1. The Organization of Congress

2. I. Congressional Membership
Bicameral Legislature
Two house
A. Congressional Sessions
Each term starts on January 3rd on odd-numbered years
A session is one year with break holidays and vacations

3. B. Membership of the House
Apportioned to population
1. Qualifications
At least 25-year-old citizen
Live in the U.S. for 7 years
Live in the state that they are elected from
2. Term of Office
Two year terms w/ no term limits
90% of Representatives are reelected

4. B. Membership of the House cont.
3. Representation and Reapportionment
Census held every ten years
Determines the new number of Representatives from each state
Reapportionment
States can gain or lose members
The original House had 64 members
It grew to 435 until 1929, when Congress divided the number among the states

5. B. Membership of the House cont.
4. Congressional Redistricting
States set districts after the census
One district per representative
5. Gerrymandering
Attempts to redraw districts to gain political advantages
Term is traced to Elbridge Gerry, governor of Mass.
Court cases have overturned district created by state legislatures

7. D. The Members of Congress
435 voting members
Also 4 delegates in the house
From D.C., Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands
1 resident commissioner from Puerto Rico
They cannot vote, but can attend, introduce bills, speak, and vote in committees
1. Characteristics
About ½ of Congress are lawyers
Most are middle-aged white men
Average age is over 50

8. II. The House of Representatives
A. Rules for Lawmaking
1. Complex Rules
Print their rules, based on precedents, every two years
Ex. Representatives can speak for five minutes or less in debate
House leaders have more power than those in the Senate
2. Committee Work
They do most of the work in Congress
Organized in smaller groups to help it run efficiently
Members join committees on issues that are important to their constituents

9. A. Rules cont. 3. Importance of Party Affiliation
Republicans sit on the right side in both houses
The majority party elects leaders to control the flow of bills and to appoint committee chairs
Majority party is the one with the most members in the house

10. B. House Leadership Six purposes Organize and unify party members
Scheduling for the House
Making sure certain members are present to vote
Distribute and collect information
Keep the House in touch with the President
Influence lawmakers to support the policies of their party

11. B. House Leadership cont.
1. Speaker of the House
Presiding officer
Most powerful leader
A caucus of the majority party picks the person
The entire House approves
Controls the proceedings of the House
Follows the VP in the line of succession of the President
2. House Floor Leaders
Majority leader is the Speaker’s top assistant
Assistants on the floor are called whips
Persuade party members
There’s also minority leaders too

12. C. Lawmaking in the House
The House floor seems chaotic
Many are gone at committee meetings
They arrive quickly when there’s a vote
1. How House Bills are Scheduled
All laws start as bills
Bills are introduced, the Speaker sends it to the appropriate committees for study, discussion, and review
If the bill survives the committees, it’s put on the calendars to be considered
Only 10-20% of bills make it to be voted on

13. C. Lawmaking in the House
2. The House Rules Committee
Traffic officer that controls the flow of bills
The most powerful committee
3. Function of the Rules Committee
Can move bills ahead of others to be considered
It can also hold bills back or stop them
Settles disputes among other committees
Quorum: the minimum number of members required to take official action
218 members

14. C. Membership of the Senate
Each state gets two members
100 Senators today
1. Qualifications
At least 30-year-old citizen
Resident of the U.S. for 9 years
Legal resident of their state
2. Term of Office
Six year terms
Only 1/3 of Senators are up for reelection every two years

15. III. The Senate A. The Senate at Work 1. Informal Atmosphere
Much smaller chamber with few people in attendance
1. Informal Atmosphere
Rules are more flexible than the House
Unlimited debate is allowed

16. C. Membership of the Senate cont.
3. Salary and Benefits
1789: Both houses got paid $6 per day
27th Amendment makes congressional raises apply to the next session
$174,000 in 2009
Also get use of stationery, postage for business, a medical clinic, and a gymnasium
Allowances for their staff and for travel
Average 140 days at work per year
$1257 per day, $157 per hour
$150,000 pension per year for life after retirement

17. Leadership of Senate President – Vice President of US
Only votes in case of tie
President Pro Tempore
Acts as President when Vice President is not present
Senate Majority Leader – Mitch McConnell

18. A. The Senate at Work cont.
4. Majority and Minority Floor Leaders
Elected by the parties
Very similar duties as the House leaders
5. How Senate Bills are Scheduled
Senate leaders control the flow of bills
No need for a Rules Committee
Two Calendars
Calendar of General Duties and the Executive Calendar

19. A. The Senate at Work cont.
6. The Filibuster
A means to stall the legislative process and prevent a vote
Strom Thurmond spoke against the Civil Rights Act in 1957 for 24 hours
A group could filibuster for weeks or months
3/5 vote can get a cloture
Each Senator only gets one hour
Not used too often
7. Politics
Each party sits on the same sides as the House

20. B. Casework 1. Help Constituents 2. Why? Veterans
Problems with government
Military deployments
Mail
Arranging tours
Capital
White House
2. Why?
Reelection
Voice to average citizens

21. IV. Congressional Committees
A. Purposes of Committees
Help ease the workload of each house
Lawmakers can be specialists in certain areas
They weed out many bills
Can hold public hearings to expose problems

23. B. Kinds of Committees cont.
3. Select Committees
Temporary committees
Matters of public concern
Overlooked problems
Problems of interest groups
4. Joint Committees
Both House and Senate members are on them
Ex. Joint Economic Committee
5. Conference Committees
No bill can go to the president w/o both houses approving the exact same wording
This committee work out differences to get bills passed

24. C. Choosing Committee Members
Committees can help one’s career immensely
Helps with reelection
Gives the lawmaker more influence
Some are very important ones
Rules Committee, Foreign Relations, or Finance
1. Assignment to Committees
Parties pick the people
Can only serve on a certain number
2. The Committee Chairperson’s Role
These are the most powerful members of Congress
3. The Seniority System
Longest uninterrupted service on a committee usually lands the chair position
Now there are secret ballots to pick