1. The U.S. Congress Article One of the Constitution

2. 4 Parts of the Constitution Articles (7) –1. Legislative Branch –2. Executive Branch –3. Judicial Branch –4. Relations Among States –5. Provisions for Amendments –6. Supreme Law –7. Ratification Sections Clauses Amendments (27 Formal)

3. ARTICLE 1 The Legislative Branch is commonly known as Congress. Congress is often called the first branch of Government. Bicameral Body (2 Houses) Result of the Great Compromise (Sherman)

4. ARTICLE 1 Upper House –Senate (Vice-President Presides) Based on Equal Representation Lower House –House of Representatives (Speaker Presides) Based on Population Closest to the people It has the most powers

5. ARTICLE 1 A term of Congress last 2 years –January 3 rd at Noon (20 th Amendment) –2 Sessions in each term –Neither house may adjourn without the consent of the other.

6. ARTICLE 1 Special Sessions can be called by the President. (Not likely) Before WWII a session lasted on 4 or 5 months. FDR had to call one after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. The last was called by Truman in 1948 to deal with inflation and welfare.

7. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives 435 Members (based on Population) 1 st had only 65 seats (1 per 30,000) Today 1 seat for about 720,000 Each state guaranteed at least one seat no matter what its population. 7 states currently have only one. (4 delegates from Guam, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Samoa. 1 Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico)

8. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Requirements: –25 years old –7 year citizen –Resident of the state you represent (does not say you have to live in the district)

9. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Term: 2 years – All 435 are elected at the same time.

10. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Vocabulary –Apportionment – The way the seats in the house are distributed among the states. –Reapportionment – The way the seats are distributed among the states after each decennial census. –Decennial – occurs every 10 years –Census – Government count of total U.S. population every 10 th year ending with a zero.

11. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Until the first Census could be held, the constitution set the size of the House at 65. –After 1 st Census the number was increased to 106. –By 1910 the size had grown to the current number. It was too large for effective floor action so it was capped at this number by the Reapportionment act of 1929.

12. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Reapportionment Act of 1929 –Set the permanent size at 435 –The Census Bureau determines the number of seats each state will receive. –Bureau sends results to the President and he sends it to Congress. –After 60 days, if neither house rejects it, it becomes effective.

13. Reapportionment

14. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Congressional Elections –Held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even numbered year. (All 50 States) –Off Year Elections: Elections that occur in Non-Presidential election years.

15. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Members of the House of Reps. Represent districts (except for those who only have one). These are called single-member districts. Some states used At-Large Districts until 1842. Now State Legislatures are responsible for drawing districts. –This is a problem that leads to numerous lawsuits.

16. Congressional Districts

17. Gerrymandering – District lines were drawn to the advantage of the dominate political party that controlled the state legislatures.

18. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Vocabulary –Censure: To formally condemn – Power of members of Congress to discipline members for improper conduct. Only 5 members of the house have been expelled. Improper solicitation of funds, inaccurate financial disclosure statements, failure to pay taxes. Charles Rangel – Dem NY

19. Article 1 Section 2: The House of Representatives Vocabulary –Impeachment – To formally accuse (Just like Indict) The House of Representatives Impeaches (only the House of Reps.), the Senate convicts.

20. Article 1 Section 3: The Senate 2 Senators from Each State. There were 22 in the first Senate. Until 17 th Amendment, Senators were elected by State Legislatures. Today there are 100 Senators

21. Article 1 Section 3: The Senate John Cornyn Ted Cruz

22. Article 1 Section 3: The Senate Senators serve 6 year terms. The terms are staggered. Only 1/3 are up for election every 2 years. The Senate is sometimes called a continuous body. The Senate is sometimes called the World’s Most Exclusive Club. The framers intended to make senators less subject to pressures of public opinion.

23. Article 1 Section 3: The Senate Qualifications –30 Years Old –Citizen for 9 Years –An Inhabitant of the State He/She Represents.

24. Article 1 Section 3: The Senate The Senate also has the power of censure. With 2/3rds vote, it may remove a member. (15 members have been expelled) John Ensign (Rep) Nevada - Charged with financial improprieties stemming from an extramarital affair. Resigned before vote.

25. Article 1 - CONGRESS Congress does not represent a cross- section of the American people. –20 Women in Senate –78 Women in the House –Average age: 57 –Minorities 19% –41% are former lawyers (Now you know whats wrong with it)

26. Article 1- CONGRESS Vocabulary –Constituents – the people of the state or district an elected person represents.

27. Article 1- CONGRESS Traditional Roles –Legislators – people who make law –Committee Members – Oversee various agencies to make sure they are working effectively. –Servants of their constituents –Politicians

28. Article 1- CONGRESS How Members of Congress Vote On An Issue. –Trustee: vote based on the merit of the law, not how the law is viewed by their constituents. –Delegates: Vote based on how constituents think they should. –Partisans: Vote based on stance taken by the party. –Politicos: Combines the Trustee, Delegate, and Partisan elements.

29. Article 1- CONGRESS Various Facts –Avg. Salary - $174,000 –Speaker Makes same as V.P. –Life and Health Insurance (Not Obamacare) –Tax Breaks for 2 Residences –Full Medical –Pension Plan –Office, Staff, Funds for running office –Franking Privileges – Free use of mail –Free Printing –Free Parking –Travel Allotments –Gyms, Swimming Pools, Saunas –Freedom from prosecution in certain cases (libel/slander)