United States Senate
 GO
United States Senate Senators HomeCommittees HomeLegislation & Records HomeArt & History HomeVisitor Center HomeReference Home
United States Senate
Virtual Reference Desk
Statistics & Lists
Bibliographies
How to...
Is it true that . . .
Glossary
Senate Organization
Constitution of the United States


  
 
 

House of Representatives

States are represented in the House of Representatives in approximate proportion to their populations, with every state guaranteed at least one seat. There are currently 435 voting representatives. Five delegates and one resident commissioner serve as non-voting members of the House, although they can vote in committee. Representatives must be 25 years old and must have been U.S. citizens for at least 7 years. Representatives serve 2-year terms.

 

Interaction Between the House and Senate

Read up on the relationship between the two chambers with these essays by the Senate Historian's Office.

Joint Rules of the House and Senate, April 15, 1789

House Member Introduces Resolution to Abolish the Senate, April 27, 1911


Salary and Benefits

Read these reports to learn more about Representatives' salary and benefits.

Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Officials: Current Salaries (pdf)

Salaries of Members of Congress:  A List of Payable Rates and Effective Dates, 1789-2011 (pdf)

Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress (pdf)


Profiles of Members of Congress

Read the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, 1774-2005 (pdf)

Congressional Profile

New Member Pictorial Directory: 112th Congress


House History

Link to tables of information on the history of the House of Representatives.

History of the House

Party Division of the House of Representatives, 1789-present