The U.S. consists of a house established by article one of its constitution in the lower chamber of Congress and the upper Senate, which forms the nation’s legislature. The house is a composition of congressional districts located in fifty states basing on the U.S. population census. Notably, the house is composed of 435 members of Congress, five of whom are delegates. The number is a unique representation of each state as determined by the population. The House of Representatives is bound with numerous responsibilities. Its fundamental aspect is to pass federal legislation, which is also referred to as the bills. Subsequently, the bills become the rights after concurrence by the Senate and the president. Therefore, this paper provides an in-depth discussion of the U.S. Congressional representatives and their role to the people they represent, the government, and their parties.
The Appropriate Role for Congressional Representatives
Congressional representatives are also referred to as the House of Representatives who are mandated to make laws in the U.S. Senate. Notably, the duties and roles of congressional representatives include constituent service, legislation, representation, and as well as electoral and political activities ( Green, 2015) . Congressional representatives are bound to oversee the states’ or districts’ constituent services. Besides, they are fitted with the role of initiating impeachment proceedings in the Senate. They control the entire proceedings and execute the responsibility of originating revenue bills. Moreover, representative memberships consist of special groups divided for fundamental roles such as holding hearings, bill preparation to be considered by the house at large, and performing regulation of entire crucial procedures of the house. They also have the role of overviewing the financial and budgetary policies being enacted for tax collection, performance of duties and provision of typical security and general U.S. welfare. Moreover, Congress is entitled to the defense of the nation with the inclusion of declaring war, the power to raise and manage the armed forces, as well as devising operational rules for use by the military.
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When Representing District Members Congress Serves as Delegates who try to ascertain and Carry out the Preferences of the Majority in their Districts
Members of Congress can represent their districts as delegates. When they become delegates, they have the ability to represent their people by casting constituent votes concerning the desires of the majority of their people. Delegates work in the interest of the people, thus, they care for those areas of interest basing on what is conveyed by those being represented. Members of Congress serving as delegates act as mediators for the people they represent. The issues that they handle belong to the broader scope of the region like the district or the entire state. The delegates are capable of identifying the level of issues since they listen to the constituents they represent directly. For instance, in 1970, Congress received an extension to obtain all privileges as authorized from the Northwest Ordinance, and the first territorial delegate was found four years later in Congress in 1974 (Kau, & Rubin, 2013) . The main question for the house was to determine if the delegates can serve in the house for the districts. Despite an argument by some of the members of Congress that delegates had different responsibilities or they related to the senators, delegates were granted the power to serve by ascertaining and carrying out majority of the preferences in their districts. Notably, the roles of the delegates are similar to the functions of the senator, hence, are liable for representing the people directly.
Representatives Cannot Act as Trustees but do what they (Representatives) believe is Best for the Country, Regardless of District Majority Preferences
Members of Congress or representatives cannot act as trustees since they serve in the interest of the nation. The members are mandated to seek solutions for the uninformed constituents lacking the relevant knowledge on the typical issues of the state ( Green, 2015) . When members of Congress incorporate the trustee model, they will handle the issues appropriately by deriving a comprehensive judgment after hearing the debate from both sides but work in favor of the state. The decision making developed from hearing the debate is a clear depiction of members exercising their judgement. Members of Congress should carry the voice of the people appropriately. The people that the trustees represent have entrusted their entire decisions in one person to enable them deliver their issues well. Trustees believe in justice for each of the states, and they satisfy the fundamental principles of individuals controlling the government without victimization of any form. Representatives may lack full information, but still make decisions to government’s information involving crucial policymaking.
Representatives should serve as Loyal Members of their Political Party "Team," Even if the Party's Position may not correspond either to District Preferences or their own best Judgment
Even though Congress members keep on condemning the parties and loyalty, they ought to serve as loyal members of their political parties. The parties are quite crucial for both the representative and Senate house. Loyalty holds significant positions of leadership especially the Senate speaker. It defines how the parties relate with each other politically keeping a record of their concerns, pledges, and fulfillment of the matters agreed upon. Loyalty results in the fulfillment of the aspects stipulated by the political parties to the districts. For instance, in the U.S. when the legislative election is held, two groups of representatives are designated. The groups include the ‘Majority' of the house and ‘Minority' of the house. The positions created within the House of Representatives play a significant role in the two parties. The larger number of people forms the party that is made up of the majority, which holds the position of the party that won the election and the minority as the group that did not win the election (Kau, & Rubin, 2013). The congress consists of party theories composed of the induction of loyalty among the rank-and-file members. There is the potentiality of making control over the committee and performing of conventional tests. However, it has not been successful in distinguishing the loyalty from the preferences of one party. Testing is a depiction of a firm definition of loyalty on the communities in the districts. Nevertheless, loyalty to the parties have been argued that it matters more on the leadership of the majority than that of the minority. Hence, it tends to be of more essence to the majority than the minority party leaders to incentivize party discipline.
Conclusion
Congressional representatives also termed as the House of Representatives consist of a group of legislative body recognized by the U.S. Constitution. The house is responsible for making laws and general control of the Senate-house decisions. Also, Congressional members act as delegates, trustees or loyalties. As delegates, the members of the Congress directly cast their votes constituent to the desires of the majority in the constituents they represent. Moreover, when the members of Congress are considered trustees, the representatives casts votes basing on the decision after listening to the two parties, the government and the people in the district being represented. Above all, loyalty to the party depicts that parties are not independent voters and need to join the efforts of its members in loyalty to win votes by forming the majority of the house and minority. Hence, representatives should serve as loyal members of their political parties.
References
Green, M. N. (2015). Underdog politics: The minority party in the U.S. House of Representatives. Yale University Press.
Kau, J. B., & Rubin, P. H. (2013). Congressman, constituents, and contributors: Determinants of roll call voting in the House of Representatives. Springer Science & Business Media.
