Ch. 6 : Congress the Legislative Branch

Review What was the Constitutional Convention? What was the Constitutional Convention? What were the first two plans discussed at the Convention? What were the first two plans discussed at the Convention? What plan did they settle with? What plan did they settle with? What does the term bicameral mean? What does the term bicameral mean? What article of the Constitution deals with Congress? What article of the Constitution deals with Congress?

Congress Consists of a bicameral ( Two House Legislature)

How Congress is Organized? bicameral legislature – 2 house bicameral legislature – 2 house Congress – 535 members Congress – 535 members Each term of Congress lasts 2 years – starts in Jan. of odd # years – 110 is from Each term of Congress lasts 2 years – starts in Jan. of odd # years – 110 is from –What is the number of the present day Congress? Houses meet separately Houses meet separately Joint Session – when both houses meet together Joint Session – when both houses meet together

House of Representatives Has 435 voting members

2.Representation is adjusted for each state every 10 years when the census ( population count ) is taken 3.States are divided into congressional districts ( areas ) with a roughly equal number of constituents ( people )

4. voting district designed to favor one political party over another is called a gerrymander 5.Each representative serves a 2 year term Closest to the people

House of Representatives serves 2 years

1,2,3,4 Census counts the population every 10 years

B. Senate Has 100 members Every state has 2 members regardless of population Members serve 6 year terms

Senate serves 6 years

II. Congressional Leaders ( 140 ) Majority Party - Political party that has more members in the House or Senate Minority Party - Political party that has less members in the House or Senate Speaker of the House - Leader of the House of Representatives

President Pro Tempore - Leader of the Senate when the Vice-president is not present ( 141 ) “Whips” - help the floor leaders of their parties keep track of legislation and get their party members to vote as the party wants them to vote ( 142 )

Kay Hagan Kay Hagan Member of the Democratic Party. Before her election, she was a five-term member of the North Carolina Senate. Member of the Democratic Party. Before her election, she was a five-term member of the North Carolina Senate. She is the second female senator from the state of North Carolina, and the first female Democrat to represent the state in the Senate. She is the second female senator from the state of North Carolina, and the first female Democrat to represent the state in the Senate. Richard Burr Richard Burr The senior United States Senator from North Carolina. A Republican, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for five terms, and was elected to represent North Carolina as a U.S. Senator in the 2004 election. The senior United States Senator from North Carolina. A Republican, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for five terms, and was elected to represent North Carolina as a U.S. Senator in the 2004 election.

III. Committees Groups of representatives who work on proposed laws called bills Standing committees are permanent committees ( 143 ) Select Conference committees are temporary for a specific purpose Joint committees have members from both house of Congress

Conference committees work on the details of a proposed law to make it agreeable to both the House and Senate The most prestigious committee positions generally go to representatives with Seniority ( most years of service ) ( 144 )

IV. Legislative Powers ( 146 ) Expressed powers are specifically given to Congress by the Constitution Implied powers are not specifically given to Congress but can be justified by the elastic clause to stretch its powers to carry out a power given by the Constitution

Taxing and Spending Money related bills must originate in the House of Representatives (147 ) Authorization bills create a project and set a budget for it Appropriation bills authorize the money to pay for it Regulating commerce ( economic activities )

Foreign Relations and Treaties Only Congress can declare war against another nation The Senate must approve treaties with other nations

V. Nonlegislative Powers – not related to making laws The Senate must approve the president’s picks for high ranking government officials and judges The House of Representatives has the power to impeach officials for misconduct. The Senate then holds a trial and the official is removed from office if convicted by a 2/3 vote. Congressional committees oversee government activities

VI. Limits on Power ( 150 ) A. May not violate the freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights and other amendments B. Cannot suspend writ of habeus corpus which requires evidence for the police to hold a suspect

C. Cannot pass bills of attainder which are laws to punish someone without a jury trial D. Cannot pass ex-post facto laws that make an act a crime after it has already been committed

VII. Requirements and Benefits of Congress ( 151 ) You must live in the state you represent and be a. 25 years old to run for the House of Representatives b. 30 years old to run for the Senate c. A citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 (House) / 9 years for the Senate.

House 25 Senate 30

Members of Congress receive a salary and expenses such as the franking privilege which covers job- related postage. ( 152 )

They have staff members to assist them. Many deal with casework ( 154 ) which involves responding to the concerns and problems of the people (constituents ) ( 139) the legislator represents. Legislators also try to get government money spent in their states and home districts. These projects are called pork-barrel projects ( 155 )

Benefits for members of Congress - Salary: $165,000 a year - Professional staff and office in Washington and home district - Health care- health club- special restaurants - Special subway system - Free transportation home - Franking privilege- ability to send job related mail for free - Immunity- protection from prosecution for what they say or do in certain situations.

Lobbyists Often hired by special interest groups – people who share similar beliefs who come together to fight for what they believe in. Lobbyists work by trying to influence the votes of members of Congress.

Congressional Staff Congressmen have lots of staff to help carry out their jobs Congressmen have lots of staff to help carry out their jobs –deal w/requests from voters –deal w/lobbyists – people hired by private groups to influence decision makers –help w/reelection –agencies help Congressmen  Library of Congress  General Accounting Office – investigates financial issues  Congressional Budget Office