1. Ch 5 U.S. Government Democracy in Action
Organization of Congress

2. Reminder Taking Notes Add the STGs Include:
the Assessments and Vocabulary in your notes and explanations of concepts
Anything in Bold or italics
Court Cases: Issue, Decision, Date decided
People
Documents
Events
Key Points of Video Clips
Summaries of Class Discussions

3. Congressional Membership
Section 1
Congressional Membership

4. From the Library of Congress
Organization of Congress & Legislative Process - An Overview

5. Congressional Membership
Bicameral
Patterned after English Parliament
Has more power than any other branch

6. Congressional Sessions
A term of Congress is for two years
Each term - begins January 3 of odd numbered years
Ex: The 107th Term of Congress began
January 3, 2001
Extra Credit: What Term is Congress currently serving?

7. Congressional Sessions
Terms end in November/December (depends on workload)
Each term has two sessions (each 1 year)

8. Congressional Sessions
Congress is in session until members vote to adjourn
Neither “house” can “rest” or adjourn for more than 3 days w/o other house’s approval
Congress can be called back for a special session by the President

9. House of Representatives Membership
Seats per State - varies with population
More Populated States = More Representatives
Each state entitled to 1 seat minimum
Extra Credit: How many Representatives are there currently?

10. House of Representatives Membership Qualifications
Set by the Constitution
Q: What Article? What Section?
Must be at least 25 years old
U.S. Citizens – at least 7 years
Must be Legal Residents of State electing them
Usually claim Primary Residence in District they represent

11. Term of Office Elected for two-year terms
Elections – November of even numbered years
Ex: November 2008, November 2010
Members begin serving January 3rd following the November election

12. Term of Office – The House
The whole House of Representatives is up for election every two years in even numbered years
Most are reelected (90%) = Continuity

13. Term of Office – The House of Reps
Governors appoint temporary replacement if a member is no longer serving the term until a Special Election is held. Note: Former Governor Blajovich of Illinois is no longer governor because he was accused of putting up Senator Obama’s seat up for sale when Obama became President.

14. House Membership
Number of Seats capped at 435 Representatives. (Territories & Washington, DC add 6 more – but they do not vote on bills).
Q: What Act set that limit?
A: The Reapportionment Act of 1929
The Census count determines how the 435 seats are divided among the 50 states.
Q: What is the name of that process?
A: reapportionment

15. Redistricting
The process of setting up new district lines after reapportionment

16. Redistricting Controversy #1
Districts can be unequal in size (large district has only 1 rep while a smaller one has 1 rep). So the larger district is really underrepresented while the smaller district has more political voice.

17. Redistricting Controversy #2
Gerrymandering-Drawing districts to favor a political party’s power in Congress via
“packing”
Ex: Draw the boundary lines to include constituents (voters) of mostly one party
“cracking” (pg )
Ex: Draw the boundary lines to bust up a party’s dominance.

18. U.S. Supreme Court on Redistricting
The district must be:
Compact (not too large)
Contiguous (no parts separated – all parts’ boundaries/lines must touch)
Pg 127

19. The Senate Membership Qualifications
Must be:
At least 30 years old
A U.S. resident for at least 9 years
Elected by ALL THE VOTERS IN THAT STATE not by a district

20. The Senate Term of Office
Serve 6-year terms
Elections held every 2 years in November
BUT unlike the House,
ONLY 1/3 OF THE SENATE
IS UP FOR ELECTION AT ONE TIME
Term begins January 3rd after the November election
If a Senator ties during term, the governor appoints a replacement til next election.

21. Salary & Benefits Set by Congress BUT
Congress cannot give itself a pay raise
(27th Amendment – 1992)
although it was proposed in 1789 by James Madison
The PAY RAISE GOES INTO EFFECT after the
NEXT ELECTION
Q: How effective is the 27th Amendment when most incumbents (politicians already in office) get reelected?

22. Salary & Benefits
They get an automatic COLA (Cost of Living Allowance) added to pay to offset inflation
Medical insurance and Medical Clinic
A gym
Free Postage (Franking Privilege) for official business & Free Stationery

23. Salary & Benefits Large Allowances (money to spend on):
Staff
Assistants
Trips Home
Telephones/Telegrams
Newsletters
An Income Tax Allowance for BOTH Homes
Eligible to receive Pensions of $150,000 +

24. Privileges of Members
Free from Arrest “in all cases except treason, felony and breach of the peace”
While in Congress,
on the way to/from Congress
Cannot be sued for anything they say on the floor of The House or The Senate
DOES NOT EXTEND to what is said OUTSIDE CONGRESS (Hutchinson v Proxmire, 1979)

25. Privileges Power of Exclusion
The Senate & The House judge a member’s qualifications & whether to seat them by a majority vote
Defined by Supreme Court
Powell v McCormack
Censure – Majority Vote of Disapproval of actions
Expel – for serious offenses (treason, bribery) by 2/3 vote (Member is no longer in Congress).

26. Members of Congress Senate – 100 Senators
House of Representatives – 435 Representatives PLUS NON-VOTING MEMBERS
1 – Washington, DC
1 - Guam
1 – America Samoa
1 – Virgin Islands
1 – Puerto Rico resident commissioner
THEY CAN INTRODUCE BILLS, DEBATE, ATTEND SESSIONS & VOTE IN COMMITTEES

27. Characteristics Almost ½ = Lawyers
Many from banking, business, education
Typically white, middle-aged males over 50

28. Reelection to Congress
About 90% are reelected (incumbents are already in office)
Q: Why?
The public is more aware of incumbents than newbies
PAC (Political Action Committees) fundraise to reelect them
Gerrymandering
Incumbents use their staff & office to solve problems for voters (creates voter loyalty)
Since 1990s, easier to unseat incumbents

29. Congress Today What is the makeup of Congress today?
Ethnicity
Age
Gender
Which political party is the majority in:
The Senate
The House of Representatives
TIP: Go online, look at Congressional Quarterly