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

10. 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

11. Congressional Leadership

12. 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

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.
John Boehner
R - Ohio

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

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

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
Jack Kingston, Sanford Bishop, Lynn Westmoreland, Hank Johnson, John Lewis, Tom Price
Rob Woodall, Austin Scott, Doug Collins, Paul Broun, Phil Gingrey, John Barrow, David Scott, Tom Graves

18. 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.

19. 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 Patrick Leahy
D – Vermont

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

21. 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.

22. Georgia’s Representation
Senator
Johnny Isakson
Senator
Saxby Chambliss
AND

23. Congressional Rules and Benefits

24. 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.”

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. Congressional Powers

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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)

33. Tidbits about the Capitol
Site chosen in 1791; British burned in 1814
300 feet to top of statue; Freedom statue on top is 19 feet 6 inches
sits on 3.5 acres; 168 acres around it designated to capitol
diameter of rotunda 95'; can stand on one side and hear whisper on other side
original rule was that nothing could be higher than freedom statue; exception was made for Washington monument

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