What are some facts about the House of Representatives?

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the bicameral legislature of the U.S. Congress. The House is comprised of 435 Congressmen and Congresswomen representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands.

Representatives for the House must be at least 25 years old and a citizen of the U.S. for at least seven years. They serve two-year terms, and there is no limit to the number of times a Representative can run.

The number of Representatives is based on the national population. The last time the number of representatives changed to 435 was in 1913, but the allotment of representatives per state fluctuates with population growth and decline. Based on the 2010 census, each Congressman represents about 710,000 Americans.

The Speaker of the House is voted by the members of the house and is third in line for the Presidency, should the President and Vice President become incapacitated.

The major responsibilities of the House are to introduce tax bills, hold special commissions and to start impeachment proceedings. The House of Representatives has impeached two presidents, Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, though the Senate did not convict them.