1. ARTICLE I
Legislative Branch: THE CONGRESS

2. Congressional Sessions
Begin on January 3rd of odd numbered years
Each term of Congress lasts 2 years
2 sessions
Each session = 1 year
Breaks for holidays
Vote to adjourn
President and his “Special Sessions”

3. House and Senate Representatives Senators 435 Members 100 members
Apportioned by population
25 years old
7 year citizen
State resident
2 year term
Elected even numbered years,
Begin January 3rd
Senators
100 members
2 per state
30 years old
9 year citizen
State resident
6 year term
Elections in even numbered years
Begin January 3rd
1/3 of Senate runs every two years.

4. Assigning Representation
Census every ten years
Reapportionment
Reapportionment act of 1929
Redistricting: Responsibility of the STATES!

5. Apportionment of the House

6. Bad Gerry Elbridge Gerry Gerrymandering Baker V. Carr 1962
Courts can rule on legislative apportionment
Wesberry Vs Sanders 1963
“One Person, One Vote” when drawing congressional districts

7. Gerrymandering

8. Gerrymandering

12. Salary and Benefits 1789- $6 a day for the House and Senate
27th Amendment
2009- $174,000
Free from arrest
Power of exclusion (Powell v. McCormack)
Censure
Income Tax deductions for homes
pensions for life, health care
Franking --- Free Postage!! Incumbency Advantage

13. Crazy Congressional Characters
100 Senators
435 Representatives
4 Delegates
Guam
D.C.
American Samoa
Virgin Islands
1 Resident Commissioner (Puerto Rico)
Lawyers
Business, Banking, Education
50 years +
Ethnic makeup

14. Re-election Most incumbents are re-elected Connections Gerrymandering
Visibility
Criticism

15. The Art of Lawmaking Rules Committees Each chamber creates their own
Posted every two years
Committees
Most of the work
More important in House than in Senate
Bills
Specialize

16. House Politics Party Affiliations Party Leaders Speaker of the House
House floor leaders
Whips
Minority Parties

17. The House of Representatives

18. Where do you sit?

19. Calendars Consent – Debate out of order House – Public
Discharge – Petitions to discharge a bill from a committee
Union – Money
Private – Individual people or places

20. Rules Committee “Traffic Officer” Bills reach the floor
Push ahead or take some time
Settle disputes
Delay or Block
Quorum
218 – regular
100 – whole

21. Senate Flexible Unlimited debate The V.P. Rules! President Pro-Tempore
Majority and Minority leaders

22. The Senate

23. Bills in the Senate Any Senator can introduce a bill 2 Calendars
General Orders
Executive
Bills go to floor by unanimous consent
Filibuster
3/5 of senate (60) vote for Cloture to stop a Filibuster
Filibuster is not as effective today as it was before

24. Committees Purposes Types Ease workload Specialize Compromises
Public hearings and investigations
Types
Standing
Subcommittees
Select
Joint
Conference

25. Why join a committee?

26. Staff and Support Assist with workload Talk to voters
Assist with committee hearings
Floor sessions
Draft bills
Write committee reports
Attend committee meetings
Help lawmakers get re-elected
Keep an eye on political developments back home
Write speeches and newsletters
Raise funds
Meet with lobbyists and visitors from home

27. Support Staff Administrative Assistants Legislative Assistants
Caseworkers
Committee Staff
Do the staff have too much power?

28. Support Agencies Library of Congress Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
General Accounting Office
Government Printing Office