United States Congress
The United States Congress, or simply Congress, is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, and an upper body, the United States Senate. It meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives are chosen through direct election, though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a governor's appointment. Congress has 535 voting members: 100 senators and 435 representatives. The U.S. vice president, as President of the Senate, has a vote in the Senate only when casting a tie-breaking vote. The House of Representatives has six non-voting members.
Some of the key events about United States Congress
- 1789Established the federal government structure and passed the Bill of Rights
- 1798Passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, restricting free speech and press freedoms
- 1820Enacted the Missouri Compromise, perpetuating slavery in new states
- 1830Passed the Indian Removal Act, forcibly relocating Native American tribes
- 1850Enacted the Fugitive Slave Act, requiring the return of escaped slaves to their owners
- 1862Passed the Homestead Act, providing free land to settlers in the American West
- 1865Ratified the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery in the United States
- 1917Passed the Espionage Act, limiting free speech during wartime
- 1920Ratified the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote
- 1935Passed the Social Security Act, creating a system of old-age pensions
- 1942Authorized the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
- 1950Passed the McCarran Internal Security Act, requiring communist organizations to register with the government
- 1964Passed the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
- 1964Passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, escalating U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
- 1965Enacted Medicare and Medicaid, providing health coverage for elderly and low-income Americans
- 1969Passed legislation to fund the Apollo program, leading to the first moon landing
- 1990Passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities
- 1996Enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as between one man and one woman
- 2001Passed the USA PATRIOT Act, expanding government surveillance powers
- 2010Passed the Affordable Care Act, expanding access to health insurance for millions of Americans
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
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