Congress on the 2025 Civics Test: House and Senate
If you are studying for U.S. citizenship, Congress — the Senate and the House of Representatives — is one of the densest answer clusters on the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test. Officers may ask who writes laws, what the two parts of Congress are, how many senators and House members there are, how long each serves, who they represent, and who the Speaker is now. Learn this block once and you cover Q18 –Q35 .
Who writes laws — and what are the two parts?
What part of the federal government writes laws? Accepted answer:
- (U.S.) Congress
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? Accepted answer:
- Senate and House (of Representatives)
Name one power of the U.S. Congress. You only need one. Accepted answers include:
- Writes laws
- Declares war
- Makes the federal budget
Congress is the legislative branch. That pairs with our earlier post on the three branches of government .
Senate vs House — numbers and terms
| Question | Accepted answer (test-level) |
|---|---|
| How many U.S. senators are there? | One hundred (100) |
| How long is a term for a U.S. senator? | Six (6) years |
| How many senators does each state have? | Two (2) |
| How many voting members are in the House of Representatives? | Four hundred thirty-five (435) |
| How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives? | Two (2) years |
Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators? Accepted answer:
- To more closely follow public opinion
Why does each state have two senators? Accepted answers include:
- Equal representation (for small states)
- The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
Some states have more representatives than other states. Why? Accepted answers include:
- (Because of) the state’s population
- (Because) they have more people
- (Because) some states have more people
Short memory chain: 100 senators (2 per state, 6-year terms) and 435 voting House members (2-year terms, based on population).
Who represents whom — and who elects them
| Question | Accepted answer (test-level) |
|---|---|
| Who does a U.S. senator represent? | Citizens of their state / People of their state |
| Who elects U.S. senators? | Citizens from their state |
| Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent? | Citizens in their (congressional) district / People in their district |
| Who elects members of the House of Representatives? | Citizens from their (congressional) district |
Senators speak for a whole state. House members speak for a district inside a state. Local names (your senator, your representative) vary — know the people for your state and district before interview day.
Who is the Speaker of the House now?
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? Accepted answers include:
- Mike Johnson
- Johnson
- James Michael Johnson (birth name)
Dynamic officials can change over time. As of this post’s review window, the civics answer still names Mike Johnson. Always confirm current officials on USCIS Check for Test Updates before interview day.
How this shows up on test day
Think in a short chain:
- Who writes laws? → Congress
- Two parts? → Senate and House of Representatives
- Senate numbers? → 100 senators; 2 per state; 6-year terms
- House numbers? → 435 voting members; 2-year terms; seats follow population
- Who represents whom? → senators → state; House members → district
- Speaker now? → Mike Johnson (or Johnson)
That pattern covers Q18 –Q35 .
Your civics test has not changed
This is an evergreen study post, not a USCIS policy alert. The 2025 Naturalization Civics Test is unchanged: a 128-question bank; up to 20 questions at the interview; 12 correct to pass, for Form N-400 filed on or after October 20, 2025. Recent USCIS form and policy news does not rewrite these Congress answers.
Study these related questions
- System of Government — Congress, Senate, House, and Speaker (Q18–Q35)
- Three Branches of Government — why power is split and where Congress fits
- The Supreme Court on the 2025 Civics Test — the judicial branch counterpart
- Free scored practice test — drill Congress questions until the numbers feel automatic
- Browse the full question list when you want one topic at a time
Tip: if the officer asks how many senators, say one hundred. If they ask how many voting members in the House, say four hundred thirty-five. If they ask Speaker now, say Mike Johnson. If they ask why House terms are shorter, lead with to more closely follow public opinion.
This post summarizes public USCIS civics materials for educational study. It is not legal advice.