House of Representatives vs. Senate

Main Difference

The main difference between House of Representatives and Senate is that the members of House of Representatives are selected for the period of two years while the tenure of the members of Sensate is six years.

House of Representatives vs. Senate — Is There a Difference?
ADVERTISEMENT

Difference Between House of Representatives and Senate

House of Representatives vs. Senate

All members of House of Representatives are elected every year years while a one-third member of the Senate is elected every two years.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

For a person to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives, he/she must be of the age of twenty-five A person must be at lease of thirty years to be elected as the member of the Senate.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

House of Representatives members is elected on the basis of state’s population while two members are elected from each state in the case of Senate.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

Total elected members of the House of Representatives are 435 while the numbers of Senate are 100.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

In House of Representatives, the debate on any topic is limited to one hour while there is unanimous consent already shortens no such restriction in the case of Senate except the debate.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

House of Representatives normally deals with issues relating bills and impeachment while Senate normally confirms nominations, ratify treaties, and impeachment trials.

ADVERTISEMENT

House of Representatives vs. Senate

Senate is like Upper House, and its working process is slower than that of the House of Representatives. House of Representatives is called as Lower House and responds quickly to the public issues because the members have a two-year

House of Representatives vs. Senate

Laws relating to revenue are a deal in the House of Representatives while those matters that affect the law in the long term are discussed in the Senate.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

House of Representatives has a Speaker elected by the members while Senate has no such designation. The majority and minority leader work together.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

Only that person is qualified for being elected as the member of House of Representatives if he has spent at least seven years as a U.S citizen in the United States. While time period is nine years in the case of a member of Senate.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

In the House of Representatives, the majority is all in all, and an individual or minority group cannot change the course of events. On the other hand, an individual member or minority group in Senate can change the course of events.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

House of Representatives doesn’t approve nominations while Senate approves candidates to office.

ADVERTISEMENT

House of Representatives vs. Senate

Senate is a smaller institution as compared to the House of Representatives.

House of Representatives vs. Senate

In the House of Representatives, one party can win the majority in one election cycle, but same is not true in the case of Senate.

Senatenoun

In some bicameral legislative systems, the upper house or chamber.

Senatenoun

A group of experienced, respected, wise individuals serving as decision makers or advisors in a political system or in institutional governance, as in a university, and traditionally of advanced age and male.

Senatenoun

assembly possessing high legislative powers

Senatenoun

the upper house of the United States Congress

Comparison Chart

House of Representatives Senate
House of Representatives is one of the two legislative houses of the parliament. Senate is one of the two legislative houses of the parliament.
Constituency
Narrower than Senate Broader
Election Ration
Based on population Equal number (2) from each state
Type
Lower House Upper House
Rules
More restraints Fewer restraints
Constituency
Narrower Broader
Media Coverage
Less More

House of Representatives

In Australia, America and some other countries, House of Representatives is one of the two legislative houses of the parliament. The other house is the Senate that is also called as Lower House. It is made of four hundred and thirty-five members in the United States of America and one hundred fifty members in Australia. These members are elected for the two years, and elections of House of Representatives are held after two years. The number of members of House of Representatives varies from country to country. In the US these are selected according to the population of the states. In the US, at present, there are five delegates representing the Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. House of Representatives takes power from the Section 2 of the Article 1 of the Constitution of the United States of America. For a person to be elected as the representative of the House of Representatives, he must be of twenty-five years old. Moreover, a person must be the citizen of the US for at least seven years and must be an inhabitant of the state he/she represents. As compared to the Senate, House of Representatives enjoys the fewer media coverage. Moreover, it has a narrower constituency and has more restraints rules. The Speaker generally controls Day to day affairs.

Senate

In American, Australian, Asian and some other countries, Senate is one of the two legislative houses of the parliament. The other house is the House of Representatives also called as National Assembly in most of the countries. Senate is also called as the house of review or the upper house. It is made of one hundred members that are elected for a period of six years. In the United States, these are equally elected from all states comprising two from each state. The number of senators varies from country to country. In Australia, there are total seventy-six senators. One-third of these members are elected every two years. The role of Senator is to provide the government advice and consent on international treaties, executive nominations and conduct oversight of all branches of the federal government. In the United States of America, Senate takes power from the Article One of the United States Constitution. Senate is also given the power to conduct trials of those impeached by the House of Representatives. This institution is widely considered as prestigious and deliberative as compared to the House of Representatives due to its smaller size, longer terms, equal statewide seats, that led to more collegial and less partisan atmosphere. Unlike Speaker in the case of the House of Representatives, the affairs of Senate are collectively solved by the leader of the majority and the leader of the minority.