1. Chapter 10 The National Legislature
Section 1
“Congress: the National legislature”

2. Reading Summary: Pages 268-269
What does the term “Bicameral Congress” mean?
What was the Historical purpose of a bicameral Congress?
What was the practical purpose of a bicameral Congress?
What was the Theoretical purpose of a bicameral Congress?

3. Congress: The National Legislature
A Bicameral Congress
Our body of Congress is bicameral, in other words it is made up of 2 houses. They are, the of Representatives, and the Senate. The framers decide to set up a bicameral system because that’s what they were used to in Great Britain. The Framers also saw bicameralism as a way to diffuse the power of Congress and so prevent it from overwhelming the other two branches of government.
Terms of Congress
Each term of Congress lasts for two years. The start of each new two-year term is noon of the 3rd day of January of every odd-numbered year.

4. Session
A session of Congress is that period of time each year when Congress assembles and conducts business. There are two sessions to each term of Congress, one session each year.
Both house recess for several short periods during a session.
Special Sessions
Only the President may call Congress into a special session. A special sessions is a meeting to deal with an emergency situation.

5. The National Legislature
Chapter 10
The National Legislature
Section 2: The House of Representatives

6. The House of Representatives:
Size and Terms
The exact size of the House of Representatives today, is
435 members. It is not fixed by the Constitution; rather it is set by the population of the States.
Each State is guaranteed at least one seat in the House, no matter what its population. Today, seven States, Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming have only one representative apiece.
The representatives are chosen every other year. In other words, they serve two-year terms.
There is no constitutional limit on the number of terms any member of congress may serve.

7. Any person whom a State allows to vote in a general election is qualified to vote in congressional elections.
Congressional elections are held on the same day in every State. The use of voting machines was approved in 1899, and today, most votes cast in congressional elections are cast on some type of voting machines.
The 435 members of the House are chosen by the voters in 435 separate congressional districts across the country.
Congressional Elections
Qualifications for House members
Each member of the House must meet two different sets of qualifications to win office: the formal qualifications and the informal qualifications.

8. The Constitution says that a member of the House must be at least 25 years of age.
A citizen for the United States for at least 7years.
A resident of the State from which he/she is elected.
Formal Qualifications
Informal Qualifications
They should have a strong political party identification.
Name familiarity helps them get elected.
Gender
Race/ethnicity
Political experience

9. The National Legislature
Chapter 10
The National Legislature
Section 3: The Senate

10. The Senate
The Senate is often called the “upper house”. Nearly a third of the present members of the Senate once served in the House of Representatives however, none of the current members of the House has ever served in the Senate.
Size
The Constitution says that Senate shall be composed of two Senators from each State. The Senate is a much smaller body than the House of Representatives.
Members of the Senate represent entire States. Nearly all of them represent a larger, more diverse population and a broader range of interests than the members of the House of Representatives from their State.

11. Election
Senators have been picked by the voters in each State at the regular November elections. Only one senator is elected from a State in any given election, except when the other seat has been vacated by death, resignation, or expulsion.
Term
Senators serve for six-year terms. This is three times the length of the terms for the members of the House. Senators may be elected to an unlimited number of terms.
Senators’ terms are staggered. Only a third of them expire every two years. The Senate is a continuous body, which means that all of its seats are never up for elections at
The same time.

12. The six year term gives senators a somewhat larger degree of job security than members of the
lowers house have.
Senators are in general more likely to be regarded as national political figures than most House
members.
The larger size of the House generally prevents Representatives from gaining as much notice
and exposure as members of the Senate. Senators, and especially those who have presidential
ambitions, are better able to capture national media attention. Over the Past Several elections,
the Senate has emerged as a prime source of contenders for the presidential nomination in both
parties.
Qualifications for Senators
A senator must be at least 30 years of age.
Be a citizen of the United States for at least 9 years.
A resident of the State which he/she is elected.

13. The National Legislature
Chapter 10
The National Legislature
Section 4: The members of Congress

14. Personal and Political Backgrounds
The 535 members of Congress are not a representative cross section of the American people. The average member is a white male in his early 50s. The median age of the members of the House is just over 56 and the average age of a senator is 61.
There are more women in Congress today than ever – 70 in the House and 14 in the Senate. There are now 42 African Americans, and one Native American in the House. One African American, two Hispanics, one Asian American, and one Native Hawaiian sit in the Senate.
Nearly all members are married, a few are divorced, and they have on average, two Children. Only a few members say they have no religious affiliation. Just about 50% are Protestants, 30% are Roman Catholics, and some 6% are Jewish.

15. More than four out of five have a college degree and most, in fact, have advanced degrees. Most members of Congress have also had considerable political experience.
The Job: Representative of the People
Senators and representatives are elected to represent people.
Each lawmaker has 4 voting options. He or she can vote as a trustee, as a delegate, as a partisan, or as a politico.
Trustees believe that each question they face must be decided on its merits. They make decisions based on what’s right in their hearts/minds.
Delegates see themselves as the agents of those who elected them. They believe that they should vote the way they think the folks back home would want.

16. Partisans feel a duty to vote in line with the party platform and the wishes of their party’s leaders. They believe that they owe their first allegiance to their political party.
Politicos attempt to combine the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles.
Compensation
Salary
Today, Senators and representatives are paid a salary of $162,000 a year. The Speaker of the House makes $208,100 a year, the same salary that Congress has set for the Vice President.

17. Non-salary Compensation
Each member has a special tax deduction, not available to any other federal income tax payer. That deduction is designed to help members who must maintain two residences, one in his/her home State and another in Washington.
Generous travel allowances offset the costs of several round trips each year between home and Washington.
They can get full health care, at very low rates, at any military hospital. They also have a generous retirement plan.
Members are also provided with offices one of he several Senate and House office buildings near the Capital and allowances for offices in their home State or district.
The franking privilege is a well-known benefit that allows them to mail letters and other materials postage-free. They also get free printing.