SOCIAL STUDIES
The U.S. Congress
The U.S. Congress is made up of two parts, the House of Representatives and
the Senate. Congress meets at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Its primary
duty is to write, debate, and pass bills, which are then passed on to the
President for approval.
Other Powers of Congress
• Makes laws controlling trade between states and between the United States
and other countries.
• Makes laws about taxes and borrowing money.
• Approves the making of money.
• Can declare war on other countries.
Each Congress lasts for two years. When the two years are over, new members
of Congress are elected. We are currently in the 114th Congress. Congress
meets once every year usually from January 3rd to July 31st, but in special
cases, the meeting can last longer.
The way that states are represented in the House and the Senate is different.
Why is this? Well, when the Founding Fathers were drafting the Constitution,
there were debates over how states would be represented. States with larger
populations wanted more representation than states with smaller popula-
tions. Meanwhile, states with smaller populations favored equal representa-
tion. So, a compromise was made – representation in the Senate would be
equal, while representation in the House would be based on population.
The Legislative Branch of government is made
up of the Congress and government agencies,
such as the Government Printing Office and
Library of Congress, that provide assistance to
and support services for the Congress. Article I of
the Constitution established this branch and gave
Congress the power to make laws.
Legislative Branch
House of Representatives
Senate
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