Lawmakers and Legislators Unit 7 Essential Question: What makes an effective legislator?

Legislators Def. = person who legislates/makes laws or policy The people who elected them are their constituents Legislators must keep their constituency happy, or… …they’re voted out! Formal qualifications (Congress) Age - House: 25 yrs Senate: 30 yrs Citizen - House: 7 yrs Senate: 9 yrs Where? - House: live in district? Senate: live in state That’s all that’s required, but…

Cont. Informal qualifications help These are what voters look for, they change over time. Age? Race & gender? (see graph) Education? Experience? Charm? Other? Stats, 115th to 116th: https://www.businessinsider.com/changes-in-gender- racial-diversity-between-the-115th-and-116th-house-2018-12

Apportionment Def. = how the 535 Congress seats are distributed 100 Senators – 2 per state 435 Rep’s in House depends on… …each state’s population …changes every 10 yrs. w/ census Role of legislators Rep the voters of my district first? Rep the USA first? Mix the two?

Getting re-elected Once in office, you’re called an incumbent Re-election matters – committees (power) determined by seniority or rank Incumbents usually get re-elected (80 to 90% of the time). Why?... Name recognition Office resources Money/donations Bragging rights – pork = projects that help your district

Organization of Congress Congress is bicameral = 2 houses House of Representatives Senate House of Rep’s Speaker of the House – majority party picks speaker; speaker picks bills to be debated Majority & minority leaders – chosen by each party to lead them Majority & minority whip – try to keep party members voting with party

Cont. Senate President of the Senate – is V.P. of the U.S.; only votes in ties President pro tempore – senior, majority Senator; helps run Senate on day-to-day basis Majority & minority leaders Majority & minority whips

Congress’ work Constitution – Article I… Tax us Borrow money Regulate trade Coin money Declare war Laws “necessary and proper” for powers above Checks & balances = make sure no 1 branch gets too much power Congress can override president’s veto with 2/3 vote; Senate approves pres. appointments Congress (Senate) approves federal judges

Bill-to-Law process Must get through (1) House, (2) Senate, (3) president* Starts in committee (Pass/Fail/Pigeonhole?) Then to entire 1st house (P/F/Pigeon?) Committee of 2nd house (P/F/Pigeon?) Then to entire 2nd house (P/F/Pigeon?) Goes to president (sign/veto?) Sign  law Veto  *back to Congress for 2/3 vote (P/F?) By far, most bills fail