<P> Representatives and Delegates serve for two - year terms, while the Resident Commissioner serves for four years . The Constitution permits the House to expel a member with a two - thirds vote . In the history of the United States, only five members have been expelled from the House; in 1861, three were removed for supporting the Confederate states' secession: John Bullock Clark (D - MO), John William Reid (D - MO) and Henry Cornelius Burnett (D - KY). Michael Myers (D - PA) was expelled after his criminal conviction for accepting bribes in 1980, and James Traficant (D - OH) was expelled in 2002 following his conviction for corruption . The House also has the power to formally censure or reprimand its members; censure or reprimand of a member requires only a simple majority, and does not remove that member from office . </P> <P> As a check on the regional, popular, and rapidly changing politics of the House, the Senate has several distinct powers . For example, the "advice and consent" powers (such as the power to approve treaties) are a sole Senate privilege . The House, however, has the exclusive power to initiate bills for raising revenue, to impeach officials, and to choose the President in the event that a presidential candidate fails to get a majority of the Electoral College votes . The Senate and House are further differentiated by term lengths and the number of districts represented: the Senate has longer terms of six years, fewer members (currently one hundred, two for each state), and (in all but seven delegations) larger constituencies per member . The Senate is informally referred to as the "upper" house, and the House of Representatives as the "lower" house . </P> <P> As of December 2014, the annual salary of each Representative is $174,000 . The Speaker of the House and the Majority and Minority Leaders earn more: $223,500 for the Speaker and $193,400 for their party leaders (the same as Senate leaders). A cost - of - living - adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless Congress votes to not accept it . Congress sets members' salaries; however, the Twenty - seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits a change in salary (but not COLA) from taking effect until after the next election of the whole House . Representatives are eligible for retirement benefits after serving for five years . Outside pay is limited to 15% of congressional pay, and certain types of income involving a fiduciary responsibility or personal endorsement are prohibited . </P> <P> Representatives use the prefix "The Honorable" before their names . A member of the House is referred to as a representative, congressman, or congresswoman . While senators are members of Congress, the terms congressman and congresswoman are not generally used by them . </P>

Who has the authority to set the salaries of members of congress