Some Important Things to Know about the U.S. House of Representatives

The Entire House is elected every two years

Issue #388 Friday Funday, September 29, 2023

The completely dysfunctional current 118th House of Representatives is totally under the control of the far-right wing faction, which itself is under the total control of the defeated former president. Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) seems to care more about keeping his gavel than keeping the government open. McCarthy has a very narrow majority margin, but it is the exact margin that Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi had in hers. Pelosi, the first and only woman Speaker, was one of the best, most productive, and most effective Speaker of the House in American history. McCarthy, meanwhile, is turning out to be one of the weakest. The Speaker of the House is third in line for the presidency, after the Vice President.

The U.S. House of Representatives has a significant role in the American political landscape. The House, or "lower chamber," was established in 1789 as one of two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, which is the legislative branch of the three-branch system of our government.

The House is made up of 435 members, each representing a district in their respective states. All 435 members of the House are elected or re-elected every two years. The number of representatives per state depends on its population, a number determined by the U.S. Census conducted every ten years. This ensures that populous states have a fair representation in the legislative process.

The history of the U.S. House of Representatives has been marked by a number of momentous events.

• For instance, in 1846, the House voted to approve the declaration of war against Mexico. This decision had profound implications, leading to the acquisition of territories in the American Southwest.

• In 1868, the House was responsible for impeaching President Andrew Johnson, marking the first impeachment of a U.S. president.

• In 1965, the House passed the Voting Rights Act, a major milestone in the Civil Rights Movement.

• Another significant event was the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998, the second-ever impeachment of a U.S. president.

• The House has been involved in two more recent impeachments -- President Donald Trump was impeached twice by the House, in 2019 and early 2021.

All articles of impeachment must originate in the House and then send the results to the Senate, which can accept the Articles (or not), hold a trial (over which the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides), and then the Senate votes whether to convict or acquit the impeached person.

The House of Representatives plays an instrumental role in shaping national policy and legislation, and all bills that deal with the finances of the government must originate in the House.

The purpose of the House is to be the voice of the people in the legislative process, and the decisions made in the House of Representatives have profound impacts on everyday Americans.

The most important thing to remember is that the members of the House are elected to work for us, not the other way around.

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