ANALYZE THE POLITICAL CARTOON

CONGRESS
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
What is this branch?
 The Legislative Branch is Congress
 Congress has 2 parts, or houses:
Senate
House of Representatives
What do you do?
 Enact Legislation (Propose and Deny Bills
- future laws)
 Declare War
 Confirm and Reject Presidential
Appointments
 Investigate!!
 What wars have been declared? Name 5

 1) War of 1812
 2) Spanish American War
 3) Mexican American War
 4) WWI
 5) WWII
How is Congress viewed?
Goal:
 How is congress the most
representative branch of government?
Bicameral Legislature
 Bicameral: Made up of two
houses/parts, in the case of the United
States, the Senate and the House of
Representatives.
Membership of the House
 435 members in total
Constitution does not set the total number of
House members.
 Qualifications
25 Years Old
Citizen of the United States for at least 7
years.
Legal resident of the state that elects them.
○ Traditionally, representatives also live in the
district they represent
Membership of the House
 Term of Office
Elected for two-year terms.
○ This means that every two years, all 435
members of the House must run for
reelection.
○ More then 90 percent of all representatives
are reelected.
Incumbent – Politician who is currently
holding office or a post. Often referred to this
when they run for reelection.
Roles in the House
 Speaker of the House: presiding officer
of the House and its most powerful
leader.
Recognize members during proceedings
Appoints members of some committees
Schedules bills for action
Refers bills to the proper committee
Follows vice-pres in line of succession
Roles in the House
 Majority Leader
Help plan the party’s legislative program,
steer important bills through the House, and
make sure the chairpersons of the
committees finishes work on important bills.
Leader on the floor
○ Majority Whip and Deputy Whips
 Whips server as assistant floor leaders
- Watch dogs for how members intend to vote -
persuade them if need be.
Representation and Reapportionment
 Goal: Assign representation according to
population.
Census Bureau takes a census, or
population count, every 10 years.
The population of each state determines the
new number of representatives to which
each is entitled – known as
reapportionment.
Congressional Redistricting
 Done after reapportionment.
Each state sets up congressional districts – one
for each legislature.
Redistricting: The process of setting up new
district lines after reapportionment has been
completed is called redistricting
 State legislators may redraw congressional
districts in the middle of a decade.
Abuses result in:
○ 1) Districts of very unequal populations.
○ 2) Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering
 Elbridge Gerry:
Democratic-
Republican
governor of
Massachusetts.
Signed redistricting
plan that, when
looking at a map,
resembled a
salamander.
Gerrymandering
 Gerrymandering: Political party controlling
the state government draws a district’s
boundaries to gain an advantage in elections.
Packing: drawing lines so they include as many of
the opposing party’s voters as possible.
○ Crowding the oppositions voters into one district
makes the remaining districts safe for the majorities
party.
Cracking: Dividing an opponent’s voters into other
districts, to weaken the opponents voter base.
 http://www.redistrictinggame.org/index.p
hp?pg=game
Roles in the House
 Most work is done by Committee.
Committee work is more important to the
House then it is to the Senate because the
House is so large.
 House members serve on committees
that represent the issues important to
their constituents.
Constituents: the people in the districts they
represent
How are committees like an assembly
line?
Types of Congressional Committees
 Standing Committees – Permanent
committees that exist from one
congressional term to the next. Most
have smaller sub committees
 Conference Committees – temporary
committees set up when the House and
Senate have passed different versions
of the same bill
 Majority Leader
Rep. Eric Cantor
Represents Republicans on the House
floor.
Majority Whip
Rep. Kevin McCarthy
Assists leadership in managing party's
legislative program.

Democratic Leader
Rep. Nancy Pelosi
Represents Democrats on the House floor.
Membership of the Senate
 According to the constitution, the Senate
“shall be composed of two senators from
each state.”
Thus today’s senate is made up of 100
members.
 Qualifications
Thirty years old
Citizens of the United States for 9 years
Legal resident of the state they represent.
Membership of the Senate
 17th Amendment: Direct election of the
Senate.
 6 year terms, where only 1/3 of senators
are up for reelection every two years.
 Salaries:
27th Amendment
○ States that congress may not ratify any pay
raise that will take in effect for that time
period.
Important Tools
 Filibuster: To stall legislative process
and prevent a vote.
Stall tactics include talking continuously and
delaying issues in committee.
 Cloture: Puts a stop to a filibuster.
Takes a vote of three-fifths of the Senate
which would then allow senators to speak
only 1 hour on a bill under debate.
Franking Privilege
 Free postage: the senators signature
suffices as a mail stamp.
 Other Privileges Includes:
Stationary, Medical Clinics, Gymnasiums,
Allowances for staff assistants, trips homes,
telephones, and newsletters.
All members are entitled to an income tax
deduction.
Pensions of $150,000 or more a year for life.
Roles In the Senate
 Represent entire states
Issues will range from national defense to social issues
to farming
 Senate has no Speaker
The constitution names the vice president as president
of the Senate
○ Only votes in cases of a tie
Recognizes members
Puts questions to a vote
 President pro tempore
“Pro tempore” – for the time being. Senior member of
majority party.
Members of Congress
 535 Total + 1 delegate in the House from
Guam, District of Columbia, American
Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.
All attend sessions but cannot vote.
 Characteristics
Pg129
Roles in the Senate
 Majority Leader
Makes certain party members attend
important sessions
Organize support for key bills
Plans Senate’s work schedule and agenda
 Minority Leader
Develops criticism for the majority party’s
bills.
Keeps senators in the minority party working
together