Voting may arguably be the most important task performed by a Member of Congress, but it is certainly not the only one. The four delegates (Guam, Samoa, Virgin Islands, District of Columbia) and one resident commissioner (Puerto Rico) do everything any Member does, except vote on the floor.

The five non-voting representatives are assigned to House committees, may accrue seniority and become chairmen, may question witnesses, debate, offer amendments and vote in committee. They may also be appointed as conferees and negotiate with the Senate in conference over the important final text of legislation. The five are also free to debate on the House floor and to offer floor amendments.

Second, the non-voting representatives also serve their constituents as intermediaries to the federal government. As do all Members, they obtain information for them; answer a wide range of questions about federal programs; mediate bureaucratic problems with red-tape; and scout out federal grants and benefits for eligible individuals and institutions at home.

The delegates serve two-year terms; however the resident commissioner is elected for a term of four years. All of them receive the same salary, staff, office, and benefits as do other Members. By acts of Congress, their specific legislative rights have been variously extended and restricted over the years.

Non-voting delegates to Congress were authorized by the Continental Congress in the "Ordinance of 1784." The Ordinance provided for the political organization of territories outside of the original thirteen states and authorized territories to keep a Member in Congress, with a right of debating, but not of voting. In 1787, these provisions were reiterated in the "Northwest Ordinance." In 1789, the First Congress enacted the provisions of the Northwest Ordinance into law. The position of territorial delegate has existed since then.

The distinction between delegate and resident commissioner has to do with whether or not the territory they represent is "incorporated" or "unincorporated." Territories that were incorporated were deemed to be less likely to become states and those that were unincorporated -- their status was open and undetermined -- held open the possibility of becoming a state. The position of "resident commissioner" was created by Congress for the representative from a territory with an undetermined status, with the possibility of statehood.