House of Representatives
A house is a single-unit residential building that may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to an elaborate palace. Houses provide shelter and protection for families, and they can also symbolize status or wealth. They can be built as permanent dwellings, vacation homes, or retirement residences. They can also serve as the headquarters of businesses and other organizations, or be used as a gathering place for family and friends. Houses often include garden spaces and other outdoor features for recreation and relaxation. They are usually surrounded by land that is privately owned and fenced, but they can also be surrounded by common areas or public open space.
The House is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, which consists of representatives and delegates (a form of delegate), both of whom are elected to two-year terms. The number of members of the House was fixed by law at 435 in 1911, though this has varied over time as a result of population growth and redistricting. A vacancy in the House is filled by a special election; the replacement member takes office on January 3 of the year after the vacancy occurred, and his or her term continues until the end of the current congressional session. The presiding officer of the House is called the speaker of the House, and the position has considerable influence over the operations of the chamber.
In the US, a member of House is usually affiliated with one of the two major political parties; he or she has the power to vote according to party lines in votes on bills and other matters before the House. The House also has committees, including the Committee on Rules and the Committee on Ethics. It is customary for the presiding officer to name the chair and other members of each committee.
Other functions of the House include debate and voting, which are carried out using parliamentary procedures, and oversight of the executive branch and foreign policy. The House is governed by the United States Constitution and its own set of rules and traditions. In the past, there was a great deal of friction between the presiding officers and their parties, but this has generally been resolved through negotiation rather than confrontation.
The term house is also used to refer to a residential unit, or to a home; for example, people may say, “I live in a nice suburban house.” It can also be used as slang to mean someone’s personal living space, and it is sometimes used as a term of endearment. The word is derived from the Latin verb “caer,” meaning to take, to possess. It is believed that the usage as slang began in the 1980s in U.S. black music, where it was a way to describe an activity that excite and impresses an audience.