What is 'the House' in American politics?
The American political system has three centres of power. These are the President and the two chambers in the American Congress the - Senate and the House of Representatives . 'The House' is the bigger body because congressmen are elected at a local level while the Senate consists of two senators from each State. At present the Presidency & the Senate are controlled by the Democrats. The Republicans have a small majority in the House. Legislation has to pass from the House to the Senate and finally to the President. Because the two main parties (the Republicans & the Democrats) have major philosophical differences most legislation is contested.