CONGRESS CHAPTER 10

QUALIFICATIONS FOR CONGRESS House of RepresentativesSenate 25 Years Old30 Years Old Citizen for 7 Years Citizen for 9 Years Must live in the state from which they are elected

HouseSenate How many members How long is a term Visibility in the news Work is done Treaties and presidential appointments Years High 2 Years Split between committees and the floor Low Committees Approves or rejects treaties and presidential appointments No power of treaties or presidential appointments

HOW LAWMAKERS VOTE TrusteesPartisansDelegatePoliticos Call issues as they see them, regardless of the views held by their constituents or any other group. Owe their first allegiance to their political party. They vote in line with the party platform. They vote the way they think their constituents would want them to vote. They attempt to combine the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan.

DISTRICTS STATE LEGISLATURES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DRAWING CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS IN THEIR OWN STATE. THEY ARE TO HAVE “AS NEARLY AS PRACTICABLE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF INHABITANTS”

HOW THE DISTRICTS ARE DIVIDED GERRYMANDERING-- DISTRICTS WERE DRAWN TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE POLITICAL PARTY THAT CONTROL’S THE STATE’S LEGISLATURE. THE GOAL IT TO CREATE AS MANY DISTRICTS THAT CAN BE WON BY THE PARTY IN CONTROL. MALAPPORTIONMENT-- POORLY APPORTIONED, ORGANIZED, OR STRUCTURED IN A MANNER THAT PREVENTS LARGE SECTIONS OF A POPULATION FROM HAVING EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION IN A LEGISLATIVE BODY. APPORTIONMENT-- TO DISTRIBUTE OR ALLOCATE PROPORTIONALLY, BASED ON POPULATION.

CONSTITUTION SCAVENGER HUNT 1. IF THERE IS A VACANCY IN THE HOUSE (SOMEONE DIES OR RESIGNS) HOW IS IT FILLED? 2. WHO HAS THE POWER TO IMPEACH? 3. WHO IS PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE? 4. WHO HAS THE POWER TO TRY IMPEACHMENTS? 5. WHY DOES THE CONSTITUTION SAY THAT THE CONGRESS WILL “ASSEMBLE AT LEAST ONCE IN EVERY YEAR?” 6. WHY IS CONGRESSIONAL IMMUNITY FROM CHARGES OF LIBEL AND SLANDER IMPORTANT? 7. WHAT MUST A BILL DO TO BECOME LAW?