FAQ / What is a United States Congress?

The United States Congress is the legislature of the United States federal government. It consists of 540 members and is divided into two chambers, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate

The House of Representatives consists of 435 members, each representing a congressional district, four Delegates and one Resident Commissioner. Each state is represented in the House proportionally by its population, and is entitled to at least one representative. The Delegates represent the District of Columbia, and three U.S. Territories, respectively. Representatives, also called Congressmen, serve two-year terms and may be re-elected an unlimited number of times. Representatives must be at least 25 years old and must have been U.S. citizens for at least seven years.

The Senate consists of two Senators from each state, for a total of 100 Senators. Senators represent their state for a six-year term, and there is no limit on the number of terms a Senator can serve. In order for individuals to run for the Senate, they must be at least 30 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for the past nine years, and be residents of the state they serve.