elected by the voters of the forty-eight states, and hold office for a term of six years. There are ninety-six Senators. Their terms are so arranged that one-third of them go out of office every two years. This plan makes it sure that two-thirds of the Senators will always be men who have had experience in the Senate.

A Senator must be at least thirty years old, and must have been a citizen of the United States for nine years or more, and must have his home in the state that elects him.

The Vice-President of the United States is the president of the Senate. He has no vote except in case of a tie. The Senators elect the rest of their own officers. They also elect one of their own number President pro tempore; he presides when the Vice-President is absent.

Meetings of Congress.-The Constitution says: "The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year; and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall, by law, appoint a different day."

Every two years there is a new Congress. This does not mean that all the old Congressmen go home and new men come to take their places. It does mean that the states elect their Representatives for two years at a time, and when the two years are up, the people must elect these men again or elect somebody else to fill their places. Also every two years one-third of the Senators go out of office, and their states must reëlect them or elect other men to fill their places.

The House of Representatives has to elect a new set of officers for itself every two years; hence, although a great many of the old Congressmen continue in office for many years, there are always so many changes at the end of each two years that it is right to say that we have a new Congress.

The term of Congress is from the 4th of March of one odd year, like 1923 or 1925, to the 4th of March of the

The Senate Chamber is in the wing nearest in the picture, and the Hall of Representatives in the other wing. The Supreme Court chamber is in the central portion of the building. The Presidents are inaugurated on the central steps.

Copyright, Detroit Photographic Company

next odd year. During this term Congress has two regular sessions. It meets on the first Monday in December of the odd year and may continue in session for a whole year, if it has business to do for so long a time. This is called the long session, though the members usually go home some time in the spring or summer.

The second session begins on the first Monday in December of the even year and must end by noon on the 4th day of the next March, because the Representatives' term of office ends then. The term of the new Congress begins the moment the old one ends, but the members do not meet until the next December, unless there is special business for them to do. If there is need for them to meet, the President of the United States can call them together at any time. Such a meeting is called a special session of Congress.

Membership of Congress.-Sometimes it happens that there is a dispute about the election of a Senator or a Representative. Two men both think that they have been elected to the same office. The Constitution says: "Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members." So if there is any doubt about the election of a Senator, the Senate decides which person shall have the office. If the dispute is between two men who claim to be the Representative of a district, the House of Representatives must decide which one shall have the office.

Quorum.-Neither house can do business unless majority (more than half) of its members are present. This is called a quorum. If at any time when either house is in session there is not a quorum present, those who are present can send for the absentees and compel them to come or suffer a penalty.

Committees of Congress.-No member of Congress can have time to examine and find out what ought to be done

with every piece of business that comes before Congress. Committees composed of members, therefore, are appointed to assist in the transaction of business. Each committee examines one kind of business. There are committees on commerce, on agriculture, on revenue (called Ways and Means in the House and Finance in the Senate), on foreign affairs, on military affairs, on naval affairs, etc. There are about sixty such committees in each house. These committees report to the rest of Congress and give them advice.

Punishment and Expulsion of Members.-Each house of Congress can punish one of its members who is disorderly or hinders the rest from doing business in such a way as the other members think proper. If a member of either house does anything so improper that the rest of the members think he ought not to be in Congress, he may be expelled if two-thirds of the members vote against him.

Freedom of Speech.-Senators and Representatives, when they are in Congress, have the right to say what they believe and tell what they know about any matter of business that may come before them. This is an important right, for it protects the Congressmen and gives them courage to say and to do what they think is right.

Salaries. The salaries of Senators and Representatives are paid by the United States, not by the states that send them to Congress. Each Senator and each Representative is paid $7,500 a year and his traveling expenses to and from Washington. The Speaker of the House of Representatives (and the President pro tempore of the Senate in case he becomes permanent President of the Senate) receives $12,000 a year.

It costs a great deal of money to be a Congressman and live in Washington. It is said that many Congressmen spend much more than their salaries. Their best reward is not the money they receive. They enjoy the honor and

happiness that come to them from making good laws to help the people. These are more valuable to them than the money they get.

How Laws Are Made.-Let us see how Congress makes a law. Either the Senate or the House may begin the process. Suppose that the House begins it. First some Representative tells the other members of the House what kind of law he desires made and submits a written copy of it. This is called introducing a bill. The Speaker of the House orders the bill to be printed and sent to the committee that has charge of that particular kind of legislation. The committee examines the bill and tells the House whether it thinks the bill ought to be a law or not. If the committee thinks it should be made a law and reports it to the House, the bill is then twice read aloud to the House, usually on different days. This is to make sure that all the members know just what the bill is before they vote on it. If they do not like some part of it, they can vote to change it. This is called amending a bill. After the second reading, when all the amendments have been considered, the clerk has the bill printed again. This is called engrossing it. The clerk then reads it the third and last time. After this the Speaker asks the members to vote. Those who wish the bill to be a law vote for it. If a majority of the members present vote for it, the bill passes the House. Then it goes to the Senate, where the same things have to be done again. If it is passed by the Senate, the bill is returned to the House and enrolled. This means that it is printed on sheepskin, called parch

The Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate both sign it. Then it is sent to the President of the United States. If he approves it, that is, if he thinks it ought to be a law, he signs his name to the bill. This makes it an act or law. Then the parchment goes to the Secretary of State, who puts it away for safekeeping.