The difference between the Senate and the House of Representatives

The Senate and the House of Representatives form the legislative branch of the US government. Here we’ll see their difference and what they do.

Today, I want to speak to you about the difference between the upper and lower Houses of the legislative branch of the US government.

They are essential for the working of the constitutional system in the US. Yet, for many people, it’s not clear what makes them different and what they do, respectively. So, it’s time to take action and put it in plain words. Let’s get cracking on it.

Introduction

The current US constitution was designed in the late 1700s, and it reflects the political mindset of the Founding Fathers. They were aware of the importance of the separation of powers to prevent the emergence of a Leviathan. So, they considered necessary the creation of three different branches of government. I spoke about this on another occasion. The link is up here if you want more information.

The political ideas of John Locke and other representative authors of the old liberalism played an essential role in the construction of the new political system. But also, the history that had shaped these ideas. I mean the English seventeenth century, and the independence war. All these elements were critical to settle a representative government whose powers derive from the consent of the people.

So, the political architecture of the US political system is based on two core ideas, consent, and the separation of powers.

About the separation of powers, you can get more information here.

For this reason, the framers of the constitution designed the federal government with three branches. The executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches. They divided power, and at the same time, they set the Congress in the center of the new political system.

Congress is the institution in which the people’s consent rests because its primary function is the pass of bills and the overseeing of the executive branch. Public policies need Congress’ approval for their implementation.

However, Congress is a bicameral legislature. That means legislators gather in two separate houses. These houses are the lower house, which is the House of Representatives, and the upper house, the Senate.

Both houses develop legislative and representative functions. But they do it differently. So, let’s take a look at them one by one.

The House of Representatives

The main feature of the House of Representatives is who it represents. In this case, it represents the American people. Why? The explanation is its composition. Its members are representatives who sit in congressional districts that are allocated to each of the 50 states on the basis of population, with each district entitled to one representative. The people directly elect them.

The bills passed by this House go to the Senate, and if they receive the approval, they get to the president for consideration.

In addition to this, the House also has some exclusive powers. I refer to the initiation of all bills related to revenue, the impeachment of federal officials. And in cases wherein no candidate receives a majority of electors for president, it elects one of the top three recipients of electors for that office, with one vote given to each State for that purpose.

Another peculiarity of this House is the term length of its members, and more specifically the representatives and delegates, who serve for two years. While a resident commissioner serves for four years. By the way, a resident commissioner is a kind of delegate who represents Puerto Rico.

The Senate

The Senate is the upper House of the Congress, and it’s composed of senators, each of whom represents a single State. Each State, regardless of its population size, is equally represented by two senators who serve staggered terms of six years. So, the 50 States of the Union are represented by 100 senators. They are elected by popular vote.

The Senate has several powers of advice and consent, which are unique to it. These include the approval of treaties, the responsibility of conducting the impeachment trials, and the appointment of federal officials such as Cabinet secretaries, Supreme Court justices, federal judges, flag officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors, other federal executive officials, and other federal uniformed officers. Besides this, when there is no candidate with the majority of votes for vice president, the Senate elects one of the top two recipients of electors for that office.

In contrast to the House of Representatives, the Senate is widely considered both a more deliberative and more prestigious institution. That’s due to its longer terms, smaller size, and statewide constituencies, which historically led to a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere. The president of the Senate is the vice president of the US. In his absence, the president pro tempore is customarily the senior member of the party holding a majority of seats.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both houses constitute the legislative branch of the federal government, and therefore, they pass bills. However, they represent different realities. The lower House represents the American people, and the upper House represents the States. And they have at the same time exclusive powers in specific areas, as we’ve already seen.

Question of the day

Question of the day! Do you think senators and representatives should serve the same length terms? Post your opinion in the comments section below, and I’ll check it out.

Bibliography used:

Morgan, Edmund S., The Birth of the Republic

Sabine, George, A History of Political Theory

Locke, John, Two Treatises of Government

Amar, Vik D., “The Senate and the Constitution” in The Yale Law Journal 97 (6), 1988, pp. 1111–1130

Wirls, Daniel and Wirls, Stephen, The Invention of the United States Senate

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