1. The House of Representatives
Chapter 5, Section 2

2. Quote: “No man is good enough to govern any other man, without that other man’s consent.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

3. Name Date April 24, 2012 The House of Representatives
Define 3 Key Terms (Pg. 137) 1) 2) 3)

4. I. Rules for Lawmaking
A. Each house of Congress has rules to conduct business. (Ex. House members are limited to speaking for 5 min. or less when it is their turn to try to pass laws quickly.)
B. Most of the work in Congress is done by committee.
C. Committees help make Congress work more efficiently.

5. I. Rules for Lawmaking
D. Committees are especially important for the House of Representatives because it has 435 members.
E. There are 24 committees in the House. Committees also let members specialize in areas important to their voters.

6. I. Rules for Law Making
F. Committees are organized by the political party with the majority of members.
Party heads organize the committees, appoint committee heads, and control the flow of legislation.
Question: Who is the current leader of the House of Representatives? Which party currently has the majority of members? In House? In Senate?

7. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
First female Speaker of the House
A Democrat
From California’s 8th District in San Francisco
Closest woman in line to the Presidency
                           

8. II. House Leadership
The Speaker of the House is leader of the majority party.
Chosen by a caucus (closed meeting) of majority party
Speaker decides who speaks when
Speaker appoints members to committees

9. Question (pg. 135-136) As a Class:
What is another term for a proposed law? About how many proposed laws ever go to the full House for a vote?
Answer:
A “bill.” Only 10-20% of bills are voted on.

10. II. House Leadership
B. Party Floor Leaders are chosen for both parties
House Majority Leader (currently a Democrat)
House Minority Leader (currently a Republican)
Floor leaders steer bills through committees
C. Assistants to the Party Floor Leaders called “whips” assist Leaders in persuading congressional members to support the laws their party favors.

11. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer
A Democrat from Maryland’s 5th District

12. House Minority Leader John Boehmer
A Republican from Ohio’s 8th District

13. What’s on the House floor?
Click on the site:
See Committees (left side)
See “find a bill” (Thomas)
Search for “schip” (children’s insurance)

14. Homework Questions: Page 135 (Comparing Governments)
Culture and history play large roles in how legislatures are formed around the world? In what two categories is the United Kingdom unique among the countries shown above?
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