1. Congressional Membership
Essential Questions:
What are the formal and informal qualifications for members of Congress?
Who is in the 113th Congress?
How are representatives apportioned in Congress?

2. Legislators and their Constituents
Most members of Congress start out in local politics
After they gain experience, they may run for either the House or Senate
The people they serve are called Constituents
The size of this group increases as they move up in politics

3. Formal Qualifications for Members of Congress
Must be a resident of the state in which elected
House members must be at least 25 years old and must have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
Senators must be at least 30 years old and a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years

4. Informal Qualifications for Members of Congress
Members of Congress used to be all white, male, and middle to upper class
This changed starting in 1960s: Now women and minority groups are somewhat included (but it is still mostly old white rich guys)
Most have a college degree, many have advanced degrees
Most have a background in business or law

5. Some Statistics on the 113th Congress (2013-2015)
Party Composition in House *Republicans: 233 *Democrats: 199 *3 Seats are currently vacant Gender Composition in Congress *100 women

7. Stats Cont. Religious Affiliation Largest denomination: Catholic
Racial Composition:
19% of House members are minorities, which includes:
43 African Americans (10%)
34 Hispanics (8%)
10 Asians (2%)
2 Native Americans (.5%)
Average age of members of the House of Representatives is 57
Average age of members of the Senate is 62

8. Apportionment Senate=100 seats, 2 for each state
House=435 seats, each represents 1 congressional district (approx. 650,000 people)
House seats are assigned by state’s population (each state guaranteed at least 1)
This is determined by the census, taken every 10 years. When states gain or lose population, sometimes House seats are reapportioned, and congressional districts change.

10. Congressional Redistricting
Redistricting – drawing up new district lines after reapportionment
Gerrymandering is the process of re-drawing electoral district boundaries in order to create a political advantage for a particular party by manipulating geographic boundaries.
Named after Elbridge Gerry, the governor of Massachusetts who redrew Massachusetts state election districts to benefit his Democratic-Republican party in 1812.
Gerrymandering was outlawed in 1960 by the court case Gomillion v. Lightfoot.
See:

11. Talk to your neighbor:
What are the formal and informal qualifications for members of Congress?
Who is in the 113th Congress?
How are representatives apportioned?

12. The Organization of Congress
Essential Questions:
How do the leadership roles in the Senate and the House work?
What is the purpose of the Congressional Committees?

13. Getting Elected House members run for re-election every 2 years
Senators run every 6 years (1/3 up for re- election every 2 years)
Number of terms is unlimited for both
Incumbent=currently in office
During elections, incumbents have the advantages of:
name recognition
campaign funds
Solve voters issues
John Dingell: D- Michigan

14. Leadership in the House
Organization is based on the 2 major political parties
Party with the most seats controls the agenda
Speaker of the House:
presides over the House
Schedules bills for action
Also, 2nd in line to assume the
Presidency in an emergency
John Boehner (R-OH)

15. Leadership in the House
Majority Leader
Manages legislation on the house floor
Second in command of their party
Minority Leader
Helps manage legislation on the house floor (no power over agenda)
First in command of their party
Majority Whip
Helps majority leader in house
Persuades reps to vote w/ party
Makes sure people are present to vote
Minority Whip
Has the same duties as the Majority Whip

16. Who currently holds these offices?
House Majority Leader: Eric Cantor (R-Va)
House Minority Leader:
Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca)

17. Leadership in the Senate
President of the Senate
Vice President
Official presiding officer
President Pro Tempore
Senior senator of majority party
Fills in when VP isn’t there
Majority Leader
Steers party’s bills through senate
Encourage members to attend
Party support on bills
Minority Leader
Helps shape minority party policy
Majority Whip
Makes sure reps are present to vote
Link between party members and majority leader
Minority Whip
Same as above

18. Who currently holds these offices?
The Vice President
Joe Biden (D-Delaware)
President pro tempore
Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont)

19. Who currently holds these offices?
Senate Majority Leader:
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Senate Minority Leader:
Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)

20. Purpose of Congressional Committees
Ease workload and divide work
Select worthy bills
Most bills never make it past committee stage
Help public learn about bills

21. Types of Congressional Committees
Standing- permanent committees that deal w/ specific policy area
Select- temporary committees to study a specific issue
Joint - made up of members of both chambers, permanent or temporary
Conference- temporary committee to resolve issues over versions of a bill and create a compromised bill

22. Choosing Committee Members
Membership extremely important for congressmen
Each political party assigns members of Congress to standing committees
Committee Chairperson
Decide when the committee will meet
How long they will discuss a bill
Manage floor debate of bills from their committee

23. Congressional Powers
expressed powers (enumerated powers): granted to Congress explicitly in the Constitution.
Article 1 Section 8

25. Congressional Powers
Elastic Clause: Constitution authorizes Congress to “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper.”
Powers beyond those expressed in first 17 clauses
Congress can stretch its listed powers to meet the needs of a growing nation
These implied powers must be linked to specifically assigned powers

26. Congressional Powers Denied Powers
Limits on Congressional Power: Bill of Rights
Cannot pass Bill of Attainder: laws that punish people w/o allowing them a trial
Ex post Facto laws: laws that make crimes of acts that were legal when committed

27. Non-Legislative Powers (Powers aside from lawmaking)
The Power to choose a President in a tie
Impeachment: House can formally accuse a federal official of wrongdoing, Senate then conducts a trial to decide whether to remove the official from office
Confirmation: Senate approves officials appointed by the President
Ratification: Senate must approve all treaties negotiated by President before become law
Amendment: Both houses of Congress can vote to propose an amendment to the Constitution