The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature and legislative branch of the federal government of the United States, serving as the primary forum for national policymaking and public debate. It consists of two chambers: the lower chamber, the U.S. House of Representatives, with 435 voting members apportioned by population and serving two-year terms, and the upper chamber, the U.S. Senate, with 100 members (two per state) serving six-year terms. Both chambers meet primarily in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Congress is responsible for making and passing federal laws—including those related to trade, technology, manufacturing, cybersecurity, national defense, national security, and foreign affairs—as well as representing the people, controlling and approving the budget (including appropriations), overseeing the executive branch, monitoring executive actions, and conducting hearings on national security and foreign policy. It holds specific powers outlined in Article I of the U.S. Constitution, such as declaring war, regulating commerce, and coining money. Congress oversees foreign policy and foreign aid and is influential in areas such as Middle East policy, including aid to Israel. It receives expert testimony from its committees, such as the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In 2012, Congress held hearings and received testimony on issues of religious liberty and the contraceptive mandate. Bills are introduced, debated, and voted on in Congress before being sent to the President for signature or veto.