2. U.S. Congress (Ch. 10) U.S. Congress - U.S. National Legislature
Bicameralism - two house legislature
-Senate
-House of Representatives

3. National Legislature Reasons for Bicameralism
-History - Framers knew it well
British Parliament bicameral since 1300’s
-Practical - Framers created 2 houses to settle conflict between large states and small states

4. National Legislature
-Theoretical - Framers wanted 2 houses in order for one house to check on another
Terms of Congress
-2 years in length
-20th Amendment
-current term of Congress - noon Jan. 3, 2017 to
Jan 3, 2019 (115th Congress)
-Terms of Congress once began on March 4th

5. National Legislature -each term divided into 2 sessions
-Congress in session year round
Special Session of Congress
-only called by President
-called in emergency situations
-highly unlikely to happen again

6. House of Representatives
House of Reps
435 members – (currently 241 R’s – 194 D’s )
Each state gets at least one (AK, DE, MT, ND, SD, VT, WY)
U.S. Territories have one member but no vote
Reps are elected to two-year terms
- this makes them pay close attention to constituents
No term limits

9. House of Representatives
House of Reps
Seats each state gets apportioned according to population
Constitution - Congress shall reapportion House seats after each census
As the nation grew- so did the House of Reps
- 435 seats by 1910

13. House of Representatives
Reapportionment Act of 1929
Permanent size of House is 435
- 1 seat for every about 710,000 people
Following census - Census Bureau determines number of seats each state should have
Plan is sent to Congress for approval
Congress still has the power but Census Bureau does the work
Next reapportionment will be based on the 2020 Census - it will take effect before the 2022 elections

14. Congressional Elections
Same day in every state
Off year elections
-Congressional elections that occur in non-presidential election years (2006,2010,2014)
Party in power usually loses seats in off-year elections.

15. Congressional Elections
Districts
435 seats in House separate Congressional Districts
Single member district - voters in district elect one representative for that district
ND is 1 district
State legislatures are responsible for drawing congressional districts in their state (Re-district every 10 years)

17. House of Representatives
Gerrymandering
How it’s done
concentrate oppositions voters in one or a few districts
Spread opposition among several districts

19. Example
50 Voting Precincts
5 Congressional Districts
10 precincts each

20. House of Representatives
Wesberry v. Sanders, 1964
Supreme Court ended population differences among districts
As much as possible, one persons vote must be worth as much an another’s

21. House of Representatives
Formal Qualifications
1. must be at least 25 years old
2. citizen of U.S. for at least 7 years
3. inhabitant of state from which elected
The House can punish members
(majority vote)
House can expel members (2/3 vote)
House cannot exclude those meeting qualifications
What happens if house seat is vacant?

22. U.S. Senate Upper House
Constitution - “Senate shall be composed of 2 senators from each state”
100 = 52 R’s, 46 D’s, 2 IND’s
Election of Senate
17th Amendment
Before the 17th Amendment
One Senator from a state is elected at a time
Each Senator is elected from the state at-large

23. House of Representatives
Informal Qualifications
Vary from state to state, time to time, and district to district
Based on vote-getting abilities
(ex - party I.D.)

26. U.S. Senate election of Senate
What happens if Senate seat is vacant?
Terms of Senators - 6 years
Strom Thurmond (48) / Robert Byrd (50)
Terms are staggered - only 1/3 of terms expire every two years
Continuous Body - all seats never up for election at same time

27. U.S. Senate Upper House Good source of candidate for President
1/3 of Senators once served in House
Smaller membership
Larger constituencies
More national media attention
More of a national politician than House members
Longer terms

28. U.S. Senate Qualifications Must by at least 30 years old
Citizen of U.S. for at least 9 years
Inhabitant of state from which elected
-can punish and expel members same as House

29. Members of Congress Representatives of the people Casting votes
-Trustee - votes decided on merit
-Delegate - vote the way they think constituents would want
-Partisan - vote allegiance to party. This is a leading factor in determining votes
-Politicos - Try to balance conflicting factors when voting

30. Members of Congress Committees and Laws
How Congress makes laws
-anyone can propose laws
-must be introduced by member of Congress (hopper)
-co-sponsors may help
-Known as a bill before it becomes a law
-bill is assigned to a committee for debate, research, and revision
-committees specialize in different topics

31. Committees and Laws
-committees hold congressional hearings to gather information on bill
-committee recommends passage then sends to full body of House or Senate for vote
-most bills don’t make it to the floor
-if bill passes one house, it must pass the other
(majority)

32. Committees and Laws
after bill passes Congress it goes to the President
President, special-interest groups, lobbyists, can affect the passage of a bill
- If veto, Congress can override

33. Committees and Laws Committees
Congress divides much of its work into committees
Both houses have committees
Standing committees, subcommittees, special committees, conference committees

34. Committees and Laws *Senate committees *House committees
-agriculture,nutrition, and forestry -appropriations
-appropriations -agriculture
-armed services -armed services
-foreign relations -education & work
-budget ways and means

35. Committees and Laws
- oversight function - Select Congressional Committees review actions of executive branch and some parts of society

36. Leadership in Congress
*House
Presiding officer - Speaker of the House
Party officers - Majority Floor Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Floor Leader
Minority Whip

37. Leadership in Congress
*Senate
Presiding officers - President of the Senate
President Pro Tempore
Party officers - Majority Floor Leader
Majority Whip
Minority Floor Leader
Minority Whip

38. Members of Congress Compensation
Constitution - Congress fixes compensation for members
27th Amendment - not ‘til after next Congressional election
Voter backlash
Non-salary compensation (fringe benefits)
-special tax deduction - for 2 residencies
-travel allowances

39. Members of Congress Compensation
-generous retirement
-offices & staff in D.C. and home state
-free parking at Capitol building and airports
-Franking privilege
-High Salaries - make public service more appealing to qualified people