Question 25 of 128 · American Government · System of Government
How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?
Accepted answer
- Two (2) years
Why this is the answer
Members of the House serve two-year terms. Article I says representatives are chosen every second year by the people, so every House seat is on the ballot at the same time, every other year. The short term was meant to tie representatives closely to the people of their districts. The 2008 study lessons explain that the framers believed two-year terms and frequent elections would keep representatives close to their constituents and to public opinion, and more aware of local and community concerns. A representative who ignores the district can be voted out within two years. There is no limit on how many terms a member may serve, so a representative can be reelected as long as the voters keep choosing them. The term begins and ends on a set day. Under the 20th Amendment, the terms of senators and representatives end at noon on January 3, and the next terms begin at that moment; the same amendment has Congress assemble at noon on January 3 each year unless it sets another day by law. To serve, a person must be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and live in the state where they are elected. The study guide adds that running for federal office is a right reserved to citizens. The list gives two years. Don't mix it up with the Senate's six or the President's four, and don't guess one year just because Congress meets anew every January. A yearly session is not a new term. If you think of the House as the chamber that faces the voters most often, two years is the number that fits, and the reason for it is the subject of the very next question on the list.
Sources
- One Nation, One People: The USCIS 2025 Civics Test Study Guide · M-1175 (2025)
- The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription · National Archives
- Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons for the Naturalization Test (2008 version) · M-638 (rev. 08/21)
- Constitutional Amendments 11-27 · National Archives
Practice 20 random questions like the interview
Drawn from the official 128, 12 correct answers to pass, with an explanation after every answer.