1. Chapter 10: Congress

2. Congress – with all of its faults – is the most representative body in the land. It reflects – however imperfectly – the bigness and diversity of America. It responds – however imperfectly – to the expressed hopes, desires, and ambitions of the American people.
-Acceptance Remarks from The Honorable Lee H. Hamilton, U.S. Capitol Historical Society, 2005

3. Introduction
Why does the Constitution establish a bicameral legislature?
Historically: Parliament has two houses as did most of the colonial legislatures.
Practically: two houses were adopted as part of the Great Compromise
Theoretically: having two house of Congress means that one house can check the powers of the other.

4. The National Legislature
Congress turns the will of the people into public policy by passing laws.
The Constitution spends more space detailing the Legislative Branch than any other branch.
Challenge: Members of Congress represent the issues of their states, but must also work together to solve national issues.

5. Representation
Each state is equally represented in the Senate and represented by population in the House.

6. The Capital
Feature Question Answer: Students should note that the two houses need to work together to pass legislation, and also need to agree upon when to adjourn sessions, so close proximity is important to ensure that they can communicate easily.

7. 112th Congress convenes in 2012
Congressional Terms
Beginning in 1789, Congress has met for two-year terms.
The 20th Amendment (1933) states that Congressional terms start on January 3rd of every odd-numbered year.
112th Congress convenes in 2012

8. Adjourning Congress
A session is the regular period of time during which Congress conducts business.
Congress adjourns, or suspends until the next session, each regular session as it sees fit.
Only the President may call Congress into a special session—a meeting to deal with some emergency situation. (A joint session has been called 27 times)

9. Chapter 10: Congress House of Representatives

10. Introduction
There are currently 435 seats in the House.
Seats are distributed based on the population of each state
each state has at least one representative.
The Reapportionment Act of 1929 fixed the size of the House at 435 members.
Congress can change this number if it wishes. 10

11. Census
Every 10 years the Census Bureau counts the national population.
Article I of the Constitution directs Congress to reapportion—redistribute—the seats in the House after each census.
Currently, each seat in the House represents about 700,000 people.

12. Map Question Answer: In general, the Midwest is losing population while the Southwest and parts of the Southeast are gaining population. 12

14. 10th – Frank Wolf (R)
11th – Gerry Connolly (D)
8th – Jim Moran (D)

15. Congressional Elections
Representatives are elected every two years.
Elections are held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.
Elections held in nonpresidential years are called off-year elections.

16. Congressional Districts
Representatives are elected from single-member congressional districts.
The voters in each district can elect only one representative to the House.
Each district in each state must have similar-sized populations.
Seven states have only one representative, so their district consists of the entire state. 16

17. Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering involves drawing the borders of districts to favor one political party.
This includes either “packing” (clustering voters) or “cracking” (spreading them out)
Checkpoint Answer: Gerrymandering is the act of redrawing the borders of congressional districts to favor one party over others. It makes it easier for members of one party to be elected from a district and difficult for the opposing party to win.

18. Feature Question Answer: Because it makes it likely that the total number of voters in a state or community who support a given party will not be fairly represented in the actual elections held in that state or community, because they will be divided unevenly among congressional districts as a result of gerrymandering.

21. Formal Qualifications
Custom requires representatives to live in the districts they represent.
Representatives must:
Be at least 25 years old
Have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
Be an inhabitant of the state from which he or she is elected.
Being an incumbent is a big advantage—more than 90 percent of those seeking reelection to the House win.

22. Informal Qualifications
Include factors such as gender, ethnicity, political experience, name recognition, and party affiliation.
Heath Shuler (D., NC) had no political experience before his election to the House in 2006.
Shuler had been an NFL quarterback and owned a real estate business.
He was approached by both parties to run for office.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Above image shows Heath Shuler (D., NC)

23. Chapter 10: Congress Senate

24. Introduction The Senate has 100 members, two from each state.
Members are elected to six-year terms.
The 17th Amendment (1912) calls for the popular election of senators
The Senate is a continuous body, meaning that all of its seats are never up for election at the same time.

25. Qualifications
Senators are members of what is often called “the world’s most exclusive club.”
Senators must be:
at least 30 years old;
a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years;
reside in the state they represent.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Above image shows Senator Edward Kennedy.
Senator Edward Kennedy (D., Mass)

26. Chapter 10: Congress Section 4

27. Introduction Members of each house have five major roles. They act as:
Legislators
Representatives of their constituents
Servants of their constituents
Committee members
Politicians

28. 112th Congress

29. 112th Congress Demographics

30. Analyzing Charts Question Answer: Student answers will vary, but most will probably say that the composition of Congress should ideally be closer to the actual makeup of the general population, so that the interests of all citizens can be better represented. Other may suggest that members of Congress should be older and better educated than the average American so that they will have the experience and wisdom to perform their duties more effectively.

31. Representatives of the People
Senators and representatives are elected to represent people. As legislators they have four voting options:

32. Feature Question Answer: There is no clear cut answer to the question; it depends upon what role the Senator should take when considering the measure.

33. Committee Members
Members of Congress do much of their work in committees.
Committee members must decide which bills will die in committee and which ones will move ahead to be voted on.
Committee members also provide oversight of executive branch agencies, making sure that they carry out the public policies set by law.

34. Compensation Congress sets its own pay.
Today, rank-and-file senators and representatives make $174,000 per year.
Leaders are paid $193,400.
The Speaker gets $223,500.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Above image depicts Republican Senate leaders.

35. “Fringe” Benefits
Benefits include access to inexpensive health care, free parking, and generous pensions.
Members receive funds to hire staff and run their rent-free offices.
The franking privilege allows members of Congress mail letters and other materials without postage.
They can print items for free, and produce radio or television tapes at low cost.
Checkpoint Answer: Free postage, free printing, generous pensions, cheap health care, funding for staff, rent-free offices, and inexpensive radio/television production.

36. Analyzing Political Cartoons Question: Students can learn that Congress receives automatic pay raises, while there is no guaranteed increase in the minimum wage. Members of Congress may or may not receive the other perks mentioned by the citizen in the cartoon.

37. Membership Privileges
Members of Congress are immune from arrest for noncriminal offenses while engaged in congressional business.
More importantly, the Speech and Debate Clause (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1) protects representatives and senators from suits for libel or slander arising from their official conduct.