1. Congress

2. Big Picture: Representative Democracy

3. Congress Congress = the Legislative Branch What does Congress do?

4. Congress

5. What does Congress do? “Translate the public will into public policy in the form of law.”

6. Congress What does Congress do? Congress decides what the (federal) government will do.

7. Congress What does Congress look like? How is structured and organized?

8. Congress U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate Bicameral Legislature

9. Congress U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate 246 Republicans – 188 Democrats54 Reps – 44 Dems – 2 Inds

10. Congress

17. Indiana’s Congressional Delegation

18. Congress Indiana’s Congressional Delegation

19. Congress Indiana’s Congressional Delegation

20. Congress Indiana’s Congressional Delegation Senior Senator Dan Coats Junior Senator Joe Donnelly

21. Congress “Term” Term of Congress (2 years) 2012 2011201020092008 2007 20062005 2004 2003 2002 20011790 1789 112th 111th110th109th108th 107th1st Session

22. Congress “Term” Term of Congress (2 years) Term of a member of the House (2 years) 2012 2011201020092008 2007 20062005 2004 2003 2002 20011790 1789 112th 111th110th109th108th 107th1st 435 65

23. Congress “Term” Term of a member of the Senate (6 years) 2012 2011201020092008 2007 20062005 2004 2003 2002 20011790 1789 112th 111th110th109th108th 107th1st 435 65 33 34

24. Congress “Term” Term of a President (4 years) 2012 2011201020092008 2007 20062005 2004 2003 2002 20011790 1789 112th 111th110th109th108th 107th1st 435 65 33 34 ObamaBush

25. Congress “Term” 2012 2011201020092008 2007 20062005 2004 2003 2002 20011790 1789 112th 111th110th109th108th 107th1st 435 65 33 34 ObamaBush Election

26. Congress “Term” 2012 2011201020092008 2007 20062005 2004 2003 2002 20011790 1789 112th 111th110th109th108th 107th1st 435 65 33 34 ObamaBush “Off-year” Election

27. Congress “Term” 2012 2011201020092008 2007 20062005 2004 2003 2002 20011790 1789 112th 111th110th109th108th 107th1st 435 65 33 34 ObamaBush Election

28. Congress I.Basics A.Bicameral 1.Historical (parliament, colonial legislatures) 2.Practical (Connecticut Compromise) 3.Each house has own “character” 4.Part of system of checks and balances

29. Congress I.Basics B.House apportionment 1.1 st Congress: 65 members a.1:37,000 2.Census every ten years 3.House membership grew to 435 in 1910 4.1920 – no reapportionment 5.Reapportionment Act of 1929 a.Fixes house membership at 435 6.Ratio now 1:713,000

30. Congress