1. Powers of Congress
Chapter 10 & 11

2. Members of Congress

3. Why do we have a Bicameral Congress?

4. US House of Representatives
435 Members
Apportionment – representation is based on size of population.
Today 1 rep for every 650,000 citizens.
Elected every two years.

5. Gerrymandering

6. House Qualifications Formal – Informal Must be at least 25 years old
Must have been a citizen of the US for at least 7 years.
Must be a resident of the state you represent.
Informal
Name recognition
Party affiliation
Gender
Ethnicity

7. U. S. Senate

8. Size, Election, Terms Two Senators from every state (100)
Elected to Six year terms
17th Amendment provided for the direct election of Senators.

9. Qualifications 30 + years of age Citizen of US for 9+ years
Resident of the state they represent.

10. Members of Congress
Ch 10 Sec 4

11. Personal/Political Backgrounds
535 Members
Not a true representative cross section of the population.
Typically white males aged 50
Breakdown of Minorities in House and Senate
43 African Americans, 26 Hispanics, 6 Asian Americans, 1 Native American – House
1 African American, 3 Hispanics, 1 Asian American, 1 Native Hawaiian - Senate

12. Personal/Political Backgrounds
Typically College Educated
70 Women in the House, 15 in Senate
Typically from the state they represent

13. 111th Congress

14. Chapter 11
Powers of Congress

15. Representatives to their
The Job
Legislators
Representatives to their
Constituents
Committee
Members
Servants
Of their
Constituents
Politicians

16. Representatives of the people
Represent the people through votes.
How do they vote?
Trustee – believe that each question they face deserves to be judged on its own merit.
Delegate – vote solely on what their constituents would want.
Partisan – vote uniformly along party lines.
Politico – attempt to combine the first three

17. Committee Members All reps & Senators serve on a committee.
Committees screen all issues/bills and decide what goes to the floor for a vote.
Oversight Function – process by which Congress, through committees, checks to see that the various agencies in the executive branch are working effectively.

18. Servants
Each representative & Senator works to serve their constituents.
How?
Passports
Small business loans
Application to a military academy
Etc…..

19. Range of Power
Expressed Powers – Explicit in the wording of the Constitution
Implied Powers – by reasonable deduction from the Expressed Powers.
Inherent Powers – by creating a national government (non-legislative powers)

20. Expressed Powers - Taxing
Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 – gives Congress the power to tax.
Purpose – Common defence and welfare…protect American businesses.

21. Expressed Powers - Taxing
Limits on Taxing
Congress can only tax for public purposes.
No Tax levied on exports.
Direct taxes must be apportioned by population.
All indirect taxes must be uniform across the country.
Article I, Sec 8, Clause 2 – gives Congress the power to borrow money on the credit of the country. No limits

22. Expressed Powers - Commerce
Article 1, Sec 8, Clause 3 – gives Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and between States.
Gibbons v. Ogden 1824 – USSC provided a broad view of what was deemed commerce…

23. Expressed Powers - Currency
Article 1, Sec 8, Clause 5 – “power to coin money and regulate the value thereof”
First Federal use of paper money not until the Civil War.

24. Expressed Powers – War powers
Article 1, Sec 8, Clauses 11-16
Only Congress can declare war
Raise an Army & Navy
Call forth a militia
War Powers Act

25. Expressed Powers - other
Naturalization
Postal Powers
Copyrights & Patents
Weights and Measures
Power over Territories
Eminent Domain
Judicial Powers

26. Implied Powers
Article 1, Sec 8, Clause 18 – Necessary and Proper Clause
McCulloch v Maryland 1819 – USSC rules in favor of a liberal view of implied powers.

27. Nonlegislative Powers
Article V US Constitution – gives Congress power to propose amendments by a 2/3 vote in both houses.
Electoral Duties – 12th Amendment gives Congress power to chose a President if no one wins a clear majority. Senate chooses the VP.
25th Amendment – Congress has to approve a VP successor if present VP leaves office early.

28. Nonlegislative Powers
Impeachment – process by which a President can be removed from office.
House – brings charges (Impeach)
Senate – holds a trial to decide on removal.
Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton

29. Nonlegislative Powers
Executive Powers
Appointments – Senate gets to approve all major Presidential appointments.
Treaties – Senate must ratify all treaties made by the President.

30. Sleeping or otherwise
placing your head on
your desk EQUALS
60 Minutes!!!!