Oftentimes, people have questions about how Congress works. To help answer those questions, I have put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the U.S. Congress. If your question is not answered here, please feel free to contact me. View the Constitution. What does a member of Congress do? In order to provide the best representation for Michigan’s 7th District, I spend many hours each week meeting with people in South Central Michigan to discuss my current activities in Congress and listen to their concerns and ideas regarding a variety of issues. In addition, I am also available to help you if you are experiencing difficulties dealing with a federal agency. To see how I can help you, click here. What are the qualifications to run for office in the House of Representatives and Senate? House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
How many members of Congress are there? How long do members of Congress’ terms last? How many
members of Congress come from each state? Currently, the Michigan Congressional Delegation is composed of 14 representatives in the House and two Senators in the U.S. Senate. How many people do congressmen and senators represent? How do the House and Senate chambers differ? In the Senate however, the majority has the power to schedule when various bills come to the floor for voting but a single Senator can slow legislation from coming to the floor for a vote. Since debate in the Senate is not concluded until 60 senators vote for a cloture motion to approve a bill for consideration, the majority must also coordinate with the minority part to set the rules for debate on legislation. Under this system, legislation can be debated for one or two weeks on the Senate floor alone. Why does Congress use the committee system? How does a bill become a law? Do Members of Congress pay into the social security system? YES. Since January 1, 1984, all Members of Congress participate in the Social Security system and are required to pay Social Security taxes. What kind of retirement plan do Members of Congress have? Members of Congress who were elected after 1984 are automatically enrolled in the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). For more information on FERS, please visit the FERS handbook for details. What kind of health care do Members of Congress receive? As written into the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, P.L. 111-205), on January 1, 2014, Members of Congress are no longer eligible for health plans offered to federal government employees. They instead must enroll in the District of Columbia’s Health Exchange in order to obtain employment related health plan coverage. What is the difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate?Members of the U.S. House of Representatives each represent a portion of their state known as a Congressional District, which averages 700,000 people. Senators however, represent the entire state.
What are the similarities in requirements for members of the House of Representatives and the Senate quizlet?House: be at least 25 years old, have been a citizen for at least 7 years, and be an inhabitant of the state from which he or she is elected. Senate: be at least 30 years old, have been a citizen for at least 9 years, and be an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected.
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