1. Respond to the following quote:
“Though the President is Commander in Chief, Congress is his commander… this is not a Government of kings…,but a Government of the People, and … Congress is the people”

2. The Legislative Branch

3. http://congress. indiana. edu/scripts/facts_of_congress/house_of_reps

4. 3 branches of Government

5. Legislative Branch Congress is Bicameral
Two Separate Houses
Senate and House of Representatives
Law-making branch of government
Created by Article I of the Constitution
Sessions of Congress
Period in which Congress conducts businesses

6. Legislative Branch Average age of both House Members is 57
42 African-Americans in the House
There are 30 Hispanics
Seven Members of the House and Senate are of Asian or Native Hawaiian ancestry
There is one Native American in the House
Total number of women is 90
There are 16 in the Senate and 74 in the House,

8. House of Representatives
Qualifications- written in constitution
25 Years of Age
Must live in State
7 Year US Citizen
Unwritten Qualification
Must live within district

9. House of Representatives
Size
Current size of House of Representatives is 435 members
Each state is guaranteed at least 1 Representative
Only 1 Representative
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming
Washington D.C., Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico

10. House of Representatives
Terms
Representatives are elected every 2 years
No constitutional limit on the number of terms

11. House of Representatives
Elections
Every 2 years
Single Member Districts
Off year elections
Party in power usually loses seats
Incumbents carry huge advantage
75-85% Re-Election Rate
Why??

12. House of Representatives
Elections
Connections to interest groups, corporations, PACs
Pork-barrel politics
More campaign $
Name Recognition
Franking Privileges

13. House of Representatives
Reapportionment
Redistribute seats every 10 years based on population
Reappointment Act of 1929
Permanent Size = 435
Following each census, Census Bureau sets number of seats for each state
President sends Bureau’s plan to Congress
Congress approves and send to state legislatures to draw new lines if necessary

14. As of the 2000 census:
Average population per district: 646,946 people
State with the most districts: California (53)
District with the greatest area: Alaska At-large
District with the smallest area: New York's 15th
District with the most people: Montana At-large (905,316)
District with the fewest people: Wyoming At-large (495,304)
Oldest district: Delaware At-large (Same geographical borders since 1789)

16. House of Representatives
Districts
Redistricting
Contiguous Territory
Equal number of inhabitants
Compact Territory
Techniques can concentrate opposition votes into one district or divide and conquer
Has significant impact on membership

18. Chicagoland

19. House of Representatives
Gerrymandering
District lines redrawn in favor of a political party or racial group
Elbridge Gerry MA

21. The Senate
Chapter 10
Section 3

22. http://congress. indiana. edu/scripts/facts_of_congress/the_senate

23. Senate Size Constitution Sets number at 2 per state (100 Senators)
Represent a larger, more diverse population (constituents)
Illinois Senators:

24. Senate
Election:
17th Amendment- voters decide senator, prior to this senators were chosen by state legislators
Only one Senator is elected per election
Term:
6 year term
No term limit
Terms are staggered
Continuous Body
All seats are never given up for election at the same time
Only 1/3 expire (33 or 34)

26. Senate Qualifications: Higher requirements then House
At least 30 years of age
Must have been citizen of US for 9 years
Must be inhabitant of the State from which they are elected

27. Leadership

28.
Does Congress affect your life??