The U.S. Congress

1
The U.S. Congress

• House of Representatives
• And the Senate
• Chapter 10

2
Bicameralism

• A legislature made up of two houses
• Settled the conflict between the Virginia and New
  Jersey plans
• A reflection of federalism
• Equal representation in the Senate
• Representation bases on population in the House

3
The Congress

• Each term lasts for two years
• Congress begins at noon on Jan. 3 in every
  odd-numbered year
• We are currently in the 112th Congress
• The president can call a special session of
  Congress
• 26 special session have been called

4
Congressional Elections

• Election day is held on the Tuesday following
  the 1st Monday in November in each even-numbered
  year
• Off-year elections
• Those congressional elections that take place in
  non-presidential years between presidential
  elections
• Fairly consistently the party in power loses
  seats in off year elections.

5
Congressional Districts

• Single-Member Districts
• The voters in each district elects one of the
  States representatives from those candidates
  running for a seat in the House.
• At Large Elections
• The state chooses the Representatives from the
  state as a whole

6
Major Differences Between the House and the
Senate
House Senate
Larger 435 Smaller 100
2 year term 6 year term
25 years of age 30 years of age
Less prestige More prestige
Less visibility More visibility
Filibuster
7
Make Up of the Current Congress
We are currently in the 112th Congress
(2011-2013) House of Representatives 435 Members
192 Democrats,241 Republicans, 0 Independents, 2
vacancies Senate 100 Members 51 Democrats
(1), 47 Republicans, 1 Independent, 1Independent
Democrat
8
Party Leadership

• Each house selects leaders by majority votethe
  real selection is made ahead of time by the party
  leaders
• Congressional Leaders
• Speaker of the Housealways a member of the
  majority party
• President of the SenateVice President (has
  little authority) so
• President Pro Temporea leading, senior member of
  the majority party is selected to preside

9
Congressional Leaders

• Majority Leaderthe legislative leader of the
  party holding the majority of seats in the House
  or Senate
• Minority Leaderthe legislative leader and
  spokesperson of the party holding the minority of
  seats in the House or Senate
• Whipa senator or representative who works with
  the party leaders to communicate views, solicit
  support before votes are taken, and keep track of
  how voting is likely to go

10
Committee System

• Congress organizes its legislative work through a
  series of committees
• Designed to lessen the work
• More than 11,000 bills are presented by members
  of Congress during each 1 year session.
• Dozens of committees work simultaneously on
  different bills and each committee divides work
  further into subcommittees.

11
Types of Bills and Resolutions

• Bills
• Not often written by Congresspersons
• Joint resolutions
• Unusual or temporary measures
• Constitutional amendments
• Concurrent Resolutions
• Jointly between the House and Senate
• Not sent to the President
• Resolutions
• Rule of procedure or amendment to rule
• Not sent to the President
• Rider
• Addition to a bill

12
The 4 Voting Options

• Trustee
• individual beliefs and values your conscience
• Delegate
• you represent the people back home

• Partisan
• political party supports
• Politico
• combination of reasons

13
President Acts on Legislation

• 1. Sign the bill and it becomes law
• 2. President may veto a bill refuse to sign
• Congress may pass with 2/3 vote in both houses
• 3. The President allows the bill to become law
  with out signing it or by not acting on it within
  10 days
• 4. Pocket veto if congress adjourns its session
  within 10 days of submitting a bill to the
  President and the President does not act, the
  bill dies
• Trustee
• Each issue decided on merit using their
  conscience and independent judgment call them
  as they see them
• Delegate
• The vote based on the needs of the folks back
  home
• Partisan
• Their 1st allegiance to their political party.
  Vote in line with the party platform.
• Politicos
• Combine the other 3 roles and balance the
  conflicting factors

14

• 435 Members
• Total number per state based on population
• Changes after each census-apportioned
• 7 states with only one Representative
• Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North and South
  Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming
• U.S. Territories
• Wash D.C., Guam , The Virgin Islands and Samoa
  elect a delegate to represent
• Puerto Rico has a resident commissioner to
  represent
• None can vote on legislation

15
The Senate and House of Representatives

• 1/3 of the Senate members have previously served
  in the House of Representatives
• None of the members of the House have ever served
  in the Senate

16

• Two Senators per state
• Originally selected from the state legislatures
• 17th amendment- 1913 gives the power to the
  people to elect
• 1/3 elected every 2 years to stagger experience

17
Characteristics of Congresspersons

• The average member is a white male in his
  mid-50s.
• More minorities than ever before
• Women 14 in the Senate and 68 in the House
  13.8
• African Americans- 42 in the House 0 in Senate
• Hispanics 24 in the House
• 3 Pacific Islanders 1 Senate and 2 House
• 2 Asian Americans in the House
• 1 Native American in the Senate
• 3 out gays and lesbians 3 in the House

18
Characteristics of the Congresspersons

• Nearly all are married few have divorced
• They average 2 children
• Religion 60 Protestant, 30 Catholic, 6
  Jewish
• Lawyers 33 House and over 50 in the Senate
• Others from business, banking, education,
  agriculture, journalism and public service.
• Highly educated

19
Duties of the Job

• 1. Legislators who make the laws
• 2. Committee Members
• Screen bills and make recommendations
• Oversight function of governmental agencies
• 3. Representatives of their Constituents-
• Those who elect them
• 4. Servants of their Constituents
• 5. Politicians
• Much time spent fundraising for future elections

20
Congressional MembersIllinois

• Senate
• Dick Durbin (D)
• Mark Kirk ( R )
• House of Representatives
• Joe Walsh (R) 8th District

21
Perks of the Job

• High salary
• 158,000
• Speaker of the House - 192,600
• Tax deductions for second home
• Travel allowances
• Low cost and high quality health care
• Generous Pension based on years served
• Offices and staff in their home state and in
  Washington D.C.
• Free printing, postage and distribution
• Free Parking
• Restaurants, health clubs and haircuts
• Privileged from arrest going to, during or
  leaving work
• Legislative immunity when working

22
Gerrymandering

• The districts have been drawn to the advantage of
  the political party that controls the state
  legislature.
• Wesberry v. Sanders, 1964
• The Supreme Court held that the population
  differences among Georgias congressional
  districts were so great as to violate the
  Constitution
• One person, one vote decision
• Gives additional power to the cities and suburbs
  based on representation in Congress

23
(No Transcript)
24
Dont Mess with Texas
25
Gerrymandering
26
(No Transcript)