Ch. 6 : Congress the Legislative Branch. Review What was the Constitutional Convention? What was the...

Ch. 6 : Congress the Ch. 6 : Congress the Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

ReviewReview

What was the Constitutional What was the Constitutional Convention?Convention?

What were the first two plans What were the first two plans discussed at the Convention?discussed at the Convention?

What plan did they settle with?What plan did they settle with? What does the term bicameral What does the term bicameral

mean?mean? What article of the Constitution deals What article of the Constitution deals

with Congress?with Congress?

Congress Congress Consists of a Consists of a bicameralbicameral ( Two House ( Two House Legislature)Legislature)

How Congress is Organized?How Congress is Organized?

bicameral legislature – 2 house bicameral legislature – 2 house Congress – 535 membersCongress – 535 members Each term of Congress lasts 2 years – Each term of Congress lasts 2 years –

starts in Jan. of odd # years – 110 is from starts in Jan. of odd # years – 110 is from 2007-092007-09– What is the number of the present day What is the number of the present day

Congress?Congress? Houses meet separately Houses meet separately Joint Session – when both houses meet Joint Session – when both houses meet

togethertogether

House of RepresentativesHouse of RepresentativesHas Has 435435 voting members voting members

2.Representation is adjusted for each state 2.Representation is adjusted for each state every 10 years when the every 10 years when the censuscensus ( population ( population

count ) is takencount ) is taken3.States are divided into 3.States are divided into congressional congressional

districtsdistricts ( areas ) with a roughly equal number ( areas ) with a roughly equal number of constituents ( people )of constituents ( people )

4. voting district designed to favor one 4. voting district designed to favor one political party over another is called a political party over another is called a

gerrymandergerrymander5.Each representative serves a 5.Each representative serves a 22 year term year term

Closest to the peopleClosest to the people

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives serves 2 yearsserves 2 years

1,2,3,41,2,3,4

Census counts the population every 10 yearsCensus counts the population every 10 years

B. SenateB. SenateHas Has 100100 members members

Every state has Every state has 22 members regardless members regardless of populationof population

Members serve Members serve 66 year terms year terms

Senate serves 6 yearsSenate serves 6 years

II. Congressional Leaders ( 140 )II. Congressional Leaders ( 140 )Majority PartyMajority Party - Political party that has more - Political party that has more

members in the House or Senatemembers in the House or SenateMinority PartyMinority Party - Political party that has less - Political party that has less

members in the House or Senatemembers in the House or SenateSpeaker of the HouseSpeaker of the House - Leader of the House of - Leader of the House of

RepresentativesRepresentatives

President Pro TemporePresident Pro Tempore - Leader of the Senate - Leader of the Senate when the Vice-president is not present ( 141 )when the Vice-president is not present ( 141 )

“Whips”“Whips” - help the floor leaders of their - help the floor leaders of their parties keep track of legislation and get their parties keep track of legislation and get their

party members to vote as the party wants party members to vote as the party wants them to vote ( 142 )them to vote ( 142 )

Kay HaganKay Hagan

Member of the Member of the Democratic Party. Democratic Party. Before her election, she Before her election, she was a five-term member was a five-term member of the North Carolina of the North Carolina Senate.Senate.

She is the second She is the second female senator from the female senator from the state of North Carolina, state of North Carolina, and the first female and the first female Democrat to represent Democrat to represent the state in the Senate. the state in the Senate.

Richard BurrRichard Burr

The senior United The senior United States Senator from States Senator from North Carolina. A North Carolina. A Republican, Burr Republican, Burr represented North represented North Carolina's 5th Carolina's 5th congressional district in congressional district in the United States House the United States House of Representatives for of Representatives for five terms, and was five terms, and was elected to represent elected to represent North Carolina as a U.S. North Carolina as a U.S. Senator in the 2004 Senator in the 2004 electionelection. .

III. CommitteesIII. CommitteesGroups of representatives who work on Groups of representatives who work on

proposed laws called billsproposed laws called billsStandingStanding committees are permanent committees are permanent

committees ( 143 )committees ( 143 )SelectSelect Conference committees are temporary Conference committees are temporary

for a specific purposefor a specific purposeJointJoint committees have members from both committees have members from both

house of Congresshouse of Congress

ConferenceConference committees work on the details of committees work on the details of a proposed law to make it agreeable to both a proposed law to make it agreeable to both

the House and Senatethe House and SenateThe most prestigious committee positions The most prestigious committee positions

generally go to representatives with generally go to representatives with SenioritySeniority ( most years of ( most years of

service ) ( 144 ) service ) ( 144 )

IV. Legislative Powers ( 146 )IV. Legislative Powers ( 146 )ExpressedExpressed powers are specifically given to powers are specifically given to

Congress by the Constitution Congress by the Constitution ImpliedImplied powers are not specifically given to powers are not specifically given to Congress but can be justified by the elastic Congress but can be justified by the elastic clause to stretch its powers to carry out a clause to stretch its powers to carry out a

power given by the Constitutionpower given by the Constitution

Taxing and SpendingTaxing and SpendingMoney related bills must originate in the Money related bills must originate in the

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives (147 ) (147 )AuthorizationAuthorization bills create a project and set a bills create a project and set a

budget for itbudget for itAppropriationAppropriation bills authorize the money to bills authorize the money to

pay for itpay for itRegulating Regulating commercecommerce ( economic activities ) ( economic activities )

Foreign Relations and TreatiesForeign Relations and TreatiesOnly Congress can declare Only Congress can declare warwar against against

another nationanother nationThe The SenateSenate must approve treaties with other must approve treaties with other

nationsnations

V. Nonlegislative Powers – not related to V. Nonlegislative Powers – not related to making lawsmaking laws

The The SenateSenate must approve the president’s must approve the president’s picks for high ranking government officials picks for high ranking government officials

and judges The House of Representatives has and judges The House of Representatives has the power to the power to impeachimpeach officials for misconduct. officials for misconduct. The Senate then holds a trial and the official The Senate then holds a trial and the official is removed from office if convicted by a 2/3 is removed from office if convicted by a 2/3

vote.vote.Congressional committees oversee Congressional committees oversee

government activitiesgovernment activities

VI. Limits on Power ( 150 )VI. Limits on Power ( 150 )A. May not violate the freedoms granted by A. May not violate the freedoms granted by

the Bill of the Bill of Rights and other amendments Rights and other amendments

B. Cannot suspend B. Cannot suspend writ of habeus corpuswrit of habeus corpus which requires which requires

evidence for the police to hold a suspect evidence for the police to hold a suspect

C. Cannot pass C. Cannot pass bills of attainder bills of attainder which are which are laws to laws to

punish someone without a jury trial punish someone without a jury trialD. Cannot pass D. Cannot pass ex-post factoex-post facto laws that make laws that make

an act a crime after it has already been an act a crime after it has already been committedcommitted

VII. Requirements and Benefits of Congress VII. Requirements and Benefits of Congress ( 151 )( 151 )

You must live in the state you represent and You must live in the state you represent and be be

a. a. 2525 years old to run for the House of years old to run for the House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

b. b. 3030 years old to run for the Senate years old to run for the Senatec. A citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 (House) / c. A citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 (House) /

9 years for the Senate.9 years for the Senate.

House 25 Senate 30House 25 Senate 30

Members of Congress receive a salary and Members of Congress receive a salary and expenses such expenses such

as the as the franking privilegefranking privilege which covers job- which covers job-related related

postage. ( 152 ) postage. ( 152 )

They have staff members to assist them. They have staff members to assist them. Many deal Many deal

with with caseworkcasework ( 154 ) which involves ( 154 ) which involves responding to the responding to the

concerns and problems of the people concerns and problems of the people ((constituentsconstituents ) ( 139) the legislator ) ( 139) the legislator

represents. represents. Legislators also try to get government money Legislators also try to get government money

spent in spent in their states and home districts. These their states and home districts. These

projects are called projects are called pork-barrelpork-barrel projects ( 155 ) projects ( 155 )

Benefits for members of Benefits for members of CongressCongress

- Salary: $165,000 a yearSalary: $165,000 a year- Professional staff and office in Washington and Professional staff and office in Washington and

home districthome district- Health care- health club- special restaurantsHealth care- health club- special restaurants- Special subway systemSpecial subway system- Free transportation homeFree transportation home- Franking privilege-Franking privilege- ability to send job related mail ability to send job related mail

for freefor free- ImmunityImmunity- protection from prosecution for what - protection from prosecution for what

they say or do in certain situations.they say or do in certain situations.

LobbyistsLobbyistsOften hired by Often hired by special interest special interest

groupsgroups – people who share similar – people who share similar beliefs who come together to fight beliefs who come together to fight for what they believe in. Lobbyists for what they believe in. Lobbyists work by trying to influence the work by trying to influence the votes of members of Congress.votes of members of Congress.

Congressional StaffCongressional Staff

Congressmen have lots of staff to help Congressmen have lots of staff to help carry out their jobscarry out their jobs– deal w/requests from votersdeal w/requests from voters– deal w/lobbyists – people hired by private deal w/lobbyists – people hired by private

groups to influence decision makersgroups to influence decision makers– help w/reelectionhelp w/reelection– agencies help Congressmenagencies help Congressmen

Library of CongressLibrary of Congress General Accounting Office – investigates financial General Accounting Office – investigates financial

issuesissues Congressional Budget OfficeCongressional Budget Office