1. CONGRESS (Legislative Branch)

3. I. Who is Congress 1Congress was established by the Constitution (Article I) 2Congress is to be BICAMERAL 2 bodies Upper House (Senate) Lower House (House of Representatives)

4. 3Congress Meets for two years “Sessions” –Legislators are in office for two years and then are up for reelection. 4Congress Meets for the first time of the year on Jan. 3 rd (off odd year) at noon. 5The Main Purpose of Congress is to TRANSLATE the will of the people into public policy or law!!!

6. 2. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE 1Know as the “People’s house” OR “house of commons”

7. 3. Guidelines for the House 1 Each state shall be represented by a proportional number of Reps based on its’ population (Compared with the other 49 states) “Distribution” 2 There are 435 members (Each represents approx. 650,000 citizens/”Constituents”) 3 2 year term ! (No limit) Federal level NO “Term Limits” as per constitution (federal)

8. 4Reapportionment: (redistribution) After every census, every ten years 5Gerrymandering: Redrawing congressional “districts” within each state… {Note: Calif. Prop. 11, 2008} (Note: Any 650,000 people can make a district! )

9. 4. WHO CAN RUN FOR THE HOUSE 1Qualifications 25 years old or older Citizen of the United States for seven years + Live in the state you are representing John Boehner, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, FORMER “Speaker of the House”

10. Mike Thompson, California 5 th District Committee Assignments 1) House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 2) House Committee on Ways and Means $ 3) Health Subcommittee 4) Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Human Analysis and Counterintelligence Subcommittee: Chairman

12. 5. GUIDELINES FOR THE SENATE 1 Each State shall have TWO Senators 2 Term: Six year term with N NN NO limits (federal) 3 Elections is “at-large” Thus, entire state votes for Senators

13. 6.WHO CAN RUN FOR THE SENATE 1Qualifications: Thirty years of age + Citizen of the United States for Nine years + Inhabitant of State representing Senator Dianne Feinstein, California. 1. United States Senate Committee on Rules and AdministrationUnited States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration 2. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary 3. United States Senate Committee on Appropriationsed States Senate Committee on Appropriations 4. Select Committee on Intelligence CHAIRPERSON

14. Senator Barbara Boxer, California U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public WorksU.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (Chairwoman) U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation U.S. Senate Select Committee on EthicsU.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics (Chairwoman) U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Note: Being a senator has more prestige, proportionately more power, higher Media visibility. Note: “Incumbency”, rate of re-election.

15. President of the Senate Joe Biden, Vice President of United States

16. 7. COMPENSATION $$$$$ 1Both House receive~165,000 per annum (2006) 2Speaker of the House~212,000 3President ~ 400K

17. 8. PERKS OF THE JOB 1Round Trip Air-faire between Washington and hometown ( 1st class ) 2Tax deductions to maintain two home 3FREE medical and subsidized life insurance

18. 4 Generous pension plan well beyond Social Security 5 Two offices or more 6 Staff at taxpayers expense 7 Gym, saunas, restaurants, all within capital

19. 8. Demographics of Congress (2011) HOUSE : White 358 African- American 41 Hispanic 28 Asian 7 Male 357 Female 78 Average Age 56 SENATE : –White 95 –African-American 0 –Hispanic 3 –Asian 2 –Male 83 –Female 17 – Average Age 60

20. 9. POWERS OF CONGRESS 1 -The Committees: (The real power in C ongress) 2 -Membership is divided evenly in proportion to their parties numbers in Congress.

21. 1 - STANDING : permanent in each house National security, health care, Education and others….. 2- SELECT: Each house may create a special committee to investigate a national problem/crisis. Watergate, organized crime, JFK assassination. Limited time and budget

22. 5 3- JOINT : Drawn from both houses to research issues that are general to entire government –Atomic energy, taxation, the Library of Congress and so on………. – 4- CONFERENCE : Members of both houses appointed to IRON OUT difference in Bill passing from both houses. Bill must be identical then pass both house. A lot of dealing goes on here.

23. 10. HOW POLITICIANS MAKE THEIR DECISIONS 1TRUSTEE: Base their decisions on Conscience and Judgment regardless of views held by constituents 2INSTRUCTED DELeGATE: Agents of those who elected them. They ignore all others!!! Vote how the folks back home would like them to

24. 3 PARTISAN: 1 st allegiance is to their political party. {They rarely acknowledge this fact} They tow the party line [ie. Partisanship] 4 POLITICO: Attempt to combine all Three.. Try to balance these often conflicting factors.

25. End.