1. CONGRESS of the United States

2. The Constitution and the Legislative Branch
Article I creates a bicameral legislative branch of government.
The upper house is called the Senate in which each state receives two representatives.
The lower house is called the House of Representatives which is apportioned by population.
The Senate has a 6 year term with 1/3 of the seats up for reelection every two years.
House members serve 2 year terms.

3. Key Differences House Senate
advise and consent
6-year term
100
Relaxed
Generalist
Foreign policy
Initiate revenue bills
2-year term
435
Formal
Specialist
Tax policy

4. Apportionment and Redistricting
The Constitution requires that all Americans be counted every 10 years by a census.
The census determines the representation in the House of Representatives.
Redistricting (the redrawing of congressional districts to reflect changes in seats allocated to the states from population shifts) is done by state legislatures and, of course, always has political overtones.
When the process is outrageously political, it is called gerrymandering and is often struck down by the courts.

6. Powers of Congress
The most important constitutional power of Congress is the power to make laws.
This power is shared by the House and the Senate.
In order to become a law, a bill must be passed by both the House and the Senate.

7. Roles of Congress

8. "necessary and proper" to carrying out
Spend/Borrow
Money
Commerce
Powers
Taxation
Currency
Power
Delegated Powers of
Congress
Bankruptcies
War
Powers
Make all laws
"necessary and proper" to carrying out
the enumerated powers

9. "necessary and proper" to carrying out
Implied Powers
Make all laws
"necessary and proper" to carrying out
their specify powers

10. Nonlegislative Powers
Oversight and Investigation-used to investigate the executive branch and policy
Nonlegislative Powers
Impeachment-Power to remove federal officials from office

11. Congressional Oversight of the Executive Branch
Congress has the power to review the actions of the executive branch
Congressional oversight is used to ensure that the bureaucracy is enforcing and interpreting laws the way Congress intended.

12. Lawmaking
Only a member of the House or Senate may introduce a bill but anyone can write a bill.
Over 9,000 bills are proposed and fewer than 5 to 10% are enacted.
Most bills originate in the executive branch.
A bill must survive three stages to become a law: committees, the floor, and the conference committee. A bill can die at any stage.

13. Congress and the President no copy
Especially since the 1930s, the president has seemed to be more powerful than Congress.
However, Congress retains several key powers vis-a-vis the president:
funding powers
oversight
impeachment/removal.

14. End part 1
Complete Study Guide Sheet 18 and 19

15. Organization and Membership
CONGRESS
Organization and Membership

16. Organization of Congress
Every two years, a new Congress is seated.
The first order of business is the election of leaders and adoption of new rules.
Both houses of Congress are organized on the basis of party for both leadership and committee purposes.

17. Party Leadership Leadership in House of Representatives
Speaker of the House-
Most important member
Member of majority party
Rules on questions of procedure
Influences committee assignments
Appoints party’s leaders

18. Party Leadership Leadership in House of Representatives
Majority leader- assistant to Speaker of House
Minority Leader-heads opposition to majority party
*Whips-
Inform members of important bills
Count numbers of expected votes
Pressure members to support the leadership

19. Party Leadership Leadership in Senate
President of Senate is Vice-President –used to cast tie breaking votes
President pro tempore-Presides over senate, but no real power
Senate also has wips

20. CONGRESS Committee System Types
Standing committees- long lasting from administration to administration ,each has subcommittees
Select Committees- temporary and set up for specific reasons
Joint Committees- Members of both house and senate
Conference committees- temporary and used to fixed differences when senate and house pass different versions of same bill

21. CONGRESS Caucuses Informal groups
Discuss formal issues or push a political ideology
Plan legislative strategies

22. CONGRESS Support Agencies Library of Congress
Congressional Budget Office
General Accounting Office
Government Printing Office

23. CONGRESS Pay no copy
Congress: Rank-and-File Members' Salary The current salary for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $165,200 per year.  
Congress: Leadership Members' Salary (Leaders of the House and Senate are paid a higher salary than rank-and-file members.
Senate Leadership Majority Leader - $183,500  Minority Leader - $183,500 
House Leadership  Speaker of the House - $212,100 Majority Leader - $183,500 Minority Leader - $183,500

24. Complete Study Guide Sheet 20
End of Part 2
Complete Study Guide Sheet 20

25. How a bill becomes Law

28. How a bill becomes a law
A special committee in the legislature studies the bill and decides when it will be debated.
An idea for a new law is written as a bill.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives must debate, and then each body of congress must vote on the bill.
If the bill is rejected, it goes back to committee for changes and is voted on again.
If the
House and Senate vote yes
The bill returns to the House and Senate for another vote.
Two out of every three members in both houses must vote to make the bill a law to override the veto.
If the bill is approved by half the members in both the House and the Senate, it goes to the President
(Governor).
If the President (Governor) thinks it is a good bill, he or she signs it. Then the bill becomes a LAW. If the President (Governor) does not like the bill, it is vetoed (turned down).
If vetoed

29. How a bill becomes a law Introducing a Bill
Bills are introduced by members of congress, but usually come from the ideas of citizens.
2 types
Public bills- apply to nation
Private bills- apply to certain person or places

30. How a bill becomes a law Resolutions
Concurrent resolutions
Affect both houses
Makes statement without becoming a law
Joint resolutions
Require presidential approval
Have force of law behind them

31. How a bill becomes a law Bills in committee
Bills are sent to the legislative committee
Most die there (90%)
Pigeonholed-forgotten or never get discussed
If they make it through committee, hearings are set up where people speak for or against the bill

32. How a bill becomes a law Floor action and debate
Each house must have a quorum, or majority present to debate and vote
Each member (435) has 1 hour to speak about the bill
Filibuster: go extended time to try to kill the bill
Voting
Passage requires majority vote
Pass
Kill
Send back to committee
Offer amendments

33. How a bill becomes a law The President’s actions
Veto- refuse to sign bill
Do nothing for 10 days-bills become law
Sign- bill becomes law
Pocket Veto-
At end of congressional session is less than 10days away, president may pocket bill.
Kills bill by default

34. Voting influences Constituents Views Party membership Personal views
Must answer to who voted you into office
Party membership
Vote the party line
Personal views
Own ideas and thoughts

35. End of Part 3
Complete Study Guide Worksheet 21 and 22

36. Controversial Issues Seniority System Incumbents and Term Limits
Senior member of parties get key leadership positions: Problem-not always the best man for the job
Incumbents and Term Limits
Founders thought Congressman would serve a couple of terms and go home. Problem: many spend entire lives in service, and working for PAC’s

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38. Controversial Issues Apportionment
Keeping voting districts equal in size
Malapportionment- unequal sizes
Gerrymandering- drawing district boundary lines to favor one political party
Racial gerrymandering-done to balance the racial representation within a state

39. la
Complete Study Guide-22