Congress Structure and Elections
Congress has a bicameral structure with 100 Senators and 435 Representatives, totaling 535 members. Congressional districts get reapportioned every ten years, often creating "safe districts" where one party dominates.
These safe districts contribute to political polarization since representatives from heavily partisan districts rarely need to compromise. This leads to more extreme politicians being elected from both the far right and left. In the Senate, the minority party can use a filibuster to block legislation unless 60 senators vote to end it.
Federal elections occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. House members are elected from single-member districts, while senators are elected by their entire state. Incumbents (those currently holding office) have a significant advantage in elections.
Did you know? Most legislation doesn't originate with Congress members themselves but comes from interest groups and the executive branch!
Bills move through standing committees that focus on specific ongoing issues. The Appropriations Committee handles taxation, while the Senate has specialized committees like Foreign Affairs and Judicial. Most bills die in committee without ever reaching a vote. In the House, the Rules Committee acts as a "traffic cop," determining how much debate time a bill receives before reaching the floor.
