24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

All people of the state Senators are elected to serve the people of their state for six years. Each of the two senators represents the entire state. Before the 17th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1913, the state legislatures elected the U.S. senators to represent their state. Now, all the voters in a state elect their two U.S. senators

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22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

Two (2) People who live in a representative’s district are called “constituents.” Representatives tend to reflect the views of their constituents. If representatives do not do this, they may be voted out of office. The Framers of the Constitution believed that short two-year terms and frequent elections would keep representatives close to their constituents, public opinion, and more aware of local

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Please Stand Together

It is no secret that there has been a controversy surrounding the NFL because of the player protests during the national anthem.  As a veteran, I made the decision for myself to not watch professional football while protests continue – and that includes the Superbowl. As a fan of the game, I have been disappointed.  As an American Citizen, I

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21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

Four hundred thirty-five (435) The House of Representatives is the larger chamber of Congress. Since 1912, the House of Representatives has had 435 voting members. However, the distribution of members among the states has changed over the years. Each state must have at least one representative in the House. Beyond that, the number of representatives from each state depends on

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20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now? *

Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories should answer that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. Senators.] For a complete list of U.S. senators and the states they represent, go to www.senate.gov. * If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident of the United States for

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19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

Six (6) The Framers of the Constitution wanted senators to be independent from public opinion. They thought a fairly long, six-year term would give them this protection. They also wanted longer Senate terms to balance the shorter two-year terms of the members of the House, who would more closely follow public opinion. The Constitution puts no limit on the number of terms a

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17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? *

The Senate and House (of Representatives) Congress is divided into two parts—the Senate and the House of Representatives. Because it has two “chambers,” the U.S. Congress is known as a “bicameral” legislature. The system of checks and balances works in Congress. Specific powers are assigned to each of these chambers. For example, only the Senate has the power to reject a treaty

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18. How many U.S. Senators are there?

One hundred (100) There are 100 senators in Congress, two from each state. All states have equal power in the Senate because each state has the same number of senators. States with a very small population have the same number of senators as states with very large populations. The Framers of the Constitution made sure that the Senate would be

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16. Who makes federal laws?

Congress Senate and House (of Representatives) (U.S. or national) legislature Congress makes federal laws. A federal law usually applies to all states and all people in the United States. Either side of Congress—the Senate or the House of Representatives—can propose a bill to address an issue. When the Senate proposes a bill, it sends the bill to a Senate committee.

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15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

The President The job of the executive branch is to carry out, or execute, federal laws and enforce laws passed by Congress. The head of the executive branch is the president. The president is both the head of state and the head of government. The president’s powers include the ability to sign treaties with other countries and to select ambassadors to represent the United

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