The founders of the American republic believed that the bulk of power exercised by a national government should be in the hands of the legislature. Article I of the Constitution is both highly specific and vague about the powers Congress may exercise. This episode follows three current and past members of Congress through the election process and their early days in office. It examines the differences between the ways the Senate and House of Representatives operate, the every-ten-year redistricting process, and the challenges congressional members face not only in the halls of Congress but in maintaining close ties to their home districts