Chapter 5 CONGRESS

Essential Question and Objectives  Essential Question:  What is the basic structure an organization of Congress as it represents the interests of the voters?  Objective of Chapter 5:  You will analyze the structures, functions, and processes of the legislative branch as described in Article I of the Constitution.  You will examine constitutional powers (expressed, implied, concurrent, reserved.

Congress  James Madison said that Congress is the “first branch of this government.”  In 1787, most delegates to the Constitutional Convention agreed that a bicameral legislature was best.  The model for Congress followed that of English Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

Section 1: Congressional MEMBERSHIP  Founders did not intend for to make Congress members an over privileged group, but they intended to give Congress more power than the other branches.  Congress is:  a bicameral legislature-  Made up of two houses-  House and Senate. Congress Gym, Perks for Life

Section 1: Congressional MEMBERSHIP  Congressional Terms:  term begins Jan. 3 in years ending in odd numbers  each term is two sessions (each session lasts one year including holidays and vacations)  Congress remains in session until its members vote to adjourn /recess.  If Congress does adjourn, the president calls it back for a special session if needed.

Membership of the House of Representative  The House has 435 members, larger than the Senate.  Each state is entitled to at least one seat in the House.  Member are elected to a two year term.  Elections are held in November of even-numbered years  Elected representatives begin their term of office on January 3, following November elections.  Members run for reelection every two years, 90% are reelected allowing for the continuity of the House.

Qualifications for House  Must be at least 25 years old  Be citizens of the United States for at least seven years  Be legal residents of the states that elect them  Live in the district they represent

Representation and Reapportionment  Representation is based on the population of each state.  In order to assign representation, the Census Bureau counts the population every 10 years.  Reapportionment :  The process by which a state’s population determines the number of representative it will have for the next 10 years.  States may lose or gain Representatives  E. g. Florida went from 25 to 27 in 2010

Congressional Redistricting  Redistricting : it is the process of setting up districts lines after reappointment has been completed.  States that lose or gain must redistrict.  New map of the state  Congress must approve it  Two ways a state abuse redistricting power 1. by creating congressional districts of very unequal populations 2. Gerrymandering : drawing districts lines to give one party an electoral advantage. E. g. "Packing" and "Cracking."  Congress has ruled districts must be compact and contiguous, or physically adjoining. One person, one vote ruling has also contributed to cutting down on gerrymandering,

Membership of the Senate  Senators must be at least 30 years old  Be citizens of the US for 9 years before elections  Be residents of the state they represent  Voters of each state elect senators at-large, or statewide  no particular district  Senate elections are held in November during even-numbered years  terms begins on January 3  The Constitution allows for a six year terms providing Senate continuity  Most Senators win reelections  1/3 up for reelection every two years

Salary and benefits  The Senate and the House set their own salaries.  To keep congress from continually setting salary increases, the 27 th Amendment, proposed by James Madison in 1789, was approved in  It states that a pay raise made by congress would only take effect after the next election.  Adjust annually to match the cost of living.  Benefits :  allowances to pay for staff,  trips, and newsletters,  income tax reductions,  upon retirement, may be eligible for pensions of $150,000 or more per year for life  Restriction : no honoraria --no pay for speeches

Members of Congress  535 members :  435 House  100 Senate  Page 129, a look at the make-up.  In addition:  4 delegates in the House--  1 from the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, an the Virgin Islands  and the resident commissioner from Puerto Rico  none of these can vote

Members of Congress  Reelection  Incumbent : Currently in office  Reelected overwhelmingly, why?  reelected because they raise campaign funds through contacts made while in office  many districts have been gerrymandered  Online campaigning growing  Obama 2008 set the bar.

You decide: Did Adam Clayton deserve back pay and restoration of his seniority?

Section 2: Lesson Objective Describe the rules and procedures used in the House and explain the House's role in the lawmaking process.

Section 2: The House Rules for Lawmaking  Main task of each house is to make laws.  Complex Rules : each chamber has rules for conducting business.  House and Senate print rules every two years.  house rules aim to define actions of representatives  E. g. limiting speaking time for representatives to 5 minutes  House rules help speed up legislation once it reaches the floor  House Representatives have more powers than those in the Senate  they can make decisions on legislative work without consulting other House members

Committee Work  Committee work : where Congress performs legislative activities  Most decisions done here  due to the Membership size  must organize into groups, committees  they study and shape bills  specialize in issues important to their constituents  Work for their constituents, people in the district they represent  E. g. while serving in the house, Major R. Owens, an African American supported funding for African American colleges.

Importance of Party Affiliation  Congress proceedings are organized around one political party  in both the House and Senate, Republicans sit on the right and Democrats on the left  in each house, the majority party selects leaders to control legislative work and appoints chairs of all committees.

Six goals of House Leadership Leaders of the House coordinate the work of all 435 members: 1. organize and unify party members 2. schedule work 3. assure lawmakers presence during key floor votes 4. distribute and collect information 5. keep House in touch with President 6. influence lawmakers to support their party's position

House Leadership  The Constitution only makes provision for presiding officers  the rest are chosen by the House  Speaker of the House  Presiding officer and most powerful leader  Chosen at the beginning of each session by a caucus/ closed meeting of the majority party,  the House approves him/her  Speaker appoints some committee members, schedules bills, refers bills,  is third in the line of succession to the presidency of US

House Leadership  Majority Leader: a party official, assistant to the Speaker, steers important bills through the House, ensure that chairpersons of committees work on bills important the party.  Majority Whip : Assistant to the majority leader--keeps an watch on bill votes, influences majority party members.  Minority party selects their own leaders and whips and have the parallel duties except they have no power over scheduling work in the House.

Function of the Rules Committees  Rules Committee : rule--special order--major bills that reach the floor of the House.  they can block or delay bills  they also settle disputes amongst House committees  Quorum for Business :  quorum : is the minimum number of members needed for official legislative action.  regular session 218  to debate and amend legislation, 100 member sitting as the Committee of the Whole, but cannot pass a bill until meeting of the full House

How House Bills Are Scheduled  Laws begin as bills  both houses of Congress pass it  the president signs it  When a bills is introduced  Speaker sends it to appropriate committee  only 10% to 20% go to the full House for a vote  surviving bills are added to the House calendar

How House Bills Are Scheduled cont.  House has 5 calendar:  3 list different kinds of bills up for consideration  The Union Calendar lists $money issues  The Private Calendar lists bills dealing with people and places  Consent Calendar --lists bills out of regular order  Discharge Calendar -- petitions to dismiss a bill from a committee

Lesson objective Section 3: The Senate Lesson Objective: Contrast the Senate's leadership and role in the lawmaking process with those of the House of Representative.

Section 3: The Senate Senate is smaller than the House ​ Leadership ​ It has no Speaker ​ Vice President, President of the Senate, only votes to Break a tie. Devotes more times to executive duties. ​ President Pro Tempore presides in his absence, elected by from the majority party ​

Section 3: The Senate Leadership ​ Most important officers: ​ Majority Leaders: ​ steer party’s bills through Senate, by planning the work schedule working with minority leaders ​ Minority Leaders: critiques the majority party’s bills and keeps his/her own party unified ​ Whips: detailed work that support leaders ​ key work—concern with legislators’ votes ​

The Senate at Work  Senates rules: allows unlimited debate on any bill  Filibuste r: extend debate to prevents a bill from coming to a vote  It can be stopped by a vote for cloture  Cloture: limits the debate by allowing each senator only one hour for speaking on a bill  60 senators must vote for cloture and end a Filibuster

Lesson Objective Section 4: Committees Objective: Identify kinds of committees and why members serve on them.

Section 4: Committees  Purpose : to consider thousands of bills proposed each session, allow members of Congress to work in smaller groups, hold investigations to assist the public in learning national issues.  E. g. organized crimes, prescription drugs, hunger, airline safety…

Kinds of Committees  Standing Committees : Permanent groups to oversee bills pertaining to specific issues.  Subcommittees : Specialize in a topic  Select Committees : Temporary, study an issue and report to Senate.  Joint Committees: temporary or permanent, study group, report back to House and Senate members  Conference Committees : temporary committee, iron out different Bills from the two houses.

Committee Members  Seniority system-- in the past, the majority party member with the longest uninterrupted service on a committee is appointed leader of that committee.  Committee Chairs very powerful  Assigned to committees by leaders

Lesson Objective Section 5: Staff and Support Objective: Explain how staff members and support agencies participate in the legislative process.

Section 5: Staff and Support Aggencies  Lawmakers in Congress have many resources to meet their obligations  E. g. agencies such as the Library of Congress  Lawmakers key resource is trained staff  staff members research issues on committee's agenda  E. g. Senator Weicker of Connecticut and the issue on aviation saf transport for animals  help lawmakers get publicity  get reelected  run committee hearings  draft new bills  write speeches

Section 5: Staff and Support  Following the Legislative Reorganization Act, 1946  staffers numbers increased exponentially  Two types of staff:  Personal Staff: work directly with senators and representatives  Administrative Assistants/AA: runs lawmakers office  Legislative Assistants/LAs: inform lawmakers on bills  Caseworkers: burrow from social services field, handle request from constituents  Committee Staff: work for House and Senate committees

Support Agencies  Library of Congress  largest in the world, E. g. copyright law  Congressional Budget Office, CBO  study budget proposal put forward by the president each year  Government Accountability Office  Watch over the expenditure of funds (watchdog)  Government Printing Office  largest in the entire federal government  daily records of bills introduced  government expenditure, elections, agricultural

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