1783. By 1789, the Founding Fathers had set about constructing a government "built on the key conviction of revolutionary-era republicanism: that no primal authority empowered to coerce or discipline the citizenry was permissible , since information technology merely duplicated the monarchical and aristocratic principles that the American Revolution had been fought to escape. The Usa is now the oldest indelible republic in world history, with a set of political institutions and traditions that accept stood the examination of time."

According to House.gov , "To ensure a separation of powers, the U.S. Federal Regime is fabricated up of 3 branches: legislative, executive and judicial. To ensure the government is effective and citizens' rights are protected, each co-operative has its own powers and responsibilities, including working with the other branches." This is often referred to every bit " checks and balances ," and prevents any one part of government from wielding as well much political power.

Why it Matters

America benefits from a judicial branch positioned to halt executive branch overreach. The President of the United states cannot stay in power indefinitely and is unable to strength the U.Due south. Congress to laissez passer laws. From the very beginning, and still to today, the American people have access to and influence over their elected representatives.

The House of Representatives most directly reflects the desires of the American public due to the ratio of American citizens to U.Due south. Representatives and the constant election cycle every two years. Much of the deadlock of the U.Due south. government that we witness today reflects a divided American people.

This brief focuses on the Legislative branch of the U.S. government, in particular the House of Representatives, including the basics and bolts of how its inner workings, and how everyday citizens tin can influence the legislative process. For a brief on the U.S. Senate, click hither .

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What is the Legislative Branch?

The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate , known collectively as the Congress. Amid other powers, the legislative branch "makes all laws, declares state of war, regulates interstate and foreign commerce and controls taxing and spending policies."

CrashCourse U.S. Government and Politics, produced in collaboration with PBS, explains the Bicameral Congress (9 min):

Of all federal government institutions, the Firm of Representatives is designed to be closest to American voters, almost closely reflecting the individual cares and concerns of American taxpayers. In fact, the Firm is the just institution that has been direct elected by American voters since its germination in 1789.

"'If proportional representation takes identify, the pocket-sized States contend that their liberties will exist in danger. If an equality of votes is to be put in its place, the large States say their money will exist in danger,'" explained Benjamin Franklin . What eventually "emerged from weeks of stalemate was called the 'Smashing Compromise' and created a bicameral legislature with a House, where membership was determined past land population, and a Senate, where each state had two seats regardless of population."

Size and Structure of the Business firm

There are 435 representatives in the House , and accept been since the number was fixed by law in 1911. Each Business firm representative is elected to a ii-twelvemonth term serving the people of a specific congressional commune in a land. "Each land receives representation in the Firm in proportion to the size of its population but is entitled to at to the lowest degree i representative." This means that states with large populations have more representatives than small states have. Representation based on population was "one of the about important components of the Federal Constitutional Convention of 1787," as one of the founders' greatest concerns was designing a system of authorities that would better represent the public than did the British model from which they had won independence.

In addition to the 435 representatives from the states, there is a Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico and Delegates from Washington D.C., American Samoa, Guam, The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. The Resident Commissioner and Delegates are able to serve and vote on committees, but practice non take the same full voting rights as the 435 state representatives.

The Role of the Census

Specifically, seats in the Business firm " are apportioned based on land population co-ordinate to the constitutionally mandated Census."  The Census, which occurs every ten years and is overseen by the Bureau of the Census, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Tying representation to Demography data allows the number of each land'south representatives to increase or decrease along with fluctuations in country population. The Census data is then used to decide congressional districts, areas in the state from which representatives are elected to the House. This process is called redistricting. For more than on redistricting and the Census, meet The Policy Circle's Decennial Census Cursory.

Elections

Members of the Firm of Representatives " must correspond election every two years , later which information technology convenes for a new session and essentially reconstitutes itself – electing a Speaker, swearing-in the Members-elect, and approving a slate of officers to administer the institution." Biennial elections are held in November, and the Congress commences in the following January. To be elected, a representative must be at least 25 years onetime, a U.s. citizen for at least vii years, and a resident of the state he or she represents. U.Due south. House candidates are not required to live in the congressional commune they correspond.

The Life of a Representative

According to Congressional Direction Foundation's Life in Congress study , when representatives are in Washington, D.C., they written report spending their time every bit follows:

  • 35% on "Legislative/Policy Work"
  • 17% on "Constituent Services Piece of work"
  • 17% on "Political/Campaign Work"
  • 9% on "Press/Media Relations"
  • 9% on "Family/Friends"
  • seven% on "Authoritative/Managerial Work"
  • 6% on "Personal Time"

When in their home district, they reported spending time as follows:

  • 32% on "Constituent Services Work"
  • 18%  on "Political/Campaign Work"
  • xiv% on "Printing/Media Relations"
  • 12%  on "Legislative/Policy Work"
  • nine% with "Family unit/Friends"
  • viii% on "Personal Fourth dimension"
  • 7% on "Authoritative/Managerial Work"

Compensation

Commodity I, Section vi of the Constitution requires Congress to determine its own pay. Congress'south " current automatic adjustment formula , which is based on changes in private sector wages," was established by the Ideals Reform Act of 1989. The last pay adjustment was in Jan 2009. Since, most representatives earn $174,000 annually, while the bulk and minority leaders make $193,400. The Speaker earns the largest bacon at $223,500. Additionally, representatives "are subject to some specific laws and regulations regarding the acceptance of gifts ," peculiarly gifts from registered lobbyists or from private entities that retain or utilize a lobbyist.

What does the House of Representatives exercise?

Responsibilities of the House

Per the Constitution , the House and Senate together brand and pass federal laws, introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, and serve on committees that enable members to develop specialized knowledge on the matters under that committee'southward jurisdiction. Though both make up Congress, there are a few distinctions betwixt the two. In item, the Constitution "provides that just the Firm of Representatives may originate acquirement bills, " and by tradition information technology besides originates cribbing bills.

Additionally, while the Constitution does non specifically mention investigations and oversight , "the authorisation to conduct investigations is implied since Congress possesses 'all legislative powers'." The Business firm initiates impeachment proceedings and passes articles of impeachment (the Senate sits as a courtroom to try the impeachment).

Finally, during a presidential election, the House of Representatives steps in if no candidate receives a bulk of the total electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote to cull the President from among the top three candidates with the largest number of electoral votes.

Leadership in the House

Later each election, the political political party that wins the well-nigh representatives is designated the " Majority ." The other political party is the " Minority. " The bulk party holds central leadership positions, such equally Speaker of the House. The same party can have the majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or the chambers can exist split. Third parties rarely have enough members to elect their own leadership, so independents generally bring together 1 of the larger party organizations to receive commission assignments.

The Firm is run by majority rule.  When a majority of members vote to do something in the House, information technology gets washed. Majority rule makes passing legislation relatively efficient, and that means that the party in the minority has less power to set the calendar or pass its proposals. This contrasts with the Senate, where a single senator – in the majority or the minority – can more often than not force a vote or stop a bill in its tracks.

House Leadership includes the Speaker of the Business firm, Bulk and Minority Leaders, and Bulk and Minority Whips.

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officeholder of the Business firm, and is elected by the members of the House. The Speaker administers the Adjuration of Role to House members, chairs sure committees or nominates committee chairs (namely the chairs of the House Assistants Commission and the Rules Committee ), and appoints members of various committees and Firm staff. Afterward the Vice President, the Speaker is second in line to succeed the Vice President.

Majority and Minority Leaders represent their respective parties on the House flooring. Each is elected by his or her respective political party. The majority leader is 2d to the Speaker and schedules legislative business, planning legislative agendas rather than serving on committees. The minority leader serves as the minority party'south spokesperson, essentially the minority party's counterpart to the Speaker. He or she also chairs the minority political party'south commission consignment console.

Majority and Minority Whips serve every bit middlemen to between their political party leaders and members. They "maintain advice between the leadership of the political party and its members, align back up for party positions on the floor, count votes on cardinal legislation, and persuade wavering Members to vote for the political party position."

The Speaker of the Firm is elected by the entire Business firm of Representatives, while the Republican Conference and Democratic Caucus elect the other leadership positions. The Republican Briefing is the formal organization of Republican Members in the House, and the Democratic Conclave is that of the Democratic Members.

See current House Leadership positions here.

The Role of Committees

Committees " are permanent panels governed by House chamber rules, with responsibleness to consider bills and issues and to have full general oversight relating to their areas of jurisdiction." Committees have different legislative jurisdictions, but each considers, shapes, and passes laws related to its jurisdiction, and monitors agencies, programs, and activities inside their jurisdiction. Each committee has a chair that leads the full committee, and a ranking fellow member who leads the minority members of the committee. Committee assignment directly affects a representative'south work in Congress. After a Congressional ballot, political parties assign newly elected representatives to standing committees

Crash Course U.South. Regime & Politics explains what Congressional committees do (eight min):

Some of the about well-known committees include:

  • The Firm Committee on Means and Means , which oversees all taxation, tariffs, and other acquirement-raising measures.
  • The House Committee on Appropriations , which has jurisdiction over setting specific regime expenditures.
  • The House Committee on Strange Affairs , which has jurisdiction over foreign assistance and oversees national security developments affecting foreign policy.
  • The Business firm Committee on the Judiciary, which oversees the judiciary and ceremonious and criminal proceedings.

Most committees are regular standing committees, which proceed from one Congress to the side by side. There are also select committees, special committees formed for a brusk catamenia of time for a specific purpose such as an investigation, and there are several joint committees with the Senate. See a full list of all House Committees here .

Legislation in the House

Legislation begins with an thought . It may come from a Congressman, a staffer, a elective, or a thought leader or skillful on a given field of study. Y'all may remember the School House Rock video , which walks through the legislative process in an attainable way and is great to share with your kids (iii min):

Drafting Legislation

Working with Firm parliamentarians —  lawyers and clerks who provide nonpartisan guidance on rules and procedures — and other Congressional staff on Capitol Colina, the Congressional representative's staff drafts the bill. The parliamentarians take specific expertise; they work closely with staff in a non-partisan manner to draft the specific language of the bill. Staff works to build sponsors and cosponsors earlier the neb is introduced.

Introducing a Bill

Whatsoever Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner tin introduce a bill when the house is in session by " placing it in the 'hopper, '" a box on the House Clerk'due south desk in the Capitol building. The Member who introduces the nib is known as the primary sponsor. The bill is then formally assigned a number by the Clerk. A bill originating in the Firm will start with "H.R." (for the Firm of Representatives, as opposed to "S." for the Senate). The Speaker'south role then assigns that bill to its committee(south) of jurisdiction, which then assigns the bill to a subcommittee(s).

Committee Process

The Subcommittee seeks input from relevant departments and agencies and holds public hearings. After hearings, there is a markup on the legislation , in which "views of both sides are studied in detail and at the conclusion of deliberation a vote is taken to determine" whether or not the subcommittee recommends the neb to the full committee. In the full committee, the subcommittee reports on the bill; this meeting provides an opportunity for Members to amend the legislation. There is also the possibility that the commission tables the bill or fails to accept activity , which prevents the neb from reaching the full House. You tin can scout Firm Commission hearing videos here .

To get to the total Firm, the committee staff writes a study describing the purpose of the bill, why the nib is recommended, and an assay of each part of the beak and how the pecker may impact existing police force. A full committee mark-upwardly and the decision of what legislation makes information technology to the Business firm floor is tightly controlled by the Committee Chairman'southward part and leadership. When the legislation is reported favorably out of the total commission information technology awaits a decision past leadership to schedule time for it to be debated on the Firm flooring. This conclusion is a negotiation based on priorities of the committee and of leadership.

After a committee has reported a bill, the beak is placed on the calendar . This means the bill is eligible for flooring consideration, just non that information technology will necessarily brand information technology to the flooring. In the Business firm, it is upward to the majority political party leadership to decide which bills the House will consider on the floor, and in what social club.

Commission on Rules

Once leadership has decided that a specific piece of legislation volition receive floortime, the Business firm Majority Leader alerts the committee of jurisdiction that the neb volition be considered on the Business firm Floor, and this kicks off the Rules Commission process.

The Committee on Rules , or Rules Committee, is ane of the oldest standing committees in the House. The Commission is commonly known as "The Speaker'southward Commission" – prior to 1910, the Speaker chaired the Rules Committee, and today information technology is the mechanism by which the Speaker maintains control of the Firm Floor. The Rules Committee is sometimes also referred to equally " the traffic cop of the House ," as it determines how much time volition exist immune for debate on each slice of legislation considered on the Business firm floor, and if any (and which) amendments will be immune to exist considered during the debate.

Most bills are considered under a process known every bit suspension of the rules , "which limits argue to 40 minutes and does not allow amendments to be offered by members on the floor." Otherwise, the beak is considered under terms tailored for the particular bill. In this instance, the House adopts a resolution called a special rule from the Rules Committee. After the Rules Committee reports the rule for considering the bill and the Firm votes to adopt the dominion, the House can so keep to the floor argue.

Flooring Debate

Once the rule has been adopted, the Business firm usually considers the pecker "in a procedural setting called the Committee of the Whole , which is essentially "the House assembled in a unlike form; it is a committee of the House equanimous of every Representative that meets in the House bedroom." This procedure "allows members an efficient way to consider and vote on amendments."

After the floor debate on amendments and the underlying legislation, the Committee of the Whole reports to the total Firm, which and so votes on the neb. The pecker passes the House by a simple bulk , 218 votes of the 435 full. It and then goes to the Senate and waits to be scheduled for floor time.

Come across The Policy Circumvolve's Senate Brief to run into how the process continues.

Additional Resource

Glossary of terms

Different types of legislation

Alternative legislative procedures in the House

Ways to Get Involved/What Yous Can Do

Measure & Identify : Who are the influencers in your state, canton, or community? Learn virtually their priorities and consider how to contact them

  • Do you know who your Congressional Representative is ? What virtually your state elected officials ?
  • Track your representatives' votes with GovTrack .

Attain out: You lot are a catalyst. Finding a common cause is a great opportunity to develop relationships with people who may exist outside of your immediate network. All it takes is a small-scale squad of two or three people to set up a path for real comeback. The Policy Circle is your platform to convene with experts you want to hear from.

  • Find allies in your community or in nearby towns and elsewhere in the land.
  • Foster collaborative relationships with colleagues, neighbors, friends, and local organizations to mobilize an attempt to bring attention to your result to your local Congressional office. Also reach out to community leaders to educate them and request their appointment on the issue.

Plan: Prepare some milestones based on your state's legislative calendar .

  • You can find the legislative calendar for the Business firm of Representatives hither .
  • Don't hesitate to contact The Policy Circumvolve team, communications@thepolicycircle.org , for connections to the broader network, advice, insights on how to build rapport with policy makers and establish yourself as a borough leader.

Execute: Give it your best shot. You can:

  • Research: Make sure you know the facts near the consequence you are raising. Government agencies, call back tanks, and media outlets can all be practiced resources. Retrieve to research all sides of the issue to make sure you empathise various angles. You can also talk with people who are affected by the issue with which you are concerned; anecdotal information combined with measured data can be powerful.
  • Write: Although we may exist more than inclined to email in the digital historic period, writing an old-fashioned letter to your local elected representatives or to members of Congress is still one of the most constructive ways to influence lawmakers.
      • See these tips for step-by-stride instructions to write messages to elected officials, including how to address your representative, reference specific legislation, and properly send your correspondence.
  • Organize: Organize people to call in, follow-up on written textile, and accomplish out to other community members to educate them on the event. Demonstrating wide support tin can exist very effective in influencing a legislator to support your position.

Working with others, you may create something keen for your customs. Here are some tools to learn how to contact your representatives and write an op-ed .