THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
Congress is one of the three coordinate branches of the United States Government. It is the legislative branch and consists of a Senate, to which the Members, two from each State, are elected for a term of six years; and the House of Representatives, to which the Members are elected for a term of two years. The membership is based on the population of the United States, and in January, 1939, numbered 435 Members. The apportionment is made among the several States in the ratio that the whole number of persons in each State bears to the total population of the country. States arrange for their own congressional districts after the number of Members of the House of Representatives from each State has been determined upon. There are in the House, also, 2 Territorial Delegates—1 each from Alaska and Hawaii—and 2 Resident Commissioners—1 from the Commonwealth of the Philippines and 1 from Puerto Rico. They have the right to debate but not to vote.
BRONZE DOORS AT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WING, BY CRAWFORD
SENATE CHAMBER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAMBER
The Constitution provides that Congress shall assemble on January 3 of each year (20th amendment); and each Congress usually consists of two sessions.
