The political structure of the United States of America is unique, and the American Congress constitutes two parliamentary bodies popularly known as the House of Representatives and the Senate.
There are a large number of similarities and differences between both entities. Many people are highly confused regarding the House and the Senate.
Key Takeaways
- The House of Representatives has 435 members based on population, while the Senate has 100 members with two senators per state.
- Representatives serve two-year terms in the House, while senators serve six-year terms in the Senate.
- The House initiates all revenue bills, whereas the Senate can confirm presidential appointments and ratify treaties.
House vs Senate
The difference between the House and the Senate is that the House of Representatives that is popularly known as the House, is a house of the Congress of the United States, whereas the Senate refers to a part of the bicameral legislature of the US Congress as it is the upper House of the bicameral legislature.
The House has always been close to the citizens as its representatives have always been elected and voted by the citizens of the country.
There is a total of 435 seats in the House of Representatives, which consists of one leader from every district of the United States.
Before the year 1913, the representatives of the Senate were not directly elected by the citizens of the United States. The Senate constitutes 100 seats, and every 2 seats have representatives from the same state.
Senators are highly experienced and reputed individuals from various fields and domains of life.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | House | Senate |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The house, also called the House of Representatives, is a house of the United States Congress that is very popular worldwide for the value it adds to society. | In the Bicameral legislature, the upper house of the United States, known as the Senate, has a large number of reputed members and representatives. |
| Number of seats | The House of Representatives has 435 seats, and every seat has representatives from each district. | In the Senate, there are 100 seats, and every two-seat have representatives from the same state. |
| Type of house | One of the major features of the house is that it is a lower house. | One of the major things to note about the senate is that it is an upper house. |
| Duration of term | The duration for which the representatives are elected is 2 years. | The duration for which the representatives are elected for 6 years. |
| History and Base | The house, also known as the house of representatives, is based on the concept of the Virginia Plan. | The senate is based on the concept of the New Jersey convention or plan. |
| Seat-State ratio | The number of seats from a state depends on the population of that particular state. | There are two seats in the senate from each state. |
What is House?
The House is also known as the House of Representatives. The members of the House are highly experienced and well-known people who discuss various national and international in the House.
All the budgets and money bills are introduced and bought up in the House of representatives first-hand and cannot become a law until the House approves and passes it.
The number of members in the House of representatives is 435. The number of members from each state and constituency depends on the intensity of the population of that particular state.
One of the major privileges of the House of Representatives is its power to accuse and impeach a member or a representative. All the money and revenue bills must initiate in the House but need to be approved by the Senate to become law.
One of the major functions of the House is its power to accuse and charge the representative or the members who have indulged in any corruption.
What is Senate?
The Senate is the upper House of the legislative wing of the US Congress. The members of the Senate are popularly known as the senators and are elected for a duration term of 6 years.
The change of members in the Senate is comparatively slower when compared to the House.
The basic qualification or eligibility to become a member of the Senate is that the individual must be 30 years old at the time he/she contests the election and must have resided and lived in the United States of America as a citizen for continuously 9 years.
The senators or the members of the Senate are highly qualified and experienced people in their respective domains. One of the major functions of the Senate is its power to try impeachments and removals of the representatives of the House.
There are 100 members in the Senate. Every 2 senators are elected from the same state irrespective of the particular state’s population.
Senate is one of the most popular houses in the entire world, and various case studies are taught in universities on how the management of the Senate takes place.
Main Differences Between House and Senate
- The House, also known as the House of Representatives, has a total of 435 members in it, whereas the Senate has 100 seats and representatives in it.
- One of the features of the House of representatives is that it is a lower house. On the other hand, the Senate is also known as the upper House.
- The duration for which the members of the House are elected is 2 years, whereas the duration for which senators are elected is 6 years.
- The House or the House of Representatives is based on the Virginia plan. On the other hand, the Senate is based on the New Jersey Convention.
- The number of representatives from each state in the House depends on the population of that state, whereas there are fixed 2 members from each state in the Senate.
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.3162/036298009788897772
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/economic-expectations-and-voting-behavior-in-united-states-house-and-senate-elections/4D89E15F8822BBEC0764E5BA2460F9F6
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The Senate has a very important role in controlling and monitoring the actions of the House
The House and Senate are both essential components of the American political structure
The differences and similarities between the House and the Senate are crucial aspects of the American political system
The role of Senate in trying impeachments is a critical part of the checks and balances system in place
The differences in the number of members between the House and Senate are reflective of their different roles in the political system
The difference in term duration for House and Senate members has a significant impact on legislative processes
The way both Houses are structured and their roles are very interesting and complex
The selection process of the Senate members is rigorous and important for the stability of the legislative branch
The management of the Senate is indeed an interesting and complex topic for study
The Senate’s role in confirmation of presidential appointments is a key function
The House’s duty to initiate revenue bills is essential to control the country’s finances
The House’s power to accuse and impeach members is of utmost importance in the American political landscape