Senate and House of Representatives

Definition

These are the two houses that make up Congress, which is America's federal legislative body. The Senate represents states equally with each state having two senators while representation in House depends on population size per state.

Analogy

Consider these two bodies like parents with multiple kids. In some decisions (like choosing dinner), every kid gets equal say – that’s like how every state gets equal representation in Senate regardless their size or population. But in other decisions (like choosing a family car), the parents might listen more to older kids who will also drive it – that’s like how states with larger populations get more representation in the House.

Related terms

Congressional District: A geographic area represented by a member of the House of Representatives.

Senator: A member of the Senate, elected to represent an entire state.

Representative: A member of the House of Representatives, elected to represent a specific congressional district.