1. Government Institutions: Legislative Branch

2. Congressional Structure

3. Congress Senate House 100 members 435 members 2 per state
6 year term
Serve the constituents of their STATES
House
435 members
Representatives based on population
2 year term
Serve the constituents of their DISTRICTS

4. House of Representatives
Must be 25 years of age (when seated, not when elected).
Must have been a citizen of the United States for 7 years.
Must be an inhabitant of the state from which elected. (NOTE: custom, but not the Constitution, requires that a representative live in the district that he or she represents.)
Serve a two year term.

5. Senate Must be 30 years of age (when seated, not when elected).
Must have been a citizen of the United States for 9 years.
Must be an inhabitant of the state from which elected.
Serve a six year term; 1/3 up for re-election at a time

6. Determining Representatives in the House
Census Every 10 years to determine population
Reapportionment – Congress divides the 435 House seats between states based on population
Redistricting - state legislature draws the new district lines
Gerrymandering - drawing district lines based on some characteristic other than just population

7. Original Gerrymander

8. Non-gerrymandered district

11. Terms and Sessions Congressional Term for 2 yrs
Session- 2 sessions Jan 3rd – Dec., Jan - July 31st
Work day: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
Working time: Noon to 5 – 6 o’clock.
Recess = temporary break
Special Session= Outside of regular hours
Joint Session= Both House and Senate
“State of the Union” Called by president

12. Congressional Leadership

13. Leadership in the House of Representatives
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
Selected by the majority party
Job: Presiding Officer of the House
Power: Decides which committee a bill goes to.
Paul Ryan
R – Wisconsin

14. Leadership in the House of Representatives
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
Selected by the majority party
Majority Leader Leads the Republican party Job: Support legislation for party and get it passed
Minority Leader Leads the Democratic party Job: Leads Opposition to control the majority party
Kevin McCarthy
R – California
Nancy Pelosi
D – California

15. Leadership in the House of Representatives
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
Selected by the majority party
Majority Leader
Minority Leader
Majority Whip Job:Assists the leader, rounds up votes, heads large group of deputy and assistant whips.
Minority Whip Job: Assists the leader, rounds up votes, heads large group of deputy and assistant whips.
Steny Hoyer
D - Maryland
Steve Scalise
R – Louisiana

16. Georgia’s Representation
Georgia currently has 14 congressional districts.
McEachern’s current congressional district is the 13th represented by:
Congressman
David Scott

17. Georgia Delegation 114th
Buddy Carter, Sanford Bishop, Lynn Westmoreland, Hank Johnson, John Lewis, Tom Price
Rob Woodall, Austin Scott, Doug Collins, Jody Hice, Barry Loudermilk, Rick Allen, David Scott, Tom Graves

18. Leadership in the United States Senate

19. Leadership in the United States Senate
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
The Vice President of the United States
Vice President
Joseph Biden
Job: President of the Senate
Power: Breaks tie in legislation. Otherwise does not vote.

20. Leadership in the United States Senate
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
The Vice President of the United States
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE
Selected by majority party. Usually most senior member of the Senate majority party
Job: Presides over the Senate when the Vice President is absent.
Senator Orrin Hatch
R – Utah

21. Leadership in the United States Senate
Majority Leader Leads the Democratic party Job: Guides legislation
Minority Leader Leads the Republican party Job: Leads Opposition
Mitch McConnell
R - Kentucky
Harry Reid
D - Nevada

22. Georgia’s Representation
Senator
Johnny Isakson
Senator
David Perdue
AND

26. House of Representatives
Congress
Senate
Upper House
House of Representatives
Lower House
President of Senate
VP of USA
Speaker of House
Majority Leader
President Pro Tempore
Senior Ranking Member Of the Majority Party
House Majority
Floor Leader
House Minority
Leader
Senate Majority
Leader
Senate Minority
Leader
House Majority
Whip
House Minority
Whip
Senate Majority
Whip
Senate Minority
Whip
100 Senators
2 from each State
435 Representatives
Elected by Population

27. Other House & Senate Positions
Clerk of House does administrative duties.
Parliamentarian keeps rule on debate.
Chaplain prays before debate.
Sergeant at Arms keep order.
Official Reporters writes every single word in meeting.
Post Master sees that everything is distributed.

28. Congressional Rules and Benefits

29. Congressional Expectations
Loyalty to chamber – don’t talk about them
Civility to each other – Polite, courteous
Seniority – the most senior members get more choice of assignments
Specialization - become an expert in an area
Reciprocity (aka logrolling)-support for each others bill. “I’ll help pass your transportation bill now if you help pass my health care bill when it comes to the floor.”

30. Congressional Representation
Delegate – follows the advice and instruction of constituents
Trustee - assume the people put you in, so now you vote your conscience
Politico - uses whichever will help politically; become a delegate on pork barrel issues and a trustee on all others

31. Compensation and Benefits
Salaries - $174,000 per year
Senate Leadership Majority Party Leader - $193,400 Minority Party Leader - $193,400
House Leadership Speaker of the House - $223,500 Majority Leader - $193,400 Minority Leader - $193,400

32. Compensation and Benefits
Offices – home state & DC
Expense Accounts
Stationary and Postage (Franking privilege)
Pension Plan and Retirement Income
Incumbency – advantage of already holding office – helps in re-election

33. Congressional Powers

34. Congressional Powers
Enumerated listed in Article I Section 8; most important
Implied necessary and proper/elastic clause
do what necessary to carry out enumerated
allows for today's laws
Denied ex post facto
bill of attainder
suspend writ of habeas corpus
grant titles of nobility

35. Delegated/Enumerated/Expressed Powers are: Specifically Granted in Constitution
Legislative Powers
1. Provide common defense
2. Make citizenship rules
3. Run military (armed services)
4. Declare War
5. Supervise Washington DC
6. Raise Money (taxes)
7. Regulate Trade
8. Spend Money (pay bills, fund programs)
9. Coin money (and set value)
10. Run Post Office & Roads
11. Issue Copyrights & Patents
12. Establish Federal Courts
13. Set number of justices on Supreme Court

36. Non-legislative Powers
1. Advice and Consent
(Senate approve treaties & appointments)
2. Impeachment Charges (House)
3. Convict & Remove Impeached Officials (Senate)
4. Admit new states
5. Amend the Constitution
6. Count Electoral Votes
(Senate Counts; House votes if not 270 vote)
7. Serve as “watchdog” over government

37. Prohibited Powers - Limits on Congress writ of habeas corpus
Can’t put you in jail without telling you charges
bills of attainder
Can’t pass law that punishes group without trial
ex post facto laws
Can’t pass a retroactive law charging you for something that was legal when you did it
Implied Powers are:
Laws needed to help carry out the enumerated powers (Necessary & Proper/Elastic Clause)

38. Capitol Tidbits Site chosen in 1791; British burned in 1814
300 feet to top of statue
Freedom Statue is 19’ 6”
Capitol sits on 3.5 acres; 168 acres around it are designated to the capitol
Diameter of Rotunda is 95’ (whisper heard across the room)
Original rule was that nothing could be higher than Freedom Statue; exception made for Washington monument

43. Capitol Building Architecture 360 Tour of Capitol Capitol Grounds Learning Modules

44. How a Bill Becomes a Law
How a
Bill Becomes
a Law.

45. A Bill is a proposed law
The Sponsor is the person who proposes the bill
Types of Bills
Public Bills-applies to general public
Private Bills –concern individuals

46. How a Bill Becomes a Law Sub Committee Standing Committee Rules
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
House
Floor
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Senate
Floor
Sub Committee

47. A Bill Can Start in Either the House or Senate
House of
Representatives
Senate

48. Senate - a motion from the floor
A Bill Can Start in Either the House or Senate
Introducing a Bill
Senate - a motion from the floor
House - placed in a box called the Hopper

49. Assign Bills to Committees
Each bill is sent to a standing (permanent) committee by either the:
Speaker of the House
Majority Leader of the Senate (with help of the Steering Committee)

50. Types of Committees Standing Committees (Permanent)
Specialized committee: bills fall under their jurisdiction
Select Committees
Temporary committees set up for investigative purposes
Joint Committees
Made up of members of both houses of Congress

51. Standing
Committee
House of
Representatives

52. Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
House of
Representatives

53. Standing Committee
research the bill to see if it will work
hear testimony from the public, interest group lobbyists and experts in the field
look for loopholes (ways people can get around the new law)

54. Committee Choices
Pigeon hole - Set aside to discuss later (usually kills the bill because it never gets discussed later)
Clean bill – Get rid of bill and write a new one to replace it
“Mark Up” - Make changes to the bill in committee or subcommittee
Report bill favorably to floor (Pass the bill as it is)
Report bill unfavorably to floor (so the committee isn’t
responsible for killing it by pigeonhole…This is done if the law is controversial and known by general public)

55. Saving a Bill from Committee
When any bill has been in a “House Committee” for more than 30 days, a representative can ask the Bypass Committee to use a Discharge Petition (which requires a majority vote) to send the bill to the House floor.

56. Calendars
Once passed by committee the bill is put on a calendar. Each bill must be voted on in the order it is placed on the calendar.
House Revenue ($$) bills
Union All other public bills
Private Private Bills
Consent No discussion needed, just a vote

57. Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate

58. The HOUSE Rules Committee
(VERY POWERFUL)
Places all House bills on the calendar
Set rules for debate (length of total debate
and individual speaker time)
Set rules for amendments
Open Rule – no limit on # of changes
Closed Rule – no changes allowed
Modified Rule – limited # of changes
Committee of the Whole can be used to
continue debate (requires 100 reps to be in
chamber) but all actions must be approved
by the entire House.

59. Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate

60. House Debate Rules
Only one bill at a time can be debated
Debate must be germane (related to topic)
Debate time is limited
Senate Debate Rules
2 or 3 bills can be debated at a time
Debate does not have to be germane
Debate time is NOT limited
Filibusters - unlimited speaking on any issue
Cloture
Motion by 16 senators PRIOR TO a filibuster
3/5 vote of Senate will limit debate to 1 hour

61. Floor Action on Bills
Pass the bill as written
Table the bill on floor while voting for it.
Send bill back to the committee for further study
Amending the Bill
Senate Only: Riders (non-germane amendments) are allowed

62. Voting in Congress Voice vote: “All in favor”, “All opposed”.
Standing vote: Stand up when vote is called.
Roll call vote: names called & you tell your vote. Mandatory method for overriding President’s veto.
Electronic Vote

63. Senate
Standing
Committee

64. Senate
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

65. Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

66. Bill Passes Both Houses
If bill passes in exact same version from both
Bill goes directly to President
If it is passed in two versions
conference committee is formed
conference must reach agreement
the revised bill is voted on in both chambers
majority vote in each House will pass bill to
the President

67. Majority vote in each house
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Standing
Committee
Majority vote in each house
for passage.
Sub Committee

68. up the Conference Committee.
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Members from both
Senate and House make
up the Conference Committee.
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

69. The bill must be passed on each floor with no changes.
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
The bill must be
passed on each
floor with no
changes.
Conference
Committee
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

70. Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Sub Committee

71. If the President signs the bill
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
If the President signs the bill
then it becomes law.
Sub Committee

72. Bill Becomes a Law When the President signs it, the bill becomes law
If the president does not sign in 10 days and
--Congress is still in session, bill becomes law
--Congress has adjourned, pocket veto occurs
If the President vetoes the bill it can still be passed with a 2/3 vote in both the House and Senate.
If the 2/3 of House & 2/3 of Senate override the veto, the bill becomes law

73. If the President vetoes the bill then it goes back to both houses.
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
House
Floor
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Senate
Floor
If the President vetoes the bill
then it goes back to both houses.
Sub Committee

74. This time the bill must be passed by 2/3 of majority to override.
Sub Committee
Standing
Committee
Rules
Committee
House
Floor
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
House
Floor
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Senate
Floor
This time the bill must be passed
by 2/3 of majority to override.
Sub Committee

75. How a Bill Becomes a Law Subcommittee House Floor Standing Committee
Rules
Committee
House of
Representatives
House Floor
Debate
Conference
Committee
President
Law
Senate
Senate Floor
Debate
House
Floor
Senate
Floor
Standing
Committee
Senate
Floor
Subcommittee

76. Interest Groups in Politics

77. What is an Interest Group?
A group of people who hold common views and who work together to influence what the government does about those things they have in common.

78. Goal: Lobbying for the Cause
Lobbyists work for the interest group to get elected officials to pass policies that will be good for their group
Provide public opinion information
Provide data and statistics to support the cause
Find experts to testify in favor of laws

79. Goal: Help get people elected that will support the cause
Form Political Action Committees (PACs)
A part of the interest group that uses money from interest groups membership fees and donations to educate lawmakers and to support political candidates that support their groups' policy choices
Most money goes to incumbents (those in office and running for re-election)

80. Types of Interest Groups
Economic
establish standards, better working conditions
Determined by the way people earn a living
Business & professional, labor, agricultural
NAM (National Association of Manufacturers)
American Bankers Association
AFL-CIO
General Motors
AMA (American Medical Association)
ABA (American Bar Association)
NEA (National Education Association)

81. Types of Interest Groups
Social Action
Membership is determined by birth
Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Age
Single Issue
Focus on one policy area
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
NRA (National Rifle Association)
NOW
National Organization of Women
NAACP
National Association for Advancement of Colored Persons
National Council of Senior Citizens

82. Types of Interest Groups
Public Interest
Environment, Voter Registration, Consumer Protection, Historic preservation
Sierra Club
Common Cause
Religious
support or oppose laws morally
U.S. Catholic Conference
Christian Coalition