What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
The United States Congress is bicameral, meaning it has two chambers:
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The Senate: The Senate is the upper house of Congress. It is composed of 100 members, two from each state, regardless of the state's population. Senators serve six-year terms, with approximately one-third of the seats up for election every two years. The Vice President of the United States serves as the President of the Senate but only votes in the event of a tie.
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The House of Representatives: The House of Representatives is the lower house of Congress. It is made up of 435 voting members who represent districts within the states. The number of Representatives each state gets is based on its population as determined by the U.S. Census, which is conducted every 10 years. Representatives serve two-year terms, and all seats are up for election every two years.
Each chamber of Congress has specific powers and responsibilities, but both must agree for most legislation to become law. This bicameral structure is intended to balance representation at the federal level and ensure that laws have broad support across different regions and populations.