Who Represents Us?
Senators, representatives, state, US, districts … there are several people and titles that go into the lawmaking process, on both the state and federal levels. What’s the difference between them? How do you know who to talk to and when? Who represents you in the government?
State Legislators
The annual state legislative session is 40 days at the beginning of the year when Georgia’s state senators and representatives — together forming the Georgia General Assembly — gather to discuss bills and vote to create new laws.
The bills change from year to year, but every year, they must determine the state’s operating budget. The budget is generally considered the most important item discussed, and takes up about half the hours spent in session.
Outside of the 40 days in session, members of the General Assembly meet in committees to discuss proposed legislation in more detail. These meetings occur year-round so the law-making process can continue efficiently when the legislators come together in January.
Other tasks include:
- Considering proposed amendments to the Georgia constitution.
- If both chambers pass the proposal with two-thirds of members giving it a “yea” vote, the decision will turn to the Georgia voters.
- Establishing the legislative districts.
- Every 10 years, the General Assembly determines where districts begin and end for the state House, state Senate, and US House.
State House
With 180 state representatives, the Georgia House of Representatives is the larger of the two chambers in Georgia. The Speaker of the House is the House’s leader. Other members of the House elect the speaker each two-year term. He or she, along with an advising committee, assigns representatives to committees — typically two or three committees for each representative — and appoints Committee Chairs. The Speaker only votes on bills when needed to break a tie.
State representatives must be at least 21-years-old, a Georgia resident for at least two years, and a resident of the district they represent for at least one year.
State Senate
Less than one-third the size of the House, the Georgia Senate has 56 state senators. The Lieutenant Governor leads as the President of the Senate and is elected directly by Georgia voters. As the second highest elected official in Georgia, the Lieutenant Governor can influence state policy and spending priorities. Like the Speaker, the Lieutenant Governor appoints Committee Chairs and cannot vote on legislation.
State senators must serve on at least three committees each two-year term. Senators must be at least 25-years-old, a minimum two -year Georgia resident, and a minimum one-year resident of the district they represent.
Find Your State Legislators
Do you see a state law that needs to change? Get involved in Georgia’s law-making process by contacting your state legislators. Simply enter your street address into the Open States search tool to find the state senator and representative for your district. This will also tell what number district you’re in for each chamber.
Federal Legislators
All legislators in the federal government meet at the United States Capitol building to debate and determine the laws that guide our country. As a whole, they are called the U.S. Congress. Congress is the body that makes our nation’s laws but the two houses can actually do much more. Beyond making laws, Congress can:
- Declare war
- Determine the federal budget
- Impeach federal officers
- Approve presidential appointments
- Approve treaties
- Oversee and investigate the executive branch
Read the full text of Congress’s powers in Article I of the US Constitution.
Members of Congress meet throughout the year, but the House and the Senate set their own schedules. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate take part in writing laws. In fact, the US law-making process is very similar to the state process. Even still, there are clear differences between the two institutions.
U.S. House
Like on the state level, the U.S. House of Representatives is larger than the Senate. It includes 435 total members, plus nonvoting members from Washington DC and the U.S. territories. The size of a state’s population decides how many representatives it has; Georgia has 14 U.S. representatives. And remember, it’s up to the Georgia General Assembly to assess and redraw the lines for congressional districts every 10 years.
The Speaker of the House leads the House. She presides over the House, appoints chairmen for the Committee of the Whole, appoints special or select committees, and appoints conference committees, among other duties. The Speaker can vote on bills, but typically does not.
In addition to its part in the legislative process, the House has a few unique powers, including:
- Impeaching federal officials (acting as prosecutor)
- Electing a president if Electoral College results are indecisive
- Introducing revenue and spending bills (which the Senate can later amend)
U.S. representatives serve the congressional district that elected them in two-year terms. U.S. representatives must be at least 25-years-old, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and they must live in the state they represent.
Contact Georgia’s Representatives
Does your issue need to make it to Congress? Consider contacting your representative. You can find your representative by zip code on the US House website . If your five-digit zip code crosses district lines, you’ll further narrow down the results with your exact street address. Not sure what congressional district you live in? This is also a great way to find your district number -- which comes in handy around election time.
This site links you to their websites and contact pages. When you contact your representative, you can refer to him or her with the title “Representative” or “The Honorable.”
U.S. Senate
To counter the population-based balance set up in the House, the U.S. Senate has two senators from each state. This way, all states have an equal voice in the Senate.
The Vice President of the United States leads as the president of the Senate. Every four years, the Vice President receives the electoral votes for President and Vice President, and reads the results in front of Congress. Over time, the role of the Vice President has transitioned into one primarily concerned with the president’s administration. Vice Presidents in recent years tend to preside over the Senate only on ceremonial occasions and for tie-breaking votes.
In addition to sharing in the legislative process, the Senate has a few unique powers, including:
- Trying impeachments (acting as jury and judge)
- Approving or rejecting presidential nominations to executive and judicial offices
- Approving or rejecting treaties from the executive branch
U.S. senators serve six-year terms. To maintain stability, the Senate is divided into three “classes.” Every two years, members of one of these three classes face election or reelection. Senators must be at least 30-years-old, a US citizen for at least nine years, and an inhabitant of the state they represent.
Contact Georgia’s Senators
U.S. Senators represent their entire state, rather than a specific region of the state. For that reason, you can contact either of Georgia’s senators. Whether you prefer to use postal mail, email, or phone, you can find contact information for both Georgia senators online. You can also address postal mail as follows:
The Honorable (Name)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Use the same format to contact a Senate committee, replacing the first line with the name of the committee. If you contact either Georgia senator or a committee with postal mail, just be sure to include a return address.
You Can Take Part in US Legislation
Elected directly by American citizens, Congress is your voice in the federal government. Reach out to Georgia’s U.S. legislators with questions or comments related to public policy issues, legislation, or requests for personal assistance. Georgia’s representatives and senators want to understand your needs, frustrations, and opinions. That’s how they will best serve you.