HOW CONGRESS IS ORGANIZED CIVICS CHAPTER 6, SECTION 1 CE.6B & 7A MR. COLLINS & MRS. KOZLIK

QUICK REVIEW OF CONGRESS WE HAVE A BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE: 2 HOUSES…THE HOUSE OF REPS. AND THE SENATE HOUSE OF REPS: 435 MEMBERS BASED ON POP. SENATE: 100 MEMBERS, 2 PER STATE

HOUSE OF REPS. THE NUMBER OF REPS A STATE HAS IS BASED ON ITS POPULATION FOR EXAMPLE: CALIFORNIA HAS 53 REPS; WYOMING HAS 1 THE # OF REPS CHANGES AFTER EACH CENSUS

TERMS OF CONGRESS REPRESENTATIVES: ALL HOUSE MEMBERS HAVE TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION EVERY TWO YEARS (SERVE 2-YEAR TERMS) SENATORS: SERVE SIX-YEAR TERMS 1/3 OF SENATE MUST RUN FOR RE-ELECTION EVERY TWO YEARS

Congressional Leaders Majority party – party to which more than half the members in a house of Congress belong Majority Leader – Leader of the majority party in a particular house

Congressional Leaders 2 Speaker of the House – leader of the House of Representatives and is always a member of the majority party President Pro Tempore – Handles day-to-day leadership in the Senate and is always a member of the majority party