1. Congress
Government
Chapter 6

2. How Congress is Organized
Section 1

3. Key Terms Bicameral: Legislature consisting of two parts, or houses
Census: A population count
Constituent: A person from a legislator’s district
Gerrymander: An oddly shaped district designed to increase the voting strength of a particular group
Majority Party: In both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the political party to which more than half the members belong

4. Key Terms cont.
Minority Party: In both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the political party to which fewer than half the members belong
Standing Committee: Permanent committees that continue their work from session to session in congress
Seniority: Years of service, which is used as a consideration for assigning committee members

5. Terms of Congress 535 members of Congress
Congress is the “First Branch of Govt.”
Terms of Congress start on Jan. 3rd of odd numbered years
Lasts two years
“New” Congress given a number
1789 1st Congress
th Congress

6. Terms of Congress cont. Terms divided into two sessions
Last from Jan. to Nov/Dec
May meet in times of crisis
Called special sessions
Joint Sessions: House and Senate meet together

7. A Bicameral Legislature
Congress is bicameral
Great Compromise

8. The House of Representatives
Larger body of Congress
435 voting members
Each state has at least 1 seat
Depends on population
Congress adjusts number of reps. Given to each states after census

9. The House of Representatives cont.
States divided into one or more congressional districts
Rep. Elected from each district
State legislatures draw boundaries
Districts include roughly same amount of constituents
Gerrymandering happens at times (illegal)

10. The House of Representatives cont.
Reps. Serve two-year terms
Focus on concerns within district

11. The Senate 100 Members Senators represent entire state 6 year terms
2 from each state
Senators represent entire state
6 year terms

12. Congressional Leaders
House and the Senate:
Majority Party
Minority Party
Beginning of each term:
Members in each house choose leaders
Speaker of the House:
Chosen by majority party
Most powerful leader in House of Reps.
Steers legislation through House
In charge of floor debates

13. Congressional Leaders cont.
Speaker:
Next in line after President and V.P.
Senate does not have a leader with comparable power

14. Congressional Leaders cont.
Real leaders of Senate and House of Reps:
Floor Leaders
Majority and Minority
Speak for their parties
Ensure laws passed by Congress ar e in best interest of political party
Push bills along
Try to sway votes

15. Types of Committees Each house has committees Standing Committees:
Senate has 16
House has 19
Education
Veterans Affairs
Commerce
Etc…

16. Types of Committees cont.
Select committees:
Do special jobs for limited periods
1976: House formed the Select Committee on Assassination to investigate the deaths of President Kennedy and M.L.K.
Disbanded when work finished

17. Types of Committees cont.
Joint Committees:
Members from both houses

18. Types of Committees cont.
Conference Committee:
Helps the House and Senate agree on details of a proposed law

19. Committee Assignments
Senators and Reps. First go to Congress they want to be assigned to committees that affect people who elected them:
Farm areas = agriculture committee
Factories = labor committees

20. Committee Assignments cont.
Leaders of Political parties make committee assignments
Members preferences, expertise, loyalty, and seniority are factors

21. Committee Assignments cont.
Longest serving committee member from majority party becomes chairperson
Chairperson of Standing Committees most powerful members of Congress

22. Homework Chapter 6 Section 1 Worksheets Chapter 6 Section 1 Questions
Pg. 144
Question 1-6
Answer thoroughly