Legislative Branch-The House of Representatives
Article I divides Congress into the House of Representatives and the Senate. Under the Articles of Confederation there was only one. Section 1 of Article I also states that the power to make laws is expressly given to the Congress.
Section 2 lays out the method of choosing members and the qualifications of those that wish to serve in the House of Representatives. The provisions are as follows:
1. The House will be made up of members elected every second year of the presidency by the people of their state.
2. Candidates must be at least 25 years old
3. Candidates must have been a US citizen for at least 7 years.
4. At the time of their election candidates must live in the state they want to represent.
This section continues with the number of Representatives per state and taxation. It also addresses vacancies and the selection of officials for the House. Each state is allowed one representative for every 30,000 people and every 10 years a census is mandated to make sure each state has appropriate representation. When originally written, slavery was legal and women were not allowed to vote. These issues and the matter of taxation have since been resolved by Amendments 14-16. More on that later.
If a seat in the House is vacated, the members cannot choose a replacement. Neither can the Governor of the former representative’s state. The Governor must arrange for a special election so the people can elect their representative. Further, the members of the house are given the right to choose their own speaker and other officers.
Next: The Senate
