Organization Congress

Congress = Legislature 535 members total Bicameral = 2 houses House of Representatives (HoR) Senate Congressional terms begin Jan. 3 in years ending in an odd number and lasts two years Each term is made up of 2 sessions (meetings) lasting 1 year Cannot adjourn for more than 3 days w/o approval of other house Pres. Has authority to call it back for a special session

Characteristics of Congressmen Almost ½ lawyers Typically white, middle-aged males Congress slowly has begun to reflect more racial, ethnic, and gender diversity 2007-09: 17% women

Membership Senate 30 yrs old Citizen of U.S. min. of 9 yrs House of Representatives 30 yrs old Citizen of U.S. min. of 9 yrs Legal resident of state they represent Term = 6 yrs 1/3 senators run for reelection every 2 yrs If senator dies or resigns before end of term, state legislature can authorize governor to appoint Voters elect senators at-large (statewide– they have no particular district( 25 yrs old Citizen of U.S. min. of 7 yrs Legal resident of state they represent Term = 2 yrs If a representative dies or resigns in 1st session, the state must hold special election to fill vacancy Voters elect representatives from their district

Reelection to congress Incumbent= members who are already in office 90% of incumbents win reelections Incumbent advantages Raise campaign funds more easily Gerrymandering Better known to voters Credit taking (use position to solve problems of voters) Most voters believe they represent their views

Gerrymandering Gerrymandering = drawing district boundaries to give one party and electoral advantage Results in odd shaped districts Types of gerrymandering includes “packing” and “cracking” Packing = draw the lines so they include as many of the opposing party’s voters as possible Cracking = dividing an opponent’s voters into other districts to weaken the opponent’s voter base

Organization of Congress Senate House 100 members Based on state equality Lead by President of the Senate (V.P of U.S) Joe Biden In absence, lead by President Pro Tempore Patrick Leachy Allowed unlimited debate Filibuster = to extend debate to prevent a bill from coming to vote 435 members Based on state population Lead by Speaker of the House chosen by members of House From the majority party John Boehner Seats divided w/Republicans on right and Democrats on left Debate limited by House Rules Committee

House of Reps Very powerful committee Leadership House Rules Committee Speaker of the House Influences proceedings by deciding which members to recognize first, appointing members to committees, and scheduling bills for action, House Floor Leader Majority leader and top assistant to S of H Whip Assistant floor leaders watch how majority members intend to vote on bills and persuade them to vote as the party wishes and ensure members are present to vote Very powerful committee Can move bills ahead of other bills on calendar Set how long a bill can be debated and revised Settles disputes among other House committees May delay or block bills that reps and House leaders do not want to come to a vote on the floor

Senate Leadership Filibuster Vice Pres. of US presides but cannot vote except to break a tie May recognize members and put questions to vote and may influence members through personal contact In VP’s absence, lead by president pro tempore “pro tem” for short (for the time being) Elected from majority party, often longest serving member Majority leader Steer party’s bills through senate Minority leader Critique majority party’s bills and keeping party united Whip Ensure legislators are present when key votes come up Historically extended debate for weeks or months Only 41 senators have to say they intend to filibuster for it to achieve its purpose today Can only be stopped by a vote for cloture Cloture = limits the debate by allowing each senator only one hour for speaking on a bill, but 60 senators must vote for cloture

Purposes of Committees Consider thousands of bills that are proposed each session and select the few that will actually be considered Help ease the workload by dividing work among many smaller groups with members who may develop into specialists over years of service Hold public hearings and investigations to help public learn about key problems and issues facing nation (organized crime, drugs, hunger, etc.)

Types of Committees Standing Committee Select Committee Stand or continue from one Congress to the next Subcommittees specializes in a subcategory of its standing committees responsibility Select Committee Temporary committee created to study one specific issue and report findings Joint Committee Temporary or permanent with representation from both parties from both houses Should coordinate work of two houses but tend to be limited to routine matters such as LoC and printing Conference Committee Temporary committee set up when the House and Senate have passed different versions of a bill Members from both houses resolve differences and work out a bill that both house and senate can accept

Congressional Staff Help to do much of the work on legislation, communicate w/voters, run committee hearings and floor sessions, draft new bills, write committee reports, and attend committee meetings, and help lawmakers get reelected Personal staff = work directly for individual congressmen Committee staff = work for House and Senate committees

Support Agencies Provide services that support the Congress. Some services available to the other two branches of gov’t and public Library of Congres (LoC)- Largest library in world; Administrator of copyright law; Does research for lawmakers Congressional Budget Office (CBO)- studies presidential budget Government Accountability Office (GAO)- watchdog for Congressional spending Government Printing Office (GPO)- largest multipurpose printing plant in world

How a Bill Becomes a Law See Outline

Powers Congress

Article I Section 8 Clauses 1-14 Expressed/Enumerated Powers Money Powers Lay and collect taxes Borrow money Establish bankruptcy laws Coin, print, and regulate money Punish counterfeiters of American currency Commerce Powers Regulate foreign and interstate commerce

Military and Foreign Policy Powers Declare war Raise, support, and regulate an army and navy Provide, regulate, and call into service a militia known as the National Guard Punish acts committed on international waters and against the laws of nations Other Legislative Powers Establish laws of naturalization Establish post offices Grant copyrights and patents Create lower federal courts Govern Washington, D.C. Provide for laws necessary and proper for carrying out all other listed powers

Non-legislative Powers Power to choose President (Electoral College) Removal Power (Impeachment= formal accusation of misconduct in office) House starts impeachment proceedings with majority vote Senate conducts trial; 2/3 vote of senators required to convict Confirmation Power (approve presidential appts) Ratification Power (treaties w/other nations) Amendment Power (propose Constitutional Amendments)

Article I, Section 9- Denied Powers May not suspend a writ of habeas corpus– court order to release a person accused of a crime to court to determine whether he or she has been legally detained May not pass bills of attainder- laws that establish guilt and punish people w/o trial Cannot pass ex post facto laws- cannot make an act criminal that was legal when it was committed Cannot tax exports Cannot bestow titles of nobility

Power to investigate A standing committee or a select committee may conduct investigations May lead to new laws to deal w/a problem, reforms in gov’t programs, or officials being fired

Legislative Oversight Limits Executive Requires executive agencies to report to it Uses support agencies to study an agency’s work and see if public money is being spent appropriately and legally Power of the purse