When a political party gains control of the House or Senate by winning a majority of the seats in that chamber, they gain more power. The ruling party controls the committees that write legislation and decides which bills will be debated on the floor.

In parliamentary politics, the balance of power is a circumstance when one or more members of a legislative or comparable chamber can help a party win and maintain a minority government through their uncommitted votes.

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The members who occupy that post may also be referred to by that title. Members of a coalition government or members holding the balance of power may pledge their support for a government by promising to oppose or abstain from voting on motions of no confidence in that administration.

Such members may demand legislative or policy pledges from the party they are to support in exchange for such a commitment.

The party with the most seats in the House has the majority and, assuming it can unite behind a single candidate, chooses the Speaker of the House. In the Senate, the party with the most votes (51 votes) has the majority.

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Currently, the Democrats hold a slender majority in Congress: Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s control of the House hinges on a narrow margin, while the Senate is split 50–50 (with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote giving them the lead). All 435 of the House’s seats and 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats will be up for election in 2022.

Federal elections are held every two years, and senators are appointed for six-year tenure. A third of the Senate’s members, which are divided into three classes, come up for election every two years. Senators from Class III will be up for election in 2022. View Inside Elections’ ratings for each race.

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The part of the federal government that is closest to the people is the House of Representatives. Elections for House members take place every two years, giving voters a more direct and immediate say in how their government is run.

The government and the opposition may occasionally need to negotiate for the support of a person or party who holds a balance of power in a chamber but is not committed to the ruling party.