Notable Members Glossary

Congress: The legislative branch of the Federal Government. Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

constituents: A group of residents represented by an elected official.

district: The geographical area in a state represented by a House member. Within a state, congressional districts are drawn so that each has an average of about 650,000 citizens.

legislator: An elected person who represents citizens in Congress and helps make laws.

Presidential Medal of Freedom: America’s highest civilian award. Since 1963 Presidents have given this award to civilians who have made important contributions to the national interests of the United States.

public policy: A decision or action of government that addresses problems and issues.

representative democracy: In a representative democracy, citizens choose a small number of people to represent their interests and negotiate differences on their behalf.

U.S. Senator: An elected person who represents citizens of a particular state in the Senate.

U.S. Representative: An elected person who represents citizens of a particular district in the House of Representatives.