1. Lawmakers and Legislators
Unit 7
Essential Question:
What makes an effective legislator?

2. Legislators Def. = person who legislates/makes laws or policy
The people who elected them are their constituents
Legislators must keep their constituency happy, or…
…they’re voted out!
Formal qualifications (Congress)
Age - House: 25 yrs Senate: 30 yrs
Citizen - House: 7 yrs Senate: 9 yrs
Where? - House: live in district? Senate: live in state
That’s all that’s required, but…

3. Cont. Informal qualifications help
These are what voters look for, they change over time.
Age?
Race & gender? (see graph)
Education?
Experience?
Charm?
Other?
Stats, 115th to 116th: racial-diversity-between-the-115th-and-116th-house

4. Apportionment Def. = how the 535 Congress seats are distributed
100 Senators – 2 per state
435 Rep’s in House depends on…
…each state’s population
…changes every 10 yrs. w/ census
Role of legislators
Rep the voters of my district first?
Rep the USA first?
Mix the two?

5. Getting re-elected Once in office, you’re called an incumbent
Re-election matters – committees (power) determined by seniority or rank
Incumbents usually get re-elected (80 to 90% of the time). Why?...
Name recognition
Office resources
Money/donations
Bragging rights – pork = projects that help your district

6. Organization of Congress
Congress is bicameral = 2 houses
House of Representatives
Senate
House of Rep’s
Speaker of the House – majority party picks speaker; speaker picks bills to be debated
Majority & minority leaders – chosen by each party to lead them
Majority & minority whip – try to keep party members voting with party

7. Cont.
Senate
President of the Senate – is V.P. of the U.S.; only votes in ties
President pro tempore – senior, majority Senator; helps run Senate on day-to-day basis
Majority & minority leaders
Majority & minority whips

8. Congress’ work Constitution – Article I… Tax us Borrow money
Regulate trade
Coin money
Declare war
Laws “necessary and proper” for powers above
Checks & balances = make sure no 1 branch gets too much power
Congress can override president’s veto with 2/3 vote; Senate approves pres. appointments
Congress (Senate) approves federal judges

9. Bill-to-Law process
Must get through (1) House, (2) Senate, (3) president*
Starts in committee (Pass/Fail/Pigeonhole?)
Then to entire 1st house (P/F/Pigeon?)
Committee of 2nd house (P/F/Pigeon?)
Then to entire 2nd house (P/F/Pigeon?)
Goes to president (sign/veto?)
Sign  law
Veto  *back to Congress for 2/3 vote (P/F?)
By far, most bills fail