1. Congress: is broken into two levels State and National

2. SD Senator Mike Rounds Born and raised in Huron
Assumed Senate seat January 2015 (Republican)
Replaced Tim Johnson

3. SD Senator John Thune Born in Pierre raised in Murdo, SD and
graduated from Jones Co. High School (republican)
assumed Senate position January 2011 replaced Tom Dachle

4. SD House of Representative Kristi Noem
Born in Watertown raised on a farm near Castlewood
and graduated from Hamlin High School
Assumed House Rep in January of 2011 (republican)
replaced Stephanie Herseth

5. Ours is a Bicameral Congress
The House represents the People
The number each state has is based on population
The Senate represents the State
The number each state has is equal (2)

6. Term + Session + Special Sessions
A Congressional Term is two years
The 110th Congress Term began in January
2007 and end December of 2008.
Each Congress has two sessions of one year each.
The first session of the 110th Congress ended in
December 2007.

7. Special Sessions Presidents may call Congress
to meet in special sessions.
A famous special session
was held December 8th, 1941.
Special Sessions are
rare today.

8. The House
435 Members
Elected from single member districts
Districts average 650,000 people
South Dakota has 1 Districts of 789,919
A states number of districts are based on it’s size in each decennial (10 years) census.

9. Apportionment & Reapportionment
The drawing of state
Congressional district lines
is known as apportionment.
Gerrymandering is drawing
district lines to benefit a
political party.

10. Constitutional Requirements for the House of Representatives
(2 yr term)
25 years old or older
Citizen for seven or more years
Resident of the State electing you
Traditionally, a resident of your
district

11. Constitutional Requirements for the Senate
(6 year term)
30 years old or older
Citizen for nine or more years
Resident of the State electing you
Traditionally, a resident of the state,
unless named Hillary (NY, DC)

12. The Senate 100 Members 2 Senators per state
Direct Election since the passage of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution
Originally chosen indirectly by state legislatures.

13. Special Powers of Congress
The House:
-All money bills must begin in the House
-All impeachments begin in the House
-Most House votes require only a simple majority.
The Senate:
- Approves all presidential appointments.
- By a 2/3’s vote:Approves all treaties and serves as the court in impeachments.

14. Congress the Job Legislator Committee Member
Representative of their constituents
Servant of their constituents
5. Politician

15. Pay and Allowances Salary - $133,600 Allowances: Staff Travel Office
Mail

16. The Average CongressMAN
Two Kids
Male
Age 50+
Married
Church Goer
Prior Political Experience
Wealthy
Attorney
College Grad

17. Congress and the Electoral College
The members of both Houses combined is directly proportional to the electoral college.

18. Winner take all!
The controversial system used to elect the President of the United States is called the Electoral College. It is referred to as a “winner take all” system because general if you win the popular vote of the state you get all that states electoral voted (which is based on its number of total congress people). Th win the Presidential election you need 270 of the 525 electoral votes.

19. Example of each States Representatives

20. 2008 Election
365
173
270 electoral votes to wins (69.5m to 59.9 m –Popoular)

21. 2000 Election

22. Other Close Elections