1. Section 1 at a Glance Congress
Members of Congress strive to represent the interests of their constituents while keeping in mind the needs of the country as a whole.
Congress is a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives and a Senate.
Congress plays a vital role in the system of checks and balances.

2. Congress and the People
Congress is the representative body through which the will of the people is made into law.
REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS,
House: VOTERS IN THEIR DISTRICT
Senate: THEIR STATE
Attempt to balance needs of constituents with the nation
Representing the People
Demographics?
Members of Congress

3. The Structure of Congress
Congress is a BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
100 MEMBERS
EACH STATE REPRESENTED BY TWO SENATORS
SENATORS SERVE SIX-YEAR TERMS
Every 2 years, 1/3 (33 or 34) Senators are up for election
The Senate

4. The Structure of Congress
Congress is a bicameral legislature made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
1929: NUMBER FIXED AT 435
NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR EACH BASED ON STATE’S POPULATION
Apportionment: distribution of seats according to population
Why there is a Census every 10 years
REPRESENTATIVES SERVE TWO-YEAR TERMS
Every 2 years, all 435 are up for election.
The House of Representatives

6. The Structure of Congress (cont’d.)
The Two-House Structure
Bicameral legislature proposed at the 1787 Constitutional Convention
Great Compromise combined elements of two previously proposed plans, Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan
Bicameral system adopted parts of both plans: states would have equal representation in Senate, but proportional representation based on population in House of Representatives