Making laws
seniority
Rank by length of continuous service. It shapes committee assignments, subcommittee chairs, and office space, though party leaders can override it.
In full
Seniority is a custom, not a rule, and its grip has loosened: both parties now let steering committees and caucus votes pass over the most senior member for a chairmanship, and House Republicans impose term limits on chairs. It still governs a great deal of daily life in Congress, and it is the practical reason long-serving members from safe seats accumulate outsized influence.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.