Legislative Branch

Congressional Structure

Congress HOUSE SENATE 435 Total people 100 (2*50) %Pop # of Reps for state 2 Per state 2 Yrs Length of terms 6 Yrs Qualifications 25 YrsAge 30 Yrs 7 Yrs Citizen of US 9 Yrs Must reside in the State that they represent

Terms and Sessions Congressional Term for 2 yrs Session- 2 sessions Jan 3 rd – Dec. generally Work day: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Working time: Noon to 5 – 6 o’clock. Recess = temporary break Special Session= Outside of regular hours Joint Session= Both House and Senate “State of the Union” Called by president

Determining Representatives CensusCensus=Every 10 years to determine population ReapportionReapportion=Divide between states RedistrictRedistrict=when apportionment changes, state legislatures redraw the lines GerrymanderGerrymander= drawing district lines based on some characteristic other than just population –a) Discriminatory gerrymandering –b) Misrepresentation

CongressCongress Senate Upper House House of Representatives Lower House President of Senate VP of USA President Pro Tempore Senior Ranking Member Of the Majority Party 435 Representatives Elected by Population House Minority Leader Speaker of House Majority Leader 100 Senators 2 from each State Senate Minority Leader House Majority Floor Leader Senate Majority Leader House Minority Whip House Majority Whip Senate Majority Whip Senate Minority Whip

Congressional Leadership

Leadership in the House of Representatives SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE Selected by the majority party Job: Presiding Officer of the House Power: Decides which committee a bill goes to. John A. Boehner (R-OH) Elected 2011

Leadership in the House of Representatives SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE Selected by the majority party Majority Leader Majority Leader Leads the majority party Job: Shepherds legislation Minority Leader Minority Leader Leads the minority party Job: Leads Opposition Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) Kevin McCarthy R-CA

Leadership in the House of Representatives SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE Selected by the majority party Majority Leader Minority Leader Majority Whip Job:Assists the leader, rounds up votes, heads large group of deputy and assistant whips. Minority Whip Job: Assists the leader, rounds up votes, heads large group of deputy and assistant whips. Steny Hoyer D-MD Steve Scalise R- LA

Georgia’s Representation Georgia currently has 14 congressional districts. Wheeler’s current congressional district is the 6 th represented by: Republican: gov/about/committees- caucuseshttp://tomprice.house. gov/about/committees- caucuses Congressman Tom Price

Leadership in the United States Senate PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE The Vice President of the United States Vice President Joe Biden Elected in 2008 Job: Presiding Officer of the Senate Power: Breaks tie in legislation. Otherwise does not vote.

Leadership in the United States Senate

Harry Reid (D-NV) Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Majority Leader Majority Leader Leads the majority party Job: Shepherds legislation Also plans the senate work schedule, assigns bills and senators to committees Minority Leader Minority Leader Leads the minority party Job: Leads Opposition

Leadership in the United States Senate PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE The Vice President of the United States Orrin Hatch Orrin HatchR-UT PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Selected by majority party. Usually most senior member of the Senate majority party Job: Presides over the Senate when the Vice President is absent.

Leadership in the United States Senate Majority Whip Assist the Majority Leader Job: Makes sure legislators are present for key votes Minority Whip Assist the Minority Leader Job: Makes sure legislators are present for key votes Richard Durbin D-IL John Cornyn R-TX

Georgia’s Representation Senator Johnny Isakson AND Senator David Perdue

Congressional Rules and Benefits

Privileges and Penalties Congressional Immunity Freedom of Expression in Congressional Records Expel Members with 2/3 rd vote. Censure Members Codes of Ethic.

Section 4:Committees: Purpose Divides the work load and allows congressmen to specialize. Sort thru the thousands of bills; compromise on some and kill others Create public awareness.

Kinds of Committees Standing- last from one session to the next Subcommittees- focus on certain areas of standing committees Select- temporary, members from one house, focus on a particular issue Joint- temporary or permanent, study a certain issue and report findings back to each house. Conference- have temporary members of both houses to work out differences b/n different house versions of bills

Chapter 6: Congressional Powers The House: “all bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives” but such bills must pass both houses. The House: sole power of impeachment The House: if no presidential candidate has a majority, the House chooses the president. pbhohttp:// pbho

Senate Powers “Advise and Consent” for presidential appointments. Conduct the trial in cases of impeachment, and remove a government official with 2/3 vote. Ratify treatise with other countries with a 2/3 vote. Clinton impeachment clinton trial.

Select Committee Hearings J6s4khttp:// J6s4k -g28twhttp:// -g28tw