1. Presentation Pro © 2001 by Prentice Hall, Inc. Magruder’s American Government C H A P T E R 10 Congress

2. 123 Go To Section: 4 Congress C H A P T E R 10 Congress SECTION 1 The National Legislature SECTION 2 The House of Representatives SECTION 3 The Senate SECTION 4 The Members of Congress Chapter 10 2222 3333 4444 1111

3. 123 Go To Section: 4 Chapter 10 Section 1 The National Legislature S E C T I O N 1 The National Legislature Why does the Constitution divide power between the two houses of Congress? What is a term of Congress? How have sessions of Congress changed over time? 2222 3333 4444

4. 123 Go To Section: 4 The Constitution creates a bicameral legislature for three reasons: Two Houses of Congress Historical: The British Parliament consisted of two houses since the 1300s, and many colonial assemblies were similar in form. Practical: A bicameral legislature was necessary to compromise the Virginia and New Jersey plans of representation. Theoretical: The Framers favored a bicameral Congress in order that one house might act as a check on the other. The framers saw bicameralism as a way to diffuse the power of Congress and so to prevent it from overwhelming the other two branches Chapter 10, Section 1 2222 3333 4444

5. 123 Go To Section: 4Terms A term is the length of time that officials serve after an election, as in a two- or six-year term. Chapter 10, Section 1 2222 3333 4444 The date for the start of each new term has been set by the Twentieth Amendment (1933) as “noon of the 3d day of January” of every odd-numbered year.

6. 123 Go To Section: 4 Term of congress In 1790’s the fourth month gap- between elections in November and the start of a new term in March alllowed for delays in communicating election results around the country. It also allowed for legislators to arrange their affairs to travel to Washington. However the March starting date restricted the amount of work Congress could accomplish, and by the 1930’s communication was no longer a problem. The new starting date is the 3rd day of January of every odd numbered year.

7. 123 Go To Section: 4 Sessions of Congress Chapter 10, Section 1 A session is the regular period of time during which Congress conducts business. 2222 3333 4444 Congress adjourns, or suspends until the next session, each regular session as it sees fit. If necessary, the President has the power to prorogue, or adjourn, a session, but only when the two houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment. Only the President may call Congress into a special session—a meeting to deal with some emergency situation.Pres Truman called one to talk about anti-inflation and welfare measures in the aftermath of WWII. The Pres. Can call either of the two houses- Senate has been called 46 times sometimes to deal with treaties or Presidential appointments. The house has never been called alone.

8. 123 Go To Section: 4 Terms and sessions Congress meets for two session the first meeting. Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3rd day of January, unless another day is appointed. the second meeting usually begins a few days or even two of three weeks later after the third of Janurary. Congress Adjourns or suspends until the next session as it sees fit. Before World War II Congress usually met for four or five months. Today Congress usually stays in session for most of the year. Congress will recess for short periods Neither House may adjourn without the permission of the other house.Article II section 3. The President has the power of Prorogue- to end Congress only when the two house cannot agree.

9. 123 Go To Section: 4 Comparative Government: Legislative Bodies Chapter 10, Section 1 2222 3333 4444

10. 123 Go To Section: 4 Section 1 Review 1. The practical reason behind establishing a bicameral legislature was (a) the necessity to find compromise between the New Jersey and Virginia plans. (b) the need to mimic existing British institutions. (c) a desire to break from all tradition. (d) requirements set by the British monarchy. 2. Special sessions of Congress (a) are called by the President to deal with some emergency situation. (b) are called whenever a senator filibusters. (c) are never called. (d) are used to handle the everyday business of Congress. Chapter 10, Section 1 Want to connect to the Magruder’s link for this section? Click Here!Click Here! 2222 3333 4444

11. 123 Go To Section: 4 The House of Representatives S E C T I O N 2 The House of Representatives What are the size and terms of the House of Representatives? How are House seats reapportioned among the States after each census? How can we describe a typical congressional election and congressional district? What are the formal and informal qualifications for serving in the House? Chapter 10, Section 2 3333 4444 1111

12. 123 Go To Section: 4 Chapter 10, Section 2 3333 4444 1111 Size and Terms The exact size of the House of Representatives, currently at 435 members, is determined by Congress. The Constitution provides that the total number of seats in the House shall be apportioned (distributed) among the States on the basis of their respective populations. Members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms. Although there have been recent movements to limit terms, there are no limits set on the number of terms a representative may serve.

13. 123 Go To Section: 4Reapportionment Article I of the Constitution directs Congress to reapportion—redistribute—the seats in the House after each decennial census. Chapter 10, Section 2 3333 4444 1111 As the United States grew in population, the number of representatives in the House also grew. The Reapportionment Act of 1929 set the “permanent” size of the House at 435 members, and provided for “automatic reapportionment.”

14. 123 Go To Section: 4 Current Apportionment Chapter 10, Section 2 3333 4444 1111

15. 123 Go To Section: 4 Congressional Elections Congressional elections are held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year. Off-year elections are those congressional elections held between presidential elections. Chapter 10, Section 2 3333 4444 1111

16. 123 Go To Section: 4 Districts and Gerrymandering Under the single- member district arrangement, the voter’s in each district elect one of the State’s representatives. The general-ticket system, no longer in use, provided that all of a State’s seats were filled at-large. Chapter 10, Section 2 3333 4444 1111

17. 123 Go To Section: 4 Governor and Representatives Gov. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R) Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) 1st. Rep. Jack Kingston (R) 2nd Rep. Sanford Bishop (D) 3rd Rep. Jim Marshall (D) 4th Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D) 5th Rep. John Lewis (D) 6th Rep. Tom Price (R) Republicans are indicated by (R), Democrats by (D). 7th Rep. John Linder (R) 8th Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R) 9th Rep. Charles Norwood (R) Sonny Perdue (R) 10th Rep. Nathan Deal (R) 11th Rep. Phil Gingrey (R) 12th Rep. John Barrow (D) 13th Rep. David Scott (D )

18. 123 Go To Section: 4Gerrymandering The 1842 law made each state legislature responsible for drawing any congressional districts within its own state. It also required that each congressional district be made up of the “ contiguous territory” meaning that it must be one piece. In 1872 Congress added the command that the district within each state have ‘ an nearly as practicable an equal number of inhabitants. In 1901 it further directed that all districts be of compact territory in other words, a comparatively small area. Districts that have unusual shapes or even defy description have sometimes been gerrymandered. Gerrymandering refers to the act of drawing congressional districts to the advantage of the political party that controls the State legislature

19. 123 Go To Section: 4Gerrymandering Most often gerrrymandering takes one of two forms: 1) to concentrate the opppositions voters in one or a few districts, thus leaving the other districts comfortably safe for the dominant party. 2) to spread the oppposition as thinly as possible among the several districts, limiting the opposition’s ability too win anywhere in the region. Districts almost certain to be won by the party in control of the line- drawing process Supreme Court Case Wesberry v. Sanders 1964

20. 123 Go To Section: 4 Qualifications for House Members Chapter 10, Section 2 3333 4444 1111 The Constitution says that a member of the House (1) must be at least 25 years of age, (2) must have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and (3) must have been an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected. The realities of politics also require some informal qualifications, such as party identification, name familiarity, gender, ethnic characteristics, and political experience.

21. 123 Go To Section: 4 Informal qualification Party idenfication, name familiarity, gender, ethnic characteristics, political experience, married, middle-aged, and working either in law or business.

22. 123 Go To Section: 4 Section 2 Review 1. Members of the House of Representatives are elected for (a) two-year terms. (b) six-year terms. (c) four-year terms. (d) five-year terms. 2. The Constitution requires a member of Congress to be (a) an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected. (b) a property-owning male. (c) a natural-born citizen. (d) at least 40 years of age. Chapter 10, Section 2 Want to connect to the Magruder’s link for this section? Click Here!Click Here! 3333 4444 1111

23. 123 Go To Section: 4 Chapter 10, Section 3 The Senate S E C T I O N 3 The Senate How does the size of the Senate differ from the size of the House? How have States elected senators in the past and present? How and why does a senator’s term differ from a representative’s term? What are the qualifications for serving in the Senate? 2222 4444 1111

24. 123 Go To Section: 4 Chapter 10, Section 3 2222 4444 1111 Size, Election, and Terms The Constitution says that the Senate “shall be composed of two Senators from each State.” Today’s Senate consists of 100 Senators. Originally, the Constitution provided that senators were chosen by the State legislatures. In 1912 the Seventeenth Amendment was passed and called for the popular election of senators. Senators serve for six-year terms. The Senate is a continuous body, meaning that all of its seats are never up for election at the same time.

25. 123 Go To Section: 4 The Senate the Framers hoped that the smaller Senate would be a more enlightened and responsible body than the house. Many of them thought that the house would be too often swayed by the immediate impact of events and by the passions of the moment. That is why the Senate qualifications were a cut above the House. Members of the Senate represent entire states. They represent a more diverse population and a broader range of interest than do representatives from the state. Look at the diversity of the state of Georgia.

26. 123 Go To Section: 4Election Orginally the Senate was elected by the State Legislature Since the 17 th amendment Senators have been elected by the voters. Only one Senator is elected from a state at a time. The Senate by the late 1800’s was called the “ Millionaires Club” due to Senator being elected by State legislatures and they choose popular and the rich elite. http://www.thatliberalmedia.com/archives/004622.html http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/06/13/senators.finances/

27. 123 Go To Section: 4Term Senators serve 6year, three times longer than Representatives. Unlimited number of terms Strom Thurmond served 50 years Senators terms are staggered third expire every two years. Makes senators less subject to public pressure and les susceptible to special interest groups The Senators are to be more concerned with the big picture of their state instead of specific interest. Senators are better able to capture national media attention. The Senate has emerged as a prime source of contenders for the Presidential nomination in both political parties.

28. 123 Go To Section: 4 Chapter 10, Section 3 2222 4444 1111 5555 Qualifications for Senators The requirements for the U.S. Senate are higher than for the House of Representatives. The Constitution says that a Senator (1) must be at least 30 years of age, (2) must have been a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and (3) must be an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected.

29. 123 Go To Section: 4Qualifications The Senate also judges qualifications of its members, and may exclude a member by majority vote. The Senate may also punish its members for disorderly behavior. With a 2/3 vote a member may be expelled. 15 members have been expelled 1 in 1797 and 14 during the Civil War. William Blout in 1797 led two native American tribes supported by British warships in attack on Spainish Florida and Louisiana Most recentally Senator Bob Packwood due to sexual harassment and other personal misconduct Senator David Durenberger’s was found quilty on several counts of financial misconduct

30. 123 Go To Section: 4 Bob Packwood

31. 123 Go To Section: 4 Senator William Blout

32. 123 Go To Section: 4 Senator David Durenberger’s

33. 123 Go To Section: 4 Section 3 Review 1. Senators are elected for (a) two-year terms. (b) eight-year terms. (c) four-year terms. (d) six-year terms. 2. The Senate is a continuous body, meaning that (a) Senators must continually reside in Washington, D.C. (b) all of its seats are always up for election every six years. (c) it never adjourns. (d) all of its seats are never up for election at one time. Chapter 10, Section 3 Want to connect to the Magruder’s link for this section? Click Here!Click Here! 2222 4444 1111

34. 123 Go To Section: 4 The Members of Congress S E C T I O N 4 The Members of Congress What are the personal and political backgrounds of the current members of Congress? What are the duties of the job of serving in Congress? How are members of Congress compensated, and what privileges do they have? Chapter 10, Section 4 2222 3333 1111

35. 123 Go To Section: 4 Profile of the 107th Congress Chapter 10, Section 4 2222 3333 1111

36. 123 Go To Section: 4 Representatives of the People Chapter 10, Section 4 2222 3333 1111 Senators and representatives are elected to represent people. As legislators, they have four voting options:

37. 123 Go To Section: 4 Committee Membership and Public Servants As committee members, senators and representatives screen proposed laws before they are voted on. Another vital part of their committee work involves the oversight function. Oversight is the the process by which Congress, through its committees, checks to see that the agencies of the executive branch are working effectively. Chapter 10, Section 4 2222 3333 1111 Members of the House and the Senate also act as servants of their constituents. Requests from voters vary widely, and members of Congress take heed to many of them. Ignoring their constituencies would not bode well in the next election.

38. 123 Go To Section: 4Compensation Today, senators and representatives are paid a salary of $141,300 a year. Certain members, such as the Speaker of the House and the Senate’s president pro tem, are paid more. The franking privilege allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free by substituting their facsimile signature (frank) for the postage. The Constitution says that Congress fixes its own “compensation.” Therefore, the only real limits to congressional pay are the President’s veto and fear of voter backlash against a pay increase. Chapter 10, Section 4 2222 3333 1111

39. 123 Go To Section: 4 Membership Privileges Members of Congress are immune from arrest for noncriminal offenses while engaged in congressional business. Chapter 10, Section 4 2222 3333 1111 More importantly, the Speech and Debate Clause (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1) protects representatives and senators from suits for libel or slander arising from their official conduct.

40. 123 Go To Section: 4 Section 4 Review 1. Which of the following is a major role of members of Congress? (a) law enforcement (b) servant of their constituents (c) serving in the military (d) researching court cases 2. The franking privilege allows members of Congress to (a) purchase as many hot dogs as necessary while in office. (b) mail letters and other materials postage-free. (c) vote on legislation. (d) receive a pension upon retirement from Congress. Chapter 10, Section 4 Want to connect to the Magruder’s link for this section? Click Here!Click Here! 2222 3333 1111