What does it mean for the House of Representatives to be the "lower house"?

The concept of the House of Representatives being referred to as the "lower house" primarily connects to its constitutional powers and functions compared to the Senate. The House has more limited legislative powers, particularly in certain areas such as treaty ratification and confirming presidential appointments, which are responsibilities reserved for the Senate. This distinction is rooted in the design of the bicameral legislature established by the U.S. Constitution, where the Senate is intended to provide a stabilizing influence and represents states equally regardless of their population size, while the House is designed to represent the population more directly.

The House is also distinguished by its methods of election and terms of service, but those attributes do not contribute fundamentally to the characterization of it as the "lower house." The number of members in the House is larger than in the Senate, and while representation does vary by state population, stating that it represents larger states only would be misleading, as all states have representation in both chambers. Similarly, being elected by fewer voters does not accurately reflect the nature of the House, as its members are chosen by a broader electorate relative to their districts. Thus, the distinction as the "lower house" fundamentally aligns with its reduced powers compared to the Senate.