1. Chapter 7 Congress 
To Accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, and Texas Editions
American Government: Roots and Reform, 10th edition
Karen O’Connor and Larry J. Sabato
 Pearson Education, 2009

2. Roots of the Legislative Branch
Great Compromise leads to bicameral legislature.
Two per state in Senate, House by population.
House district size determined by apportionment.
Was originally one per 30,000 people (65 members)
Fixed at 435 in 1929, temporarily up to 437 in 1950s
Reverted back to 435 in 1963
In 2015, was 733,000 per district

3. Roots of the Legislative Branch
House district shape determined by redistricting.
Often results in partisan gerrymandering
This is part of the reason why incumbent Congressmen/ women are reelected 95% of the time.
Senators must be 30, serve six-year terms, be a citizen for 9 years.
Representatives must be 25, serve two-year terms, be a citizen for 7 years.

4. AV- Congressional Approval
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5. Rally Robin
Identify as many enumerated powers of Congress as you can

6. Powers of Congress Most important power is to make law.
Bill cannot become law without both houses.
Also declare war, coin money, raise military.
Regulate commerce, immigration, courts.
Revenue bills must begin in House.
Senate handles impeachment trials, but charges are brought by the House.
Senate must approve treaties by 2/3 vote
Senate must approve all presidential appointments

7. Powers of Congress- Elastic Clause
The Necessary and Proper Clause gives Congress the power to make laws “necessary and proper” to carry out the delegated duties.
Also known as the ‘elastic clause’ because it stretches the power given Congress.
This clause is what gives Congress the Implied Powers.
Examples: Air Force & Interstate Highways

8. Think-Write-RoundRobin
Identify an example of Congress enacting the elastic clause

9. Role of Political Parties
Majority party has most members.
Minority party has second most members.
Key role in committee system and organization.
Committee leadership based on majority power
Party caucuses also choose policy priorities.
The caucuses help to choose committee assignments.

10. Figure 7.1- Organization of Congress
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11. U.S. House of Representatives

12. House of Representatives
More tightly structured, governed by more rules.
Party loyalty plays a more important role.
Powerful Speaker of the House chosen by all members.
Presides over house, controls Rules Committee
Party caucuses pick majority and minority leaders.
Whips assist party leaders; the vote counters
Structure allows leaders to move up the ladder.

13. House of Representatives
Special Powers of the House of Representatives:
All money (appropriations) bills start here
Select the President in an Electoral College tie
The first to vote to begin the impeachment process against president or other officials

14. 115th Congress – House Seats
House party standings (as of April 15, 2017)
240 Republicans
194 Democrats
1 vacancy
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15. Congressional Districts
Kentucky Has Six Congressional Representative Districts
Hardin County is in District 2
Brett Guthrie (R) is our Congressional Representative

16. Kentucky’s District 2
Congressman Brett Guthrie (R)

17. U. S. Senate

18. Senate Vice president is the official presiding officer.
Official chair is the president pro tempore.
True leader is the majority leader.
Also have whips.
More informal than House.
Controlling Senate challenging, run by arcane rules.
Importance of rules such as filibuster and cloture.
Cloture was originally 2/3’s vote in Senate; later changed to 3/5’s. Longest Filibuster was 24 hours and 18 minutes by Strom Thurmond to block the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

19. Senate Special Powers of the Senate: Approves all treaties
Approves all appointments
Chooses the Vice President in an Electoral College tie
Acts as the jury in all trials of impeachment
The Filibuster -

20. Round Robin
Think about the special powers of both the House and the Senate
Which house of Congress do you think is more important/has more power based on these? Why?

21. 115th Congress – Senate Seats
Senate party standings (as of January 3, 2017)
46 Democrats
2 Independents, both caucusing with Democrats
52 Republicans
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22. Kentucky’s Senators
Senator Mitch Mcconnell (R)
Senator Rand Paul (R)

23. Table 7.2- House Versus Senate
Pg 239
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24. Committee System Much of the actual work gets done by committees.
Congressional Committees
Standing committees are where bills are referred.
Joint committees include members from both houses.
Conference committees finalize bills.
Select (or Special) committees deal with temporary issues.
Importance of House Rules Committee, as it controls all legislation.
Discharge petitions force bills out of committee in the House.
Examples of Select Committees: Energy Independence & Global Warming, Benghazi Investigative Committee, JFK Assassination Investigation Committee

25. Table 7.3- Congressional Committees
Pg 247
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26. Committee Membership Members serve on multiple committees at a time.
Request assignments based on interest or district.
Often want access to pork or earmarks.
Some assignments are good for campaigning.
Membership represents party division in house.
Chairs have tremendous agenda-setting power.
Chairs no longer chosen by seniority.

27. Committee Scenarios Rally Coach
This committee within the Senate is responsible for passing spending bills. The bills passed by this committee regulate government spending

28. Committee Scenarios Rally Coach
This committee, consisting of Senators and Republicans, is in charge of investigating the effects, and administration of taxes

29. Committee Scenarios Rally Coach
The United States House of Representatives Committee on Assassinations, established in 1976 to investigate the assassinations of JFK and Martin Luther King Jr., is an example of what type of committee?

30. Committee Scenarios Rally Coach
This committee within the House of Representatives oversees agencies, reviews current legislation, and recommends new bills concerning U.S. military veterans

31. Committee Scenarios Rally Coach
This committee in the House of Representatives is most likely to hear a bill on a law establishing new testing standards for all high school students in the country

32. Committee Scenarios Rally Coach
If the House and Senate cannot agree on the wording of a particular bill, this type of committee may be created, consisting of both Senators and Representatives, to come up with a compromise

33. Committee Scenarios Rally Coach
This committee, consisting of Senators and Republicans, is responsible for reporting the current economic condition of the United States and for making suggestions for improvement to the economy.

34. Table 7.4- A Day in the Life of a Member
Pg 250
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35. Members of Congress Professionalization after World War I.
Members must please those in D.C. and in district.
Incumbency helps members to stay in office.
95 percent of incumbents win reelection.
Members more educated, white, and male than U.S.

36. Round Table Team
Come up with as many advantages to incumbency as you can think of

37. Round Table Class
Come up with as many advantages to incumbency as you can think of

38. Figure 7.3- Female and Minority Members
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39. Theories of Representation
Trustees hear constituents and make own judgments.
Delegates vote as their constituents want.
Most members act as politicos, alternating roles depending on the bill.
May also be influenced by race or gender.

40. How Members Make Decisions
Party has become important in divided government.
Constituent opinion, especially on important issues.
Colleagues and caucuses.
Role of logrolling or vote trading, is important.
Interest group lobbying and money.
Staff and support agencies.

41. Table 7.6- Support Agencies
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42. How a Bill Becomes a Law What Schoolhouse Rock has to say about it:

43. How a Bill Becomes a Law
What it is really like:

44. How a Bill Becomes a Law
Stage-by-stage process offers many opportunities to fail.
Parallel processes in House and Senate.
Bill Introduction in each House.
Committee is first step, role of markup.
Moves to floor for debate, Senators may use hold or filibuster. History of the Filibuster Green Eggs and Ham
Full House and Senate Vote on the Bill
5. Conference committee if necessary
6. President can sign, veto, or do nothing (pocket veto).
The pocket veto is an absolute veto that cannot be overridden. The veto becomes effective when the President fails to sign a bill after Congress has adjourned and is unable to override the veto. The authority of the pocket veto is derived from the Constitution’s Article I, section 7, “the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case, it shall not be law.”

45. Figure 7.4- How a Bill Becomes a Law
Pg 259
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46. Congress and the Executive
President has become increasingly powerful.
Congress, in turn, has increased oversight hearings.
Also uses congressional review.
War Powers Act should give Congress a role in war.
Passed in response to LBJ’s handling of the Vietnam War.
Senate confirms presidential appointments.
Senate confirms treaties.
Congress can impeach president.
2 Official Impeachments: Andrew Johnson & Bill Clinton. Nixon resigned before the House could vote on Impeachment.

47. Table 7.7- Impeachment 
Pg 269
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48. Congress and the Judiciary
Courts can overturn laws if unconstitutional.
Congress reviews judicial nominees.
Role of senatorial courtesy.
Congress also sets courts’ jurisdiction.