Who represents you in Congress
At this moment, three people in Washington, D.C. are constitutionally obligated to represent you: two U.S. Senators and one U.S. Representative. They were elected by your neighbors. They vote on your behalf. Most Americans cannot name them. This is worth fixing.
The Senate
Every state, regardless of population, sends two senators to Washington. Wyoming's two senators represent the same number of people as Rhode Island's two senators — not many. California's two senators represent nearly forty million. This disproportion is intentional. The Senate was designed to give every state an equal voice in the federal government, protecting smaller states from being permanently outvoted. Senators serve six-year staggered terms — roughly one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years — which gives the chamber stability and continuity.
The House of Representatives
The House's 435 seats are apportioned among the states based on population, recounted every ten years in the national census. California sends 52 representatives. Wyoming sends one. Each representative serves a specific congressional district within their state and serves two-year terms. The short terms keep representatives closely accountable to their constituents — they are always, in effect, running for re-election. The House was designed to be the branch of government most responsive to the immediate will of the people.
How to find yours
Your two senators represent your entire state — every resident. Your House representative represents the specific congressional district where you live. Districts are geographic areas drawn to contain roughly equal populations (about 760,000 people each). You can find your representative by entering your address on this page. Once you know their names, the next step is to know what they are doing.