<P> The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States consisting of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives . </P> <P> The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C . Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election, though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a gubernatorial appointment . Congress has 535 voting members: 435 Representatives and 100 Senators . The House of Representatives has six non-voting members representing Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C. in addition to its 435 voting members . Although they cannot vote, these members can sit on congressional committees and introduce legislation . </P> <P> The members of the House of Representatives serve two - year terms representing the people of a single constituency, known as a "district". Congressional districts are apportioned to states by population using the United States Census results, provided that each state has at least one congressional representative . Each state, regardless of population or size, has two senators . Currently, there are 100 senators representing the 50 states . Each senator is elected at - large in their state for a six - year term, with terms staggered, so every two years approximately one - third of the Senate is up for election . </P> <P> To be eligible for election, a candidate must be aged at least 25 (House) or 30 (Senate), have been a citizen of the United States for seven (House) or nine (Senate) years, and be an inhabitant of the state of which they represent . </P>

Members elected to our two houses of congress are selected by