Congress has two chambers.
The House of Representatives and the Senate together form Congress. “Congress” includes both.
New to this? Start with these words.
- Federal
- The national level of government.
- Congress
- The federal lawmaking institution, made up of the House and Senate.
- Chamber
- One of the two groups that make up Congress.
Learn at your own pace. Browse the plain-language glossary →
The House
435 voting representatives. Each represents a congressional district. More populous states have more seats.
Explore the House →The Senate
100 senators. Every state has two senators, regardless of its population. Each senator represents the whole state.
Explore the Senate →They usually have to agree.
To become a law through the ordinary process, a bill must pass both chambers in the same form and then go to the president. The president can sign it or veto it; Congress can override a veto with the required two-thirds vote in each chamber.
Some responsibilities belong to one chamber.
The Senate considers presidential nominations and treaties. The House brings impeachment charges; the Senate holds the trial. These are institutional powers, exercised through votes and procedures.
“My congressperson” can be confusing.
People often use it to mean their House representative. Both representatives and senators are members of Congress. This guide uses the specific office name.
- Branches of the U.S. government · USAGov
- The House explained · U.S. House of Representatives
- Senate powers and procedures · U.S. Senate
- The U.S. Senate · U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
Reviewed October 19, 2026. How this guide is researched.
See the balance. Try a vote.
A seat held by a party is not a promise of a yes vote. Explore each chamber and compare the thresholds.