they would acquire the habits of the place which might differ from those of their Constituents.” One and three-year terms of service were initially proposed at the Convention. The Convention settled on two-year terms for Members of the House as a true compromise between the one- and three-year factions.

The Constitution prescribes that the Senate be composed of two senators from each State (therefore, the Senate currently has 100 Members) and that a senator must be at least thirty years of age, have been a citizen of the United States for nine years, and, when elected, be a resident of the State from which he or she …

Senators are elected to six-year terms, and every two years the members of one class—approximately one-third of the senators—face election or reelection.

To guarantee senators’ independence from short-term political pressures, the framers designed a six-year Senate term, three times as long as that of popularly elected members of the House of Representatives. Madison reasoned that longer terms would provide stability.

62 , Madison justified the higher age requirement for senators. By its deliberative nature, the “senatorial trust,” called for a “greater extent of information and stability of character,” than would be needed in the more democratic House of Representatives.

Present line of succession

Salaries of Congress members Most senators, representatives, delegates and the resident commissioner from Puerto Rico make a salary of $174,000 per year.