ELI5 - House Vs Senate
House Vs Senate - What’s the difference?
Think of the U.S. Congress like a school that makes the rules for the whole country. Congress has two rooms that must agree before a rule becomes law. These rooms are called the House of Representatives and the Senate. They do similar jobs, but they are built very differently and represent people in different ways.
The House of Representatives is the big room. It has 435 members. Each member speaks for a small area of the country. Places with more people get more members. That means big states like California have many representatives, while small states have only one. House members serve short terms. They are elected every two years. This keeps them very close to what people want right now. If voters are unhappy, they can change things quickly by voting them out.
Because the House is so large, it moves fast. Ideas and bills start here a lot. The House is where money plans begin. Taxes and government spending bills must start in the House. You can think of the House as the voice of the crowd. It reacts quickly and reflects current public opinion. The Senate is the smaller and calmer room. It has only 100 members. Every state gets exactly two senators, no matter how big or small it is. This means Wyoming and California have the same power in the Senate. Senators serve much longer terms. Each one serves six years. This makes the Senate more stable and slower to change.
The Senate is meant to slow things down and think carefully. Senators debate longer and often take more time before deciding. The Senate also has special powers. It approves treaties with other countries. It approves high level government jobs like judges and cabinet members. It also holds trials if a president or other official is impeached. For a bill to become a law, both rooms must agree on the exact same version. If one room says no, the bill stops. This is done on purpose. The system is designed to require cooperation and patience. It helps prevent rushed or extreme laws.
In short, the House represents people based on population and moves fast. The Senate represents states equally and moves slowly. One speaks for the many voices of the people. The other speaks for the long term balance of the states. Together, they are meant to keep each other in check and make laws carefully.