United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the Senate. It is conventional to consider the House as the "lower house", and the Senate as the "upper house", although the U.S. Constitution, while making the functions of the two houses different in various ways, does not use such language. Each state is represented in the House in accordance with the size of its population, with the proviso that each state is entitled to at least one Representative member. The total number of Representatives is fixed by law at 435, who each serve two-year terms. The presiding officer of the House is known as the Speaker.

Members and elections

Under Article One of the Constitution, seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned among the states on the basis of population, as determined by a census conducted every ten years. Each state, however, is entitled to at least one representative. The only constitutional rule relating to the size of the House is that it may consist of no more than one member for every thirty thousand people. Under Public Law 62-5, which was passed in 1911, the size of the House is fixed at 435 seats. The figure was temporarily increased to 437 in 1959 to reflect the admission of Alaska and Hawaii as states, but returned to 435 four years later.

Related Topics:
Apportioned - Census - Public Law 62-5 - 1911 - 1959 - Alaska - Hawaii

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States which are entitled to more than one representative must be divided into single-member districts. The process of redistricting is conducted after each census, though states are allowed to redraw the boundaries at other times as well. Each state is allowed to draw its own district boundaries. In some states, non-partisan panels are responsible for the process; in others, state legislatures perform the task. As the Supreme Court ruled in Wesberry v. Sanders, malapportionment is unconstitutional and districts must be approximately equal in population. Furthermore, under the Voting Rights Act, states may not gerrymander districts for the purpose of reducing the voting power of ethnic minorities.

Related Topics:
Single-member districts - Wesberry v. Sanders - Malapportionment - Voting Rights Act - Gerrymander

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However, using gerrymandering for political gain is not prohibited, (even when political gerrymandering involves the creation of racially concentrated districts). Due to gerrymandering, fewer than 10% of all House seats are contested in each election cycle. The fact that over 90% of House members are guaranteed reelection every two years, due to lack of electoral competition, has been criticized by those who disapprove of the US lecturing the rest of the world on democracy. The legal gerrymandering of the House, combined with the institutionalized gerrymandering of the Senate and the Electoral College, have been criticized as being antithetical to democracy and representative government.

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The Constitution does not provide for the representation of the District of Columbia or of territories. However, Congress has passed laws permitting them to elect delegates or Resident Commissioners. Delegates and Resident Commissioners are permitted to participate in debates and to vote in committees, but they may not vote on the floor of the House. The District of Columbia and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are represented by a delegate each. Only Puerto Rico elects a Resident Commissioner.

Related Topics:
District of Columbia - Territories - Delegates - Resident Commissioners - American Samoa - Guam - U.S. Virgin Islands - Puerto Rico

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Representatives and delegates serve for two-year terms, whereas the Resident Commissioner serves for four years. Elections are held in every even-numbered year, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (Election Day). Generally, the Republican and Democratic parties choose their candidates in primary elections, which are typically held several months before the general elections. Ballot access rules for independent and third-party candidates vary from state to state. For the general election, almost all states use the first-past-the-post system, under which the candidate with a plurality of votes (not necessarily an absolute majority) wins. The sole exception is Louisiana, which uses runoff voting. All vacancies that arise during a term must be filled by special elections, conducted in the same manner.

Related Topics:
Election Day - First-past-the-post - Plurality - Louisiana - Runoff voting

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Once elected, a representative continues to serve until the expiry of his or her term, death, or resignation. Furthermore, the Constitution permits the House to expel any member with a two-thirds majority. In the history of the United States, only five members have been expelled from the House; three of them were removed in 1861 for supporting the Confederate secession, which led to the American Civil War. In 1980, Michael Myers was expelled for accepting bribes. More recently, James Traficant was expelled in 2002 following his conviction for corruption. The House also has the power to censure its members; censure requires only a simple majority, but does not remove a member from office.

Related Topics:
1861 - Confederate - Secession - American Civil War - 1980 - Michael Myers - James Traficant - 2002

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Representatives are entitled to prefix "The Honorable" to their names. Members of the House are commonly referred to as "congressmen" and "congresswomen." Although the Senate also forms a part of Congress, these terms are generally not applied to senators. The annual salary of each Representative, as of 2005, is $162,100. The Speaker of the House and the Majority and Minority Leaders earn higher salaries. By comparison, Senators earn the same as Representatives, cabinet members $180,100, and the President of the United States $400,000.

Related Topics:
The Honorable - As of 2005

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