6.1 Organization of 6.1 Organization of CongressCongress

A Bicameral LegislatureA Bicameral Legislature

• The Great Compromise established Congress as a The Great Compromise established Congress as a two-part or two-part or bicameralbicameral body body

A Bicameral LegislatureA Bicameral Legislature

• In the Upper House (Senate) each state would In the Upper House (Senate) each state would have an equal number of representatives- two, in have an equal number of representatives- two, in the lower house (House of Representatives) each the lower house (House of Representatives) each statestate’’s s populationpopulation would determine representation would determine representation

A Bicameral LegislatureA Bicameral Legislature• The legislative branch is described in The legislative branch is described in Article IArticle I of of

the Constitution and our Congress includes the Constitution and our Congress includes 535535 members members

Terms of CongressTerms of Congress•Each term of Each term of

Congress lasts Congress lasts 22 years and starts years and starts on on January 3rdJanuary 3rd of of odd-numbered odd-numbered years, each years, each ““newnew”” Congress is given Congress is given a number to a number to identify its two-identify its two-year termyear term

Terms of CongressTerms of Congress

• Each term is divided into two sessions; Congress Each term is divided into two sessions; Congress may meet during special sessions or in times of may meet during special sessions or in times of crisis, a crisis, a jointjoint session occurs when the House and session occurs when the House and Senate meet togetherSenate meet together

In 2008 a joint session of Congress counted electoral votes.

The House of The House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

• The House of Representatives has The House of Representatives has 435435 voting members allotted according to voting members allotted according to population, the Constitution guarantees population, the Constitution guarantees each state at least one representativeeach state at least one representative

The House of The House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

• After each 10-year After each 10-year censuscensus Congress Congress adjusts the number given to each state, adjusts the number given to each state, they serve they serve 22 year terms and focus on the year terms and focus on the concerns of their districtsconcerns of their districts

The House of The House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

•State State legislatures draw legislatures draw boundaries so boundaries so districts include districts include roughly the roughly the same number of same number of constituentsconstituents, or , or people people representedrepresented

The House of The House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

• Sometimes states Sometimes states abuse this abuse this process by process by gerrymanderinggerrymandering, , a a gerrymandergerrymander is an oddly is an oddly shaped district shaped district designated to designated to increase the increase the voting strength of voting strength of a particular group a particular group

The SenateThe Senate

•The Senate has The Senate has 100100 members, members, 2 from each of 2 from each of the 50 states; the 50 states; each senator each senator represents the represents the entire state, entire state, they serve they serve 66 year termsyear terms

The SenateThe Senate

• Elections are staggered so no more than Elections are staggered so no more than one-thirdone-third are up for reelection at any one time; this ensures are up for reelection at any one time; this ensures a certain amount of stability and continuity a certain amount of stability and continuity

In 2008 Kay Hagen (D) was elected Senator; in 2010 Richard Burr (R) is up for re-election

Leaders in CongressLeaders in Congress

• In the House and Senate the political party to In the House and Senate the political party to which more than half the members belong is which more than half the members belong is known as the known as the majoritymajority party the other party is party the other party is called the called the minorityminority party party

Leaders in CongressLeaders in Congress

• The leader of the House The leader of the House of Representatives is of Representatives is known as the known as the Speaker Speaker of the Houseof the House, the , the Speaker steers Speaker steers legislation through the legislation through the House and leads floor House and leads floor debates; if anything debates; if anything happens to the happens to the President and VP the President and VP the Speaker is next in line Speaker is next in line to become to become PresidentPresident

John Boehner (R) from Ohio

Speaker after 2010 midterm elections

Leaders in CongressLeaders in Congress• The The Vice PresidentVice President presides in the Senate presides in the Senate

but only votes to break a tie; the but only votes to break a tie; the President President Pro TemporePro Tempore acts as chairperson for the acts as chairperson for the SenateSenate

VP Joe Biden- President of the

Senate

Senator Daniel Inouye- Hawaii President Pro

Tempore

Leaders in CongressLeaders in Congress• Other powerful leaders are the majority Other powerful leaders are the majority

and minority floor leaders in each house, and minority floor leaders in each house, they speak for their parties on issues; they speak for their parties on issues; Party Party WhipsWhips help the floor leaders, they make help the floor leaders, they make sure legislators are present for key votes sure legislators are present for key votes

House Minority Whip

Steny Hoyer- MD

House Majority Whip

Kevin McCarthy- CA

Committee WorkCommittee Work

• Each house must Each house must consider thousands of consider thousands of billsbills, or proposed laws, , or proposed laws, in the course of a in the course of a session; to make it session; to make it possible to handle so possible to handle so many bills each house many bills each house developed a system of developed a system of committeescommittees

• Congress has three Congress has three types of committees: types of committees: standingstanding committeescommittees, , select committees, and select committees, and joint committeesjoint committees

Committee WorkCommittee Work

• Standing CommitteesStanding Committees= are = are permanentpermanent committees committees

• Select CommitteesSelect Committees are temporary are temporary committees that deal with special committees that deal with special issues, they meet for a limited time issues, they meet for a limited time until they complete their assigned taskuntil they complete their assigned task

• Joint CommitteesJoint Committees include members of include members of both houses, they meet to consider both houses, they meet to consider specific issues specific issues

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:USCongressCommitteeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:USCongressCommittees

Committee Committee AssignmentsAssignments

• Party leaders make committee Party leaders make committee assignments, they consider membersassignments, they consider members’’ preferences, expertise, and loyalty to the preferences, expertise, and loyalty to the party; another key factor is party; another key factor is seniorityseniority or or years of serviceyears of service

• The longest-serving committee member The longest-serving committee member from the majority party traditionally from the majority party traditionally becomes becomes chairpersonchairperson; they decide when ; they decide when and if a committee meets, what bills are and if a committee meets, what bills are studied, and who will serve on which studied, and who will serve on which subcommittee subcommittee

Representative Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts

Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming