House of Representatives
A house is a dwelling, usually for a single family, but sometimes for many families in an apartment-style building. It can be a simple hut or a very large structure of wood, stone, concrete or other material outfitted with living quarters, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms. Often it has doors and locks to keep out rain or other precipitation, and windows for light and ventilation. A house may have a yard or garden for outside recreation. A house may also have outbuildings such as a garage for vehicles or a shed for tools and equipment. Houses are used for shelter and can be located in towns or cities. Houses may be owned by one person, or they may be in a group of houses called a townhouse or row house. Houses may also be owned by institutions such as universities or churches.
A House is a political institution that elects members of the United States Congress to represent districts within their state or country. Elections for the House of Representatives are held every even-numbered year, with the term of each member beginning on January 3. Houses are governed by rules set by the House Rules Committee. The Speaker of the House presides over the House and sets its agenda. The House is also served by several officials who are not members, including the clerk, who maintains public records and prepares documents, and the chief administrative officer, responsible for day-to-day administration of the House, including payroll and foodservice.
The House is divided into multiple committees, which have special expertise in particular areas of policy. A bill that a House committee recommends for passage will be sent to the full House, which votes on it. The Rules Committee, which is responsible for setting the terms under which the House will debate legislation, serves as the “traffic cop” of the House, determining how much time each piece of legislation will be allowed for floor debate.
Some bills will be considered under a “standing” rule, which generally limits the amount of time that will be allowed for debate and bars the use of special amendments. Most bills, however, will be considered under a rule that has been specifically written for that legislation. The Rules Committee must report this special rule to the House before the House can debate the bill.
The term house can also refer to a group of people who live together, such as a boardinghouse or a group of students sharing an apartment. It can also refer to a collection of possessions, such as books or furniture. A new product took off like a house on fire, but it might not be as successful as the company expected. It is also possible to house someone, such as in a nursing home or prison. Other idioms that begin with house include boardinghouse reach, get to know somebody out of the house, clean your own house before you try to clean anyone else’s, let the cat out of the bag, run through the money like water, and take off like a shot.