Hacker News Reader

The House is one of two chambers that make up Congress. The House is a representational chamber by population, whereas it's counterpart the Senate is fixed at 2 members per state.

The House is often where bills originate, and the Senate is the latter half of the process.

> The House is often where bills originate,

As is the Senate. (Bills for raising revenue must originate in the House, but otherwise they can and do go in any order.)

>The House is often where bills originate, and the Senate is the latter half of the process.

Yup, seems like the Senate is where bills perish.

The Senate was designed from the beginning to be an obstacle. If you can't get both a majority of people, and a majority of states to agree then it should stay a law at the state level instead of the federal.

More politically important, The Speaker is 3rd in line to become president if something happens to the president and vice president.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com