CongressChapter 10

Congress makes laws Bicameral – made up of two houses, the

House of Representatives and the Senate Gives fair representation to both large and

small states

The National Government

Terms of Congress – length of time official serve

Begins on Jan 3 of every odd-numbered year and last for two years

Term

Congress’s Meeting period – one session each year

Therefore, each term has two sessions Congress adjourns its session when it

finishes its business for the year Today, Congress meets almost year-round

with several recesses

Session

435 members elected every two years Congress apportions, or distributes, the

House seats among the states according to their population

Reapportioned every 10 years with the census

Numbers for each state may change

Sec 2 – The House of Representatives

After reapportionment, new state congressional district line are drawn

Gerrymandering, drawing districts in a way that is advantageous to the state legislature’s controlling party is illegal

Allows the voters of each congressional district to choose one representative from a pool of candidates associated with that district

Single-member districts

25 years old Citizen of the US for 7 years Live in the state that he or she wishes to

represent Elected for a 2-year term and may be

elected an unlimited number of time Elections held in November of even-

numbered years Off-year election – one which is held

between presidential elections

Qualification for representative

Has 100 members Called the “Upper House”

Sec 3 – The Senate

More strict and serve longer 30 years old Citizen for 9 years Serve 6 year terms Staggered by 1/3 Represent large size and geographic

diversity of constituencies Have more power and prestige More likely to be seen as national political

leaders

Qualifications

White, upper-middle class, and male More women and more minorities in recent

years Most have political experience

Sec 4 – The Members of Congress

Trustees –consider each bill’s merits, regardless of the views of constituents

Delegates - base their votes on the wishes of the “folks back home,” their constituents.

Partisans - vote in line with their political party.

Politicos - consider all of these factors when they vote.

Voting roles

As members, screen proposed bills and decide which should be acted on

Exercise the oversight function - checking that the executive branch is working effectively and in line with the policies that Congress has set.

Committees

Help those they represent solve problems with the National Government

Servants of their constituents

Act as legislators Representatives of their constituents Committee members Servants of their constituents politicians

5 Key duties

Salary Franking privileges – sending mail postage-

free

Benefits