United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one part of the bicameral United States Congress. It is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate as the upper house. Together, they make laws, called bills, for the country. If both the House and Senate agree on a bill, it goes to the president, who can sign it or use the power of veto.

Members of the House are called representatives. They are elected every two years by people in different areas called congressional districts. Each state has a number of representatives based on its population, as counted in the United States census. This means that more crowded states have more representatives than less crowded ones.

The House has special jobs too. It can start all bills about money and can impeach important federal officers if they do something wrong. If no one gets enough votes in the Electoral College for president, the House helps decide who becomes president. There are usually 435 voting representatives, but this number has changed a little bit over time. The House meets in the south wing of the United States Capitol, and the leader of the House is called the speaker of the House.

History

Main article: History of the United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives has a rich history that began in the 18th century. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was a single body where each state had equal say. This changed with the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where leaders like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton helped create a new plan. They agreed on the Connecticut Compromise, which gave proportional representation to each state in the House based on population, while the Senate gave each state equal representation.

In the 19th century, the House often clashed with the U.S. Senate over big issues like slavery. The North, with more people, usually controlled the House, but the Senate was split evenly between states. These disagreements led to the Civil War. After the war, the Republican Party led the House during Reconstruction. Later, both Republicans and Democrats took turns leading the House. By the late 1800s, the leader of the House, called the speaker of the House, became much more powerful.

In the 20th century, the House saw more changes. The Democratic Party led for many years, especially under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Rules were changed to give more power to smaller groups within the House. In the 1990s, Republican Newt Gingrich became speaker and brought new ideas for how the House should work.

Recently, control of the House has shifted between the two parties. Nancy Pelosi became the first woman to serve as speaker in 2006. The House continues to play a key role in making laws and discussing important issues.

Membership, qualifications, and apportionment

Main article: United States congressional apportionment

The U.S. House of Representatives has members based on the population of each state, counted in a census every ten years. Each state gets at least one representative, no matter how small its population. The total number of representatives was set at 435 in 1911. This number briefly increased to 437 when Alaska and Hawaii joined the United States in 1959, but returned to 435 after the 1960 census.

States with more than one representative divide their area into districts. Each district elects one representative. After each census, states may redraw these districts. Representatives must be at least 25 years old, have been U.S. citizens for seven years, and live in the state they represent.

Main article: Redistricting in the United States

Main article: Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives

Comparison to the Senate

The Senate has some special powers that the House does not have. For example, the Senate alone can approve treaties and confirm members of the Cabinet.

The House has some unique powers too. It can start bills for raising money, impeach officials, and choose the president if no candidate gets enough Electoral College votes. The Senate also differs from the House because its members serve longer terms of six years, and each state has two senators no matter its size.

Salary and benefits

Since December 2014, each representative in the U.S. House of Representatives earns an annual salary of $174,000, the same as members of the Senate. The speaker of the House and party leaders earn more: $223,500 for the speaker and $193,400 for leaders.

Representatives are called "The Honorable" before their names. They can be called a representative, congressman, or congresswoman. They often are identified by their party and state, like "D–California" for a Democratic representative from California.

Members of Congress get retirement benefits after serving for five years. They can also deduct some living expenses while away from their home district. Before 2014, they had certain health benefits, but now they must use plans created under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or offered through a health care exchange. They still can use other federal health programs like Medicare.

Each representative receives an allowance to help with office expenses, staff salaries, and mailing costs. This allowance changes based on where their district is located. Representatives can employ up to 18 permanent staff members.

Officers

The party with the most seats in the House is called the majority party, and the next largest is the minority party. Important leaders in the House, like the speaker, usually come from the majority party. The speaker is chosen by the House and has many important jobs, such as helping decide who speaks and when. The speaker is also second in line to become president if needed.

Other key leaders include the majority leader and minority leader, who guide their parties, and the whip, who helps make sure members vote as their party wants. There are also important committee leaders and other officers, like the clerk, who keeps records, and the chaplain, who leads prayers at the start of each day.

Procedure

Main article: Procedures of the United States House of Representatives

The House of Representatives meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Members sit in a semicircular pattern, with Democrats on the left of the center aisle and Republicans on the right. Meetings are usually held on weekdays and are open to the public, who need a pass to visit the gallery.

The House has its own rules for passing laws. Before a bill can be voted on, the Rules Committee decides how much time there will be for discussion and whether changes to the bill are allowed. When the time for talking ends, members vote. They can vote by saying "yes" or "no" out loud, or they can use electronic machines or even hand in colored cards. Votes usually take fifteen minutes, but sometimes they are kept open longer to get more people to agree. The speaker or presiding officer helps keep order and makes sure everyone follows the rules.

Committees and caucuses

Further information: United States congressional committee and List of United States House of Representatives committees

The House of Representatives uses committees and subcommittees to review bills and oversee the government's work. Party leaders choose committee members, often based on how long someone has been in the House. There are around twenty main committees, each focusing on a specific area like farming or foreign affairs. These committees have the power to approve or block bills before they reach the full House.

The House also has special committees, such as the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and sometimes creates temporary committees for specific issues. Each committee is led by a chairman from the majority party, with the senior member of the minority party called the Ranking Member. These leaders help decide which bills the committee will consider.

Legislative functions

Most bills can start in either chamber of Congress, but bills about raising money for the government must start in the House of Representatives. This rule comes from the U.S. Constitution and matches an old practice from the British Parliament, where only the House of Commons could begin such bills. Even though the Senate can't start these bills, it can change or reject them.

For a bill to become a law, both the House and the Senate must agree on the same version. If they don't agree at first, a special group called a conference committee with members from both groups works out the differences. After both chambers pass the bill, it goes to the president. The president can approve the bill, or veto it. If vetoed, the bill can still become a law if both the House and Senate vote against the veto with a two-thirds majority. However, the House and Senate cannot override a pocket veto.

Checks and balances

The Constitution gives the Senate the role of giving "advice and consent" for the president's appointments and treaties.

The House of Representatives has the power to impeach federal officials for serious actions like "Treason" or "Bribery." If the Senate agrees, the official is removed from office. In history, the House has impeached seventeen officials, with seven being convicted. Notably, presidents Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump were impeached but not removed from office.

The House also has a special role in electing the president if no candidate wins a majority of Electoral College votes. This has happened only twice, in the 1800 election and the 1824 election.

Historical composition

This chart shows how the United States House of Representatives has changed over time, from the 1st Congress to today. It gives a clear picture of how the number of representatives from each state has grown and shifted through history.

Latest election results and party standings

See also: 2024 United States House of Representatives elections and 119th United States Congress

As of March 19, 2026, the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives shows how many members support each party. This includes independent members who choose to work with a specific party. The chart indicates the number of seats needed for a majority, which is key for controlling the House.