1. Unit 4, Section 1:The National Legislature

2. Two Houses of Congress
The Constitution creates a bicameral legislature for three reasons:
Historical
Practical
Theoretical

3. Terms The length of time that officials serve after an election
Two-year term
House of Representatives
Six-year term
Senate
Start of each new term:
Noon on January 3rd, every odd-numbered year
20th Amendment

4. Sessions
The regular period of time during which Congress conducts business.
Congress can adjourn each sessions as it needs to
to suspend until the next session
If necessary, the President has the power to prorogue (to adjourn) a session.
This can only happen when the two houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment.

5. Special Sessions
Only the President may call Congress into a special session.
There have only been 26 special session called
This is a meeting to deal with an emergency situation.
War
Natural Disaster
As a way to threaten congress to pass his legislation

6. Major Differences Between the House and Senate
Larger Body (435 Members)
Smaller Body (100 Members)
Shorter Term (2 Years)
Longer Term (6 Years)
Smaller Constituencies (elected from districts within each state)
Larger Constituencies (elected from entire state)
Younger Membership
Older Membership
Less Prestige
More Prestige
Lower Visibility in the News Media
Higher Visibility in the News Media
Strict Rules, Limited Debate
Flexible Rules, Nearly Unlimited Debate
Most work is done in committees, not on the floor
Work is split more evenly between committees and the floor
No power over treaties and presidential appointments
Approves or rejects treaties and presidential appointments

7. The House of Representatives

8. Size of The House 435 members The size is determined by Congress.
The Constitution states that the total number of seats in the House shall be apportioned (distributed) among the States on the basis of their respective populations.
smaller state = less seats
larger state = more seats

9. Terms of The House 2 year terms
No limit on number of terms a person can serve
There have been attempts to limit the terms but nothing has gone through yet

10. Discussion
What advantages are there to having so many people in the House? Disadvantages?
What problems do you see with someone who serves a lot of terms?

11. Reapportionment of the House of Representatives
Reapportion is to redistribute or reapportion the seats in the House after each every 10 years
The 10 year census
The Reapportionment Act of 1929
This act set the “permanent” size of the House at 435 members.
It also provided for “automatic reapportionment.”

12. Current Apportionment

13. What general trend in population growth around the country does this map show?

14. How Are Members Of The House Elected??
The elections are held on the first Tuesday in November of each even-numbered year.
They are called off-year elections
Elections for congressional positions that are held between presidential elections.

15. Qualifications for House Members
Formal qualifications: The Constitution says that a member of the House
must be at least 25 years of age,
must have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years
must have been an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected.
Informal qualifications:
party identification
name familiarity
Gender
ethnic characteristics
political experience

16. Congressional Districts
Single-member district
The voter’s in each district elect one of the State’s representatives.
Districts are usually drawn up by population distribution
The 435 members are chosen by voters in 435 separate congressional districts across the country

17. Congressional Districts
Does it make any real difference which party controls a state legislature and governorship during the redistricting process?

18. Redrawing District Line
Gerrymandering are districts that have unusual shapes
The act of drawing odd shaped congressional districts to benefit a political party that controls the State legislature.
This is illegal now!!

19. Gerrymandering
Before
After

20. The Senate

21. Size and Term Limits 100 Senators total 6-years term limit
2 from each State.
This is determined in the Constitution.
6-years term limit
The Senate is a continuous body
All of its seats are never up for election at the same time.
There is always a combination of “old” and “new” ideas in the Senate at all time.

22. Qualifications for Senators
The requirements for the U.S. Senate are higher than for the House of Representatives.
The Constitution says that a Senator
(1) must be at least 30 years of age
(2) must have been a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and
(3) must be an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected.

23. The Members of Congress

24. Profile of the 115th Congress

25. Questions to Ponder…
Are the members of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) representative of all Americans?
What problems happen because of this, if any?

26. Representatives of the People
As a reminder, senators and representatives are elected to represent people…like you!
They can vote in 4 ways:
Trustee
Delegate
Partisan
Politico

27. Trustee Voting is done based on the merit of each question
Call issues as they see them
They don’t take our views into consideration
Other groups will not influence them

28. Partisan They feel a duty to vote in-line with the party platform
They follow the wishes of the party leaders
This is the leading factor as to why they vote a certain way

29. Delegates See themselves as agents of the people who elected them
They should vote the way the people think
They ignore their own views
They ignore the view of their political party
They ignore all outside influences

30. Politicos They attempt to combine:
Trustee
Delegate
Partisan
They try to balance all three conflicting views

31. Committee Members
In Congress every proposed law is referred to committee
The screen the proposal to see if it is good
They make corrections if necessary
They decide which house it will be read and voted on

32. Committee Oversight Function
Congress will check what the other two branches are doing
This is done in committee
They make sure government is following all the laws

33. Why is it important for a representative to speak often with constituents?

34. Compensation
Today, senators and representatives are paid a salary of $174,000 a year.
Certain members, such as the Speaker of the House and the Senate’s president pro tem, are paid more.

35. Non-salary Compensations
Each member receives fringe benefits
There are tons!!!
Special tax deductions
Travel allowances
Full medical coverage
Retirement plans
Several offices around the U.S.
Gym memberships
Free Parking

36. The Franklin Privilege
Allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free by substituting their facsimile signature (a symbol) for the postage.
The Constitution says that Congress fixes its own “compensation.”
Therefore, the only things that limit them are the President’s veto and fear of voter backlash against a pay increase.

37. Privileges in Congress
While in Congress
they are free from criminal charges
(slander etc) as long as they are doing their job…
Speech & Debate Clause (Article 1, Section 6, Clause 1) allows this.

38. Why are voters reluctant to see members of Congress increase their benefits and pay?