Congress – The National Legislature•Congress translate public will into public policy – law. Congress has all legislative power.•Bicameral Legislature

Historical – British Parliament; well knownPractical – Represented proportionally (House) and equally (Senate)Theoretical – Checks & Balances

PresidentialCandidate

Vice PresidentialCandidate

PoliticalParty Popular Vote Electoral Vote

Barack H. Obama (Red) Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Democratic 65,918,507 51.01% 332 61.7%

Willard Mitt Romney (Blue) Paul Ryan Republican 60,934,407 47.15% 206 38.3%

Gary Johnson James P. Gray Libertarian 1,275,923 0.99% 0 0%

Jill Stein Cheri Honkala Green 469,015 0.36% 0 0%

Other 637,706 0.49% 0 0%

Percentage of members from each party by state, ranging from dark blue (most Democratic) to dark red (most Republican).

House of Representatives – 114th Congress

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUCnb5_HZc0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYL28mO8lNI

114th CongressRepublicans – 244Democrats – 188Total – 4323 VacanciesGrimm (R), NY resigned 1/5/15Nunnelee (R), MS died 2/6/15Schock (R), IL resigned 3/31/15

Party membership of the Senate, by state 2 Democrats 2 Republicans 1 Democrat and 1 Republican 1 Independent and 1 Democrat 1 Independent and 1 Republican

114th CongressRepublicans – 54Democrats – 44Independents - 2

Congress – The National LegislatureTerms & Sessions - •Lasts for 2 years and is numbered consecutively.•20th Amendment – 3rd day of January.•2 sessions for every term; 1 session each year.•Congress can adjourn each session as it sees fit. Both houses recess several short times per session.•Neither house can adjourn(sine die) without the consent of the other. •The President can adjourn a session when Congress cannot agree on a date (Prorogue).•Special Session – called by the President only; deals with an emergency situations; President can call either house.

Congress – The House of RepresentativesQualifications – •25 years of age, citizen for at least 7 years, inhabitant of the State from which you are elected.•House may or may not refuse to seat a member.•May punish (majority) or expel (2/3rd) its members.•Other informal qualifications such as political party, ethnicity, gender, name familiarity, or experience may play a role in an election.

Congress – The House of Representatives•435 Members – set by Congress – distributed among the States based on population. Each State is guaranteed 1 Representative.•Territories send 1 delegate and Puerto Rico sends a commissioner; not full-fledged members.•Elected every two years; two year terms; no term limits.•Reapportionment – redistribute seats after each decennial (10 years) census.•Reapportionment Act of 1929 – 435 members, Census Bureau determines number of seats, President sends it to Congress, Congress has 60 days to respond.

Congress – The House of RepresentativesCongressional Elections – •Date – Tuesday following the 1st Monday in November of each even-numbered year.•The elections that are held between presidential elections are called Off-Year Elections (Midterm).•The party in power usually loses seats.Congressional Districts – •435 separate districts across the country; used to be done using an at-large process. Today, we use a single-member district plan and States are responsible for drawing district lines.

Congress – The House of RepresentativesGerrymandering – •Drawing a district to the advantage of the political party that controls the State’s legislature. Achieved by Packing, Cracking, or Kidnapping.1. Concentrate the opponents voter’s2. Spread them too thinly3. Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) – “one person one

vote”4. Done on the basis of race violates 15th

Amendmenthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcUDBgYodIE

New York's 17th congressional districtRepresentative: Eliot L. Engel (D)[

Counties:Bronx County (part)Westchester County (part)Rockland County (part)

New York's 18th congressional districtRepresentative: Nita M. Lowey (D)Counties:Rockland County (part)Westchester County (part)

New York's 19th congressional districtRepresentative: John Hall (D)Counties:Dutchess County (part)Orange County (part)Putnam CountyRockland County (part)Westchester County (part)

New York's 17th congressional districtRepresentative: Nita Lowey (D)

Congress – The SenateQualifications – • 30 years of age, citizen for at least nine

years, inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected.

• Senate judges the qualifications of each member and can refuse to seat a member (majority vote) or punish (majority vote) or expel (2/3rds vote).

Congress – The SenateSize – • Two Senators from each State (100 total).• “Upper House” – more respected and sought

after position.• Each Senator represent the entire State.Election – • Originally chosen by State Legislatures (changed

with the 17th Amendment 1913).• Only one Senator can be elected in any election

unless in the case of death, resignation, or expulsion.

Congress – The SenateTerm – • Six year terms, no limit on terms.• Terms are Staggered, only 1/3rd of the Senate

comes up for reelection every two years (continuous body).

• Senators are to focus on the “big picture issues” instead of the interests of a specific group or demographic.

• Prime source of Presidential candidates, more media attention, more clout, more prestige.

Class A – 1/3rd of Senate

33 Senators

Elected 2008

Next Election 2014

Class B – 1/3rd of Senate

33 Senators

Elected 2010

Next Election 2016

Class C – 1/3rd

of Senate

34 Senators

Elected 2012

Next Election 2018

Staggering of the United States Senate

The Members of Congress Background – • Average member is white male, mid 50s, either

all married or divorced, 2 children on average, 60% religious affiliation, over a third in the House and over half in the Senate are lawyers, most were born in the State they represent, most have extensive experience.

• Not a typical cross section of the nation’s population.

• Composition has changed over the years (women and minorities).

The Members of Congress Job Description – 1. Legislators2. Representatives of their Constituents

a. Trustees – use of conscience and independent judgment to make decisions; decisions are based on merit.

b. Delegates – voting that is done based on what he or she believes their constituents want; do not pay attention to their own beliefs or those of special interest groups or colleagues.

c. Partisans – voting in line with their political party.d. Politicos – combine and balance the above roles.

The Members of Congress Job Description – 3. Committee Members –

a. Proposed laws are referred to committees to be screened.

b. Committees decide which proposals are to be considered by the House and/or Senate.

c. Oversight – checks and regulates the agencies of the Executive Branch.

4. Servants – a. Assist constituents with various local problems

such as passports, loans, contracts, appointments.

The Members of Congress Compensation – • $174,000 per year; some higher ranking members

are paid more (Senate and House majority/minority leaders-$193,400, Speaker of the House-$223,500).

• Fringe Benefits – special tax deduction, travel allowances, generous life and health insurance policies, generous retirement plan, office space allowances, operating costs, franking privilege (postage-free mailing), free printing, low cost supplies, restaurant choices, pools, gym, free parking, and the services of the Library of Congress.

The Members of Congress The Politics of Pay – • Congressional pay can be limited by the President’s

veto or the fear of voter backlash.• 27th Amendment

Membership Privileges – • Exempt from arrest for any civil offenses while

engaged in congressional business.• Legislative immunity – protection from suits involving

“free speech” during official business.• Not designed to give members unlimited freedom of

speech whether verbal or written (no slander or libel).