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1. How many members of Congress are there?
There are 435 representatives and 100 senators. The size of the House of Representatives was set by Congress in 1911 and temporarily increased to 437 members when Alaska and Hawaii were admitted as states.
2. How many members of Congress are from New York State?
There are 31 members: Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and 29 representatives including me, Congressman Joseph Crowley.
3. What are the branches of government?
Our government is made up of three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial. The constitution guarantees each branch equal powers.
4. How old do you have to be in order to become a Member of Congress?
Representatives must be at least 25 years old to be elected and senators must be at least 30 years old. This is spelled out in Article I of the U.S. Constitution.
5. How long is the term of office for members of Congress?
Representatives serve for two years and senators are elected for six-year terms. All members of the House of Representatives are elected at the same time but senators are re-elected in different cycles.
6. Has Washington, DC always been the capital of the United States?
No. When George Washington was inaugurated as our first president in 1789, the capital of the country was New York City. A year later, it was moved to Philadelphia. Finally, Washington became the capital in 1800 and has remained so ever since.
7. How long did it take to build the U.S. Capitol Building?
It took 70 years. George Washington laid the building's cornerstone in 1793 and the dome was completed in 1863.
8. When was the United States flag last changed?
The last time the flag changed was in 1960 when a 50th star was added to it for Hawaii. The original flag design dates back to 1777.
9. How many people work for the federal government?
According to the U.S. Census Department, the federal government has nearly 3 million non-military employees. I'm one of them.
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