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The 117th United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
United States Congress | |
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Structure | |
Seats | 535 voting members 100 senators 435 representatives 6 non-voting members |
Senate political groups | Democratic (48) Independent (2) Republican (50) |
House of Representatives political groups | Democratic (220) Republican (212) Vacant (3) |
United States Senate | |
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Minority Whip | John Thune (R) since January 20, 2021 |
Structure | |
Seats | 100 51 (or 50 plus the Vice President) for a majority |
Political groups | Majority (50) Democratic (48) Independent (2) Minority (50) Republican (50) |
Established by Article I of the Constitution, the Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress.
A term of Congress is two years long and begins on January 3 of each odd-numbered year. … A session of Congress is one year long. Each term has two sessions, which are referred to as “1st” or “2nd.” Being “in session” refers to when Congress is meeting during the session.
Because the House wanted a manageable number of members, Congress twice set the size of the House at 435 voting members. … It permanently set the maximum number of representatives at 435. In addition, the law determined a procedure for automatically reapportioning House seats after each census.
Party | Democratic | Republican |
Leader since | January 3, 2003 | January 3, 2019 |
Leader’s seat | California 12th | California 23rd |
Last election | 235 seats, 53.4% | 199 seats, 44.8% |
Seats before | 232 | 197 |
In the United States, divided government describes a situation in which one party controls the executive branch while another party controls one or both houses of the legislative branch.
Nancy Pelosi (Democratic Party)
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D) | Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D) |
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Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R) | Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R) |
117th United States Congress | |
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116th ← → 118th | |
United States Capitol (2021) | |
January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 | |
Members | 100 senators 435 representatives 6 non-voting delegates |
Senators represent their entire states, but members of the House represent individual districts. The number of districts in each state is determined by a state’s population. … Today, Congress consists of 100 senators (two from each state) and 435 voting members of the House of Representatives.
Congress | Session | Adjourn Date |
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115 | 2 1 | Jan 3, 2019 Jan 3, 2018 |
114 | 2 1 | Jan 3, 2017 Dec 18, 2015 |
113 | 2 1 | Dec 16, 20141 Jan 3, 2014 |
112 | 2 1 | Jan 3, 20132 Jan 3, 2012 |
Position | Salary |
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Senators and House Representatives | $174,000 |
Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico | $174,000 |
President pro tempore of the Senate | $193,400 |
Majority leader and minority leader of the Senate | $193,400 |
Each Congress generally has two sessions, based on the constitutional mandate that Congress assemble at least once a year. In addition, a meeting of one or both houses is a session. And the Senate and House of Representatives is said to be in session on any particular day when it is meeting.
The Constitution prescribes that the Senate be composed of two senators from each State (therefore, the Senate currently has 100 Members) and that a senator must be at least thirty years of age, have been a citizen of the United States for nine years, and, when elected, be a resident of the State from which he or she …
States are represented in the House of Representatives in approximate proportion to their populations, with every state guaranteed at least one seat. There are currently 435 voting representatives.
The total is more than 100 because 10 of the smallest states have much less than 0.5/100 of the U.S. population but are still entitled to one senator each. The obvious reply is, “This is impossible! The Constitution plainly says that each state gets two senators.
The vice president of the United States serves as president of the Senate and therefore its presiding officer.
Current floor leaders
The current leaders are Senators Chuck Schumer (D) of New York and Mitch McConnell (R) of Kentucky. The current assistant leaders, or whips, are Senators Dick Durbin (D) of Illinois and John Thune (R) of South Dakota.
Early in the 20th century, divided government was rare in the United States, but since the 1970s it has become increasingly common. Divided governments are contrasted by government trifectas—a different situation in which the same party controls both the executive and legislative branches.
In addition to structuring the federal judiciary, the political branches hold other controls over the composition of the federal bench. Article II of the Constitution grants the President the power to appoint federal judges, including Supreme Court Justices, with the “Advice and Consent” of the Senate.
Nancy Patricia Pelosi (/pəˈloʊsi/; née D’Alesandro; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician serving as speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2019, and previously from 2007 to 2011. She has served as a U.S. representative from California since 1987.
Majority Whip James E. Clyburn.
Majority Leader: Hoyer (D), MD | Minority Leader: McCarthy (R), CA |
Majority Whip: Clyburn (D), SC | Minority Whip: Scalise (R), LA |
Chief Deputy Whips: Schakowsky (D), IL and Butterfield (D), NC | Chief Deputy Whip: Ferguson (R), GA |
The current leaders are Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. The current Assistant Majority Leader is Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois. The current Assistant Minority Leader is Republican John Thune of South Dakota.
Congress and Year | Session | Calendar Days2 |
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2 | 175 | |
116th (2019–2021) | 1 | 193 |
2 | 164 | |
117th (2021–2023) | 1 |
A bill becomes law if signed by the President or if not signed within 10 days and Congress is in session. If Congress adjourns before the 10 days and the President has not signed the bill then it does not become law (“Pocket Veto.”)
The Senate has 100 members and is the upper house of the United States Congress. It is called the upper house because it has fewer members than the House of Representatives and has powers not granted to the House, such as giving approval to appointments of Cabinet secretaries and federal judges.
Members of Congress in both houses are elected by direct popular vote. Senators are elected via a statewide vote and representatives by voters in each congressional district. Congressional districts are apportioned to the states, once every ten years, based on population figures from the most recent nationwide census.
While they share legislative responsibilities, each house also has special constitutional duties and powers. … Every state has an equal voice in the Senate, while representation in the House of Representatives is based on the size of each state’s population.
Legislative—Makes laws (Congress, comprised of the House of Representatives and Senate) Executive—Carries out laws (president, vice president, Cabinet, most federal agencies) Judicial—Evaluates laws (Supreme Court and other courts)