Congressional+Qualifications

A member of Congress is an elected public official who represents the state or district she was elected to represent in either the House of Representatives or the Senate
 * = Description =

= Qualifications = = Salary/Benefits = = = = **Voting Philosophies** =
 * Must be 25+ years of age.
 * Must have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years.
 * Must be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they represent.
 * The current salary in 2009 for members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year.
 * Member receive health/retirement benefits.
 * Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System.
 * Trustee = voting as a representative to help the state.
 * Delegate = voting as the constituents want.
 * Partisan = voting as the party represented wants.
 * Politico = voting as a way to increase political popularity and the best way to get re-elected.