25.2 Structure & Functions of Congress & the Ohio General Assembly

Again, Congress is made up of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate consists of 100 members, with each state having two Senators who serve six-year terms. The House of Representatives has 435 members, with the number of Representatives from each state based on its population. Representatives serve two-year terms. Senators and Representatives are responsible for creating and passing laws that impact the entire country. Senators often focus on broader issues, such as foreign policy, while Representatives usually concentrate on concerns that directly affect their specific districts.

The Ohio General Assembly is made up of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate has 33 members, each elected to a four-year term. The House of Representatives has 99 members, with each member serving a two-year term. Districts for both chambers are drawn based on population, ensuring that all areas of the state have representation in the legislative process.

Both Congress and state legislatures use committees to handle specific areas of policy and legislation. Committees are smaller groups of legislators that focus on particular issues, such as education, healthcare, or the environment. They review proposed bills, hold hearings to gather information, and make recommendations to the full chamber. Committees are useful because they allow for more detailed examination of complex issues and help manage the large volume of legislation that lawmakers must consider. In both Congress and state legislatures, much of the important work of lawmaking and oversight happens in these committees.

Both Congress and state legislatures share three key functions: lawmaking, budgeting, and oversight.

• Lawmaking involves drafting, debating, and passing bills that address various issues.
• Budgeting is the process of allocating funds to different government programs and services.
• Oversight refers to the responsibility of monitoring and reviewing government activities to make sure that laws are being implemented correctly and that public funds are being used properly.

These functions help government function at both the federal and state levels.