Congress guides

Find plain-English answers about how Congress makes laws, who leads each chamber, and how to follow your representatives.

How Congress works

What is Congress?
Congress is the federal legislature, made up of the House and Senate.
How a bill becomes a law
Follow a federal bill from introduction to law.
What is a filibuster?
A filibuster delays or blocks a Senate vote by extending debate.
What is cloture?
Cloture is how the Senate votes to end a filibuster.

What does the Speaker of the House do?
The Speaker of the House leads the U.S. House of Representatives.
What does the Senate majority leader do?
Learn how the Senate majority leader sets the floor agenda.
What is the president pro tempore?
Learn how senators choose the president pro tempore and what the officer does when the vice president is absent.
What does the Senate minority leader do?
Learn how the Senate minority leader speaks for the minority party, coordinates strategy, and negotiates debate.
What does the House minority leader do?
Learn how the House minority leader organizes the minority party, works with the whip, and shapes strategy.

How did my representatives vote?
Learn how to find your representative's and senators' recorded votes, then get plain-English updates about the major votes that affect you.
What congressional district am I in?
Find your congressional district with the official House lookup.
How many members are in the House of Representatives?
The House has 433 voting members as of September 2, 2026.
How many senators are there?
The U.S. Senate has 100 members, two from each state.
What does a senator do?
A U.S. senator writes and votes on federal law for a whole state.
What is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering uses district lines to favor a party or group.