Congress is the legislative branch of the United States government. It is responsible for making federal laws and is composed of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate
- The House of Representatives has 435 members, with representation based on each state's population. Members serve two-year terms and are directly elected by the people in their districts
- The Senate has 100 members, with each state represented equally by two senators. Senators serve six-year terms, with elections staggered so that about one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years
Congress enacts laws, controls government funding, holds hearings, and oversees the executive branch. It operates under the system of checks and balances alongside the executive and judicial branches
. No bill can become law without passing both the House and Senate and being signed by the President or having a veto overridden by Congress
. In summary, Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives
