Congress of States

Congress of States Humiiaktō
15th congress of Tarinθikluu̯ī VI
Type
Type	Bicameral legislature of Northern States
Houses	House of Prelates House of Representatives
History
Founded	February 20, 614 (614-02-20)
Leadership
President of the Congress	TBD, Progressive Party
Speaker of the House of Representatives	TBD, Green Party
Structure
Seats	57 prelates 471 representatives
House of Prelates political groups	New Democracy: 20   Social Alliance: 19   Green: 6   Centre: 6   Democratic Socialist: 2   Lay Alliance: 3
House of Representatives political groups	New Democracy: 115   Social Alliance: 102   Green: 60   Centre: 39   Rural Development: 34   North Alliance: 28   Radical Action: 22   Very Green: 17   Democratic Socialist: 17   Lay Alliance: 15   Reform: 8   New Age: 5   Children's Welfare: 3   Unionist: 3   New Spirituality: 2   Pirate: 1
Meeting place
Congress Hill

The Congress of States (Northian: Humiiaktō; Dutch: Congres van Staten; often abbr. the Congress) is the bicameral federal legislature of the Northern States. It meets in quarterly sessions in the capital city of Cleiden. The Congress operates under the terms of the Instrument of 894 and its subsequent amendments, defining its powers apart from those of the constituent states. According to the terms of these documents, the Congress defray public expenses upon the states, declare war and peace, and legislate on other issues of common relevance. Both houses must assent to the same bill before it becomes a statute.

The legislature consists of two chambers, the higher house the House of Prelates, and the other the House of Representatives. The House of Prelates consists of two classes of members, the 33 civil prelacies and 24 free prelacies; the civil prelacies are those selected by the civil (i.e. state) authority and are thus always entitled to a seat in the house, and the free prelacies are those who are elevated to the status of a prelate by mere royal command, which expires at the death or resignation of the holder. After 1810, congressional prelates do not need to be members of the clergy despite the name of the house. The House of Prelates also functions as the apex court of DNS.

The House of Representatives consists of 471 representatives elected every three years proportionally from the entire Northern States. Both houses are legally co-equal in their powers; yet owing to the principle of responsible government, the Federal Government is accountable to the House of Representatives in modern politics, which means the lower house has more political influence than the upper house. All budgetary measures are introduced lower house, though the upper may debate and pass them as well.

Name

The Northian name Humiiaktō is a compound of hā/hm- "together, united" and aktō "a putting". It means the putting together of all the states.

Practices

Convocation

Unlike sessions of the Privy Council which are summoned by the reigning king, the Congress of States is convoked at the behest of one or more constituent state. To begin the process of convocation, it is in order for the priesthood to declare a holy day where the states shall meet at a certain place and give and receive reconciliation from each other.

Emissaries are then appointed and sent from the convoking state to the other states with a letter signed by the "wholy body of the state" (pās kāti vixs xarfs) requesting the presence of the wholy body of the other state be present at the appointed place, for "reason of the common well-being and security". The Congress is considered fully convoked even if not in session as soon one emissary is appointed by one or more state.

Opening of the Congress

Since the Congress originated as a religious assembly, there are still extensive religious undertones to the ceremonies of the Congress. These practices can be somewhat controversial at times, but traditionalists maintain there is no harm in such ceremonies and point out the presence of religous accoutrements in other legislatures as well. The first and last two days of the Congress session are the main days dedicated to religious ceremonies, and each day in between is opened and closed by a simpler ceremony in the House of Prelates. Hymns of ancient provenance have a large presence in these ceremonies, many items being repeated twice, three times, or even six times.

When representatives arrive at Cleiden, the citizens of Cleiden, without the city's prelates, form an autonomous body to receive the citizens of the other city at its northern gate. This autonomous body is led by the most elderly citizen who is not a member of a holy order and remains physically mobile, called the "ancient master". The prelates of Cleiden receive their counterparts at a different ceremony at the eastern gate. These prelates and representatives are then led to their respective dining-halls for a reception banquet.

The first day of the Congress session is spent separately in each chamber, as it is customary the Congress as a whole make no resolutions until the King has been heard. In the House of Prelates, officiating and assisting presidents are appointed by a vote (though usually the roles are rotated nowadays). The other prelates act as lay patrons of the ceremony. The House of Representatives begin discussions about federal issues, emphasizing their autonomy from the priesthood to discuss temporal matters despite the formal religious nature of the assembly. Midday (about 10 a.m.), the representatives call upon the prelates. The former sing the hymn All Humanity Reconciled twice, as the prelates individually inspect the sacraments. Holy Everlasting Peace is sung twice by the prelates after the inspection.

The prelates rise for the coming and going of the representatives, and the president of the Congress bows towards them.

The second day of the Congress session revolves around the King, who has a throne in the northwestern corner of the House of Prelates. The King arrives on foot, accompanied by the Royal Guard. The yeomen of the Guard stop and stand at the verge of the Congress's premises. The gentlemen of the Guard enter the premises and remain in the Chamber of the Guards, which is a room adjoining the House of Prelates. The barons of the Guard enter the House of Prelates with the King and stand behind the throne. As the barons are not of prelate rank in their own right, they cannot technically be within the chamber, but by standing behind the throne their legal existence and personhood are suspended and subsumed into the body politic of the King. After the King is enthroned, the Universal Hymn is sung six times by both representatives and prelates.

The King is then called upon to give a speech to the House of Prelates. He begins with the phrase "To your highest serenities" artistōi fatāti, which is the collective style of the house.

See also

• Northern States