1. Congressional Organization
2.2

2. The House of Representatives
Size and apportionment
Constitution does not set the size
Constitution does say that the house will be apportioned (divided) between the states based on population
Constitution guarantees that each state will have at lease 1 representative regardless of size
Currently 7 states have one seat in the House

3. House of Representatives
Reapportionment
Constitution directions Congress to reapportion (divide) House seats after a census is taken at 10 year intervals
Redistricting is the reallocation of the number of representatives each state has
Reapportionment Act of 1929 se the permanent size of the house at 435 members
Each seat represents approx. 700,000 people
As a states representatives increase so does its influence

4. House of Representatives
Districts
Not defined or discussed in the Constitution
Districting is the drawing of state legislatures of congressional districts for those states with more than one representative
1842 Congress stipulated that all seats would be filled from single member districts
1842 assigned state legislatures the responsibility of drawing the boundary lines

5. House of Representatives
Gerrymandering
The legislative process by which the majority party in each state legislature redraws congressional districts to ensure the maximum number of seats for its candidates (drawing congressional districts to favor one political party or group)

6. House of Representatives
Consequences of Gerrymandering
Protects incumbents and discourages challengers
Strengthens the majority party while weakening the opposition party
Increases or decreases minority representation

7. SCOTUS limitations on Congressional Redistricting
Because rural areas dominated many state legislatures, congressional districts often favored less-populous area
Baker v. Carr
One person one vote, districts had to be as equal in population as possible
Shaw v. Reno
One person one vote, triggered wide spread redistricting, balancing representation between urban and rural areas.

8. Baker v. Carr Shaw v. Reno Source of one person one vote
Charles W. Baker and other Tennessee citizens alleged that a 1901 law designed to apportion the seats for the state's General Assembly was virtually ignored. Baker's suit detailed how Tennessee's reapportionment efforts ignored significant economic growth and population shifts within the state.
Did the Supreme Court have jurisdiction over questions of legislative apportionment?
the Court held that there were no “political questions” to be answered in this case and that legislative apportionment was a justiciable issue.
Shaw v. Reno
Redistricting must be conscious of race and abide by the voting rights act of 1964
Did the North Carolina residents' claim, that the State created a racially gerrymandered district, raise a valid constitutional issue under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause?
Yes. The Court held that although North Carolina's reapportionment plan was racially neutral on its face, the resulting district shape was bizarre enough to suggest that it constituted an effort to separate voters into different districts based on race.
Remanded to lower court to reexamine in light of the ruling to determine if the state had a compelling reason. (good enough)

9. SCOTUS Limitations cont.
Districts must be equally populated
Must be compact, lines must be contiguous or connected
Connect dilute minority voting strength
Lines cannot be drawn based solely on race
Race can be one of a variety of factors that are considered
SCOTUS decisions have not eliminated gerrymandering for partisan political purposes
Current SCOTUS case examining the decision

10. Pork and Logrolling Pork barrel legislation:
the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters or legislators and win votes.
Logrolling:
the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other's proposed legislation

11. Realignment elections and divided government
Realignment election: when control of one branch of government changes party
Divided government: president is from one party and the congress another, all or part

12. Consequences of a Divided Government
Partisan votes against initiatives
Congressional refusal to confirm appointments of a lame duck president
others

13. How Congress is Organized

14. Organization
2 houses meet for terms of 2 years beginning on January 3 of odd numbered years each term is divided into 2 one-year sessions
The president may call special sessions in cases of national emergency
Each house chooses its own leadership and determines it own rules

15. The Role of Political Parties
Play a key role in the organization
Majority party is the party in each house with the most votes
The minority party is the party with the 2nd most votes

16. Advantages of the majority party
Holds committee chairs
Choose the Speaker of the House
Assigns bills to committees
Holds the majority on each committee
Controls the House Rules Committee
Sets the legislative agenda

17. Organization of the House
Much larger than senate
More formal structure
Stricter rules
Debate is much more restricted in the House than the senate
House Rules Committee:
Sets the rules for debate

18. Organization of the House
Speaker of the House
Presides over the House of Representatives
Most powerful member of the House
Oversees House business (assigning bills to committee, controlling floor debate, appointing party members to committees)
Elected by members of his/her party within the House, from the majority party
Stands second in line for presidential succession after the VP

19. House of Representatives
Other House Leaders
Majority leader serves as the major assistant to the Speaker, helps to plan the party’s legislative program, and directs floor debates
The minority leader is the major spokesman for the minority party and organizes opposition to the majority party
Both parties have elected whips that maintain close contact with their members and try to ensure party unity on important votes
Whips help floor leaders by directing party members in voting, informing members of impending voting, keeping track of vote counts, and pressuring members to vote with the party

20. Organization of the Senate
Is smaller and less formally organized that the House
Vice President
Constitution makes the VP the president of the Senate
May vote only to break a tie

21. Organization of the Senate
Filibuster talking a bill to death Cloture: vote of 60 senators to end a filibuster

22. Other Senate Leaders President Pro Tempore Majority Leader
Presides over the Senate in the absence of the VP.
A member of the majority party with the longest service is the Senate, ceremonial lacks real power
Majority Leader
Elected leader of the party that controls the senate, the true leader of the Senate
Minority Leader
Elected leader of the party with the 2nd number of members in the Senate
Whips serve the same role as whips in the house

23. The Committee System
Both the House and the Senate are divided into committees
Committees play a dominant role in congressional policymaking (they do most of the work)
Particularly important in the House
% of each committee’s membership reflects the overall percentage of each party in the House/Senate
Members try to serve on committees where they can influence public policy relating to their district/state or influence important national public policy

24. Standing Committees
Permanent subject-matter congressional committees that continue from one Congress to the next. Handle legislation, and oversee the bureaucracy
Focus on legislation in a particular area
Foreign relations, agriculture, energy and natural resources etc.
Bills are referred to standing committees where they can be amended, passed or killed
Foster the development of expertise by their members
Divided into subcommittees where the details of legislation are worked out

25. Other types of Committees
Select committees
Special panels formed for a special purpose an for a limited time. Usually formed to conduct and investigation into a matter of current concern
Joint committees
Include members from both houses. Focus public attention on a major issue. Similar in function to select committees.

26. Other types of Committees
Conference Committee
Temporary
Formed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill
Compromise committee
Members are appointed by the party leadershi8p and are drawn from the house and Senate committees that originally considered the bill

27. House Rule Committee Controlled by the Speaker of the House
Sets the guidelines for floor debate
Assigns a rule that places the bill on the legislative calendar.
Limits time for debate
Determines the types of amendments that will be allowed.
Close rule: sets strict time limits and forbids amendments from the floor
Open rule: less strict time limits on debate, allows amendments from the floor

28. House Committee on Ways and Means
Handles the tax bills
Has jurisdiction on all taxation tariffs and other revenue-raising measures
Members cannot serve on other House committees

29. Committee Chairs and the Seniority System
Chair exercise great power and prestige
Set agendas, call meetings, schedule hearings, hire staff, manage floor debate, recommend majority members to sit on conference committees and select all subcommittee chairs
Often receive favors from lobbyists and contribution from PACs

30. Committee Chairs and the Seniority System
Seniority is the unwritten rule in both houses reserving committee chairs to members of the committee with the longest record or membership
Historically committee chairs were chosen by a seniority system
Chairs in both House and Senate are now elected positions (chosen by party caucus)
Seniority is still the norm for selecting the chair in both chambers

31. Other Congressional Organizations
Caucuses (aka coalitions) are informal groups formed by members of Congress who share a common purpose or set of goals
Congressional Black Caucus, Women’s Caucus, Democratic or Republican Caucus
Congressional staff and support
Personal staff works directly for members of congress in DC and their state office
Committee staff works for committees and sub committees in Congress, researching problems and analyzing information
Support agencies provide services to members of Congress
Library of Congress
Government Printing Office