Article One of the United States Constitution states, "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives." The

Powers of Congress
Overview of Congressional power
Article One of the Constitution creates and sets forth the structure and most of the powers of Congress. Sections One through Six describe how Congress is elected and gives each House the

Congress is split into two chambers – House and Senate – and manages the task of writing national legislation by dividing work into

Advantage of incumbency
Citizens and representatives
Senators face reelection every six years, and representatives every

The First Continental Congress was a gathering of representatives from twelve of the thirteen colonies of North America. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, referring to the new nation as the "United States of

Sessions
A term of Congress is divided into two "sessions", one for each year; Congress has occasionally been called

Privileges protecting members
Members of Congress enjoy parliamentary privilege, including freedom from arrest in all cases except for