Congress Chapter 11 AP United States Government and Politics

Agenda Constitutional Review Separation of Powers/Apportionment Incumbency Structure/Committees Policymaking

Quick Constitutional Review Authority found in Article I House Members –25 years old, citizen for 7 years, resident of state, 2 year terms Senate Members –30 years old, citizen for 9 years, resident of state, 6 year terms

Constitutional Review Cont. Article I Section 8 (common/explicit powers) –Power to tax, coin money, declare war, regulate foreign and interstate commerce –Override presidential veto by 2/3 vote in both houses Implied powers through “necessary and proper” clause (a.k.a. elastic clause)

Separation of Powers House –Power to begin revenue bills, select president if no electoral college majority, initiate impeachment proceedings Senate –Approve presidential appointments and treaties, select vice president if no electoral college majority, try impeachment proceedings

Apportionment Constitution states Congress must reapportion after each census (10 years) –Reapportionment Act of 1929 Permanent Size of House (435) and number of seats each State Should have Up to states to decide congressional districts—leads to gerrymandering –Deemed unconstitutional through Baker V. Carr (1962) “one man, one vote”

Incumbency Fewer than 2% are defeated in primary elections and fewer than 7% lose general elections (Senate is lower than House) Reasons: –Visibility –Franking privileges –Co-sponsor legislation (pork barrel) –Money advantage (PACs)

Structure Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi) –Presides over House meetings (impartial) –Recognizes speakers, refers bills to committees, answers procedural questions, declares outcomes of votes, names members to all select (special) committees and conference committees, break ties, 3 rd in line in succession. President of Senate (Joseph Biden Jr.) –Vice President –Symbolic office: only breaks ties

Structure Cont. Standing Committees –Banking, Foreign Affairs, Energy, Government Affairs, Appropriations Select Committees –Special Committees (Watergate, Iran-Contra) Joint Committees –Both houses. Coordinate investigations, expedite business between the houses Conference Committees –Resolve legislative differences between bills

Important Committees House Ways and Means Committee –Appropriations House Rules Committee –Order in which legislation will reach the floor for a vote Senate Judiciary Committee –Recommendation regarding presidential judicial appointments

Policymaking 3 Legislative Actions –Distributive Legislation: goods and services to general population Highway construction, health research, defense appropriations –Redistributive Legislation: taking money from one segment through taxes and giving it back to another Welfare, Medicare –Regulatory Legislation: limits on groups and individuals