Difference between House and Senate

Term

H: 2 or 4 years S: 6 years

Total members?

H: 435 S: 100

Impeachment process

H: Actually call the charges on the person in office. They vote on it- need a simple majority. S: Serve as the jury and decide if you will be removed from office. ⅔ vote to remove somebody.

Differences in duties/powers

H: More focused on domestic issues (within the US). All revenue bills must start in the House. -EC: if no candidate gets gets the 270, then they house chooses the president S:More focused on foreign affairs. president appoints ambassadors or treaties with other countries, senate must approve for it to happen. ⅔ to ratify a treaty. Simple majority for appointments. -choose vice president if no candidate gets 270 EC

Amendments to bills

H: Must be germane. relevant to that bill S: non germane is acceptable. can add anything they want to the bill

Currently controlled by what party

H: Republican S: Democrat

Area represented

H: U.S. S: foreign policies

Qualification? age? Citizenship? Residency?

H: at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and live in the state they represent S: Must have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years, be at least age 30, be a legal resident of the state from which elected

Difference in atmosphere

H: more formal, they have more rules because there is more people. -filibuster: designed to stop legislation and stall or they will say they aren't going to talk about the bill. S: Very deliberative- DEBATE. -If one senator opposes it, they won't use it- unanimous consent agreement -cloture: magic number 60- need that many votes to stop a filibuster

Representation based upon

H: state's population S: 2 per state

Presidential Election Process (if no majority in the EC)

H: they choose the president S: they choose the vice president

Why is Congress Bicameral?

so there isn't a power struggle between the states