United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one part of the United States Congress. It is called the lower house, and it works together with the U.S. Senate, the upper house, to make laws for the country. These laws are called bills.

People in each area, called a congressional district, choose a representative to be their voice in the House. Each state gets a number of representatives based on how many people live there, as counted in the United States census. This means big states have more representatives than small states.

The House has special jobs too. It can start all bills about money and help decide who becomes president if no one gets enough votes in the Electoral College. There are usually 435 voting representatives, and they meet in the south wing of the United States Capitol. The leader of the House is called the speaker of the House.

The House of Representatives began in the 1700s. Leaders like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton helped create it. They agreed that each state would get a number of votes in the House based on how many people lived there. This is called the Connecticut Compromise.

Representatives must be at least 25 years old, have been U.S. citizens for seven years, and live in the state they represent. They are elected every two years. The House meets in Washington, D.C., and anyone can watch the meetings. Visitors need a pass to sit in the gallery.

The House works with the Senate to make laws. If both agree on a bill, it goes to the president. The president can sign it or not agree, called a veto. If the president vetoes, the bill can still become a law if both the House and Senate vote against the veto with a big majority.