2. Congress: The House of Representatives

3. Election to the House
House elections are held every two years on the same day in each state.
Elections that are held on the same year as a Presidential Election see large turnouts. Elections in a non-Presidential election year are called off-year elections.
Usually, the party that holds the White House loses seats in an off-year election. In the 20th century, only FDR (1932), Bill Clinton (1998) and George W. Bush (2002) gained seats in the Congress.

4. Qualifications for Office
According to Article I of the Constitution, members must be:
at least 25 years old,
have been a citizen for at least seven years
be an inhabitant of the State from which they are chosen.
Each member represents a district
Comprised of approximately 500,000 people

5. Republican = 238
Democrat = 193

6. Role of the House of Representatives
The Constitution outlines the “Enumerated Powers” in the Constitution
What Congress is allowed to do:
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

7. House Leadership
Speaker of the House: leader of majority party, presides over House
A member, elected by the House to serve as the leader of the House. Not supposed to be partisan, in truth they become the majority party’s leader.
Recognizes people to speak on the floor
Assigns bills to committees (subject to some rules)
Influences which bills are brought to a vote
Appoints members to special and select committees
Sits second in the line of Presidential succession, after the Vice-President.
Current Speaker: Representative Paul Ryan (R WI) –retiring this year

8. House Leadership Majority Leader Majority Whip
Elected by the majority party.
Responsible for keeping majority members in line and on message
Current Majority Leader: Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
Majority Whip
Second in command in the majority party
Responsible for “whipping” the votes and making sure members fall in line.
Current Majority Whip: Steve Scalise (R- LA)

9. House Leadership Minority Leader Minority Whip
Elected by the minority party
Responsible for the vision and goals of the minority party in the House.
Current Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Minority Whip
Second in command in the minority party.
Responsible for whipping votes
Current Minority Whip: Steny Hoyer (D-MD)

10. Committees Members of Congress serve on committees
These committees are where legislation is written and debated
They are essential to the process of passing laws
The committees deal with many different kinds of issues
Agriculture
Foreign Affairs
Appropriations
Ethics
There are 21 committees in the House