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THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. MISS SALSBERRY  U.S. GOVERNMENT. SECTION ONE. The Organization of Congress. BASIC INFORMATION. BICAMERAL Bicameral means that there are two chambers that makeup Congress. They are the Senate and the House of Representatives . 112 TH CONGRESS Senate

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THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

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  1. THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH MISS SALSBERRY  U.S. GOVERNMENT

  2. SECTION ONE The Organization of Congress

  3. BASIC INFORMATION BICAMERAL • Bicameral means that there are two chambers that makeup Congress. They are the Senate and the House of Representatives. 112TH CONGRESS • Senate • Each state has two Senators • 100 Senators total (51 Democrats, 2 Independents, 47 Republicans) • House of Representatives • Apportioned by population • 435 total (193 Democrats, 242 Republicans) • Salary • $168, 000 plus benefits • 27th amendment: prohibits Congress from giving themselves a pay raise • Raises go into effect after an election Make up of Senate Make up of House of Representatives

  4. CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP CONGRESSIONAL SESSIONS • Terms • Each term of Congress begins on January 3 of odd-numbered years and lasts for two years. • Sessions • Each term of Congress is divided into two sessions, or meetings • Each session lasts one year and includes breaks for holidays • Congress remains in session until its members vote to adjourn • The President may call the Legislators back for a special session if necessary President Truman calling Congress back to session (1948)

  5. MEMBERSHIP OF THE HOUSE QUALIFICATIONS • Must be: at least 25 years old, a citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 years, and a legal resident of the state that elects them. TERM OF OFFICE / ELECTION • 2 year terms. Elections are held in November of even-numbered years. Members of their districts vote for the members of the House. REPRESENTATION AND REAPPORTIONMENT • Remember, the number of representatives to the House a state gets is determined by population. • Every 10 years, a national census (population count) is taken. • The population of each state determines the new number of representatives to which each is entitled. This is called reapportionment. • Reapportionment Act of 1929 limited the House to 435 representatives. • The census determines how those 435 seats will be split up

  6. REAPPORTIONMENT (2000 AND 2010) Apportionment based on the 2000 Census Apportionment based on the 2010 Census

  7. REDISTRICTING CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING • After the reapportionment takes place, the states need to set up their new congressional districts. • 1 representative per district • The state legislature draws the new boundary lines. This is called redistricting. REDISTRICTING ABUSE • There are two ways state legislatures can abuse redistricting: • Creating districts of unequal population • By gerrymandering (the political party controlling the state government draws a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage in elections).

  8. GERRYMANDERING: “PACKING” AND “CRACKING” Fair Unfair “Gerrymandering” Packing:Drawing lines so they include as many of the opposing party’s votes as possible. Cracking: Dividing an opponent’s voters into other districts to weaken the opponent’s voter base.

  9. THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN? Above, gerrymandering in Columbus, Ohio. Left, Elbridge Gerry’s “gerrymander.”

  10. MEMBERSHIP OF THE SENATE QUALIFICATIONS • Must be: at least 30 years old, a citizen of the U.S. for at least 9 years, and a legal resident of the state they represent. TERM OF OFFICE / ELECTION • 6 year terms. Elections are held in November of even-numbered years. All voters of each state elect members of the Senate. • Because of this six year term, only one-third of the Senate goes up for reelection every two years. • 17th Amendment: Popular election of the Senate (1913) Senators Rob Portman (R) and Sherrod Brown (D) of Ohio

  11. ADVANTAGE: INCUMBENTS WHY? • Easier to raise campaign funds • Gerrymandering • Name identification INCUMBENTS • An incumbent is the member that is already in office • Typically, incumbents are reelected • House: • 2010: 86.9% • 2008: 94% • 2006: 94% • 2004: 98% • Senate: • 2010: 83% • 2008: 83% • 2006: 79% • 2004: 96% Easier said than done.

  12. THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS 535 VOTING MEMBERS • 100 Senators + 435 Representatives = 535 6 NONVOTING MEMBERS • Delegates: DC, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands • Resident Commissioner: Puerto Rico CHARACTERISTICS • Nearly half of the members are lawyers • WASP Males: White Anglo-Saxon Protestants • Average age: over 50 Above, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant’ed out. Left, Andy Bernard, a self proclaimed WASP.

  13. DEMOGRAPHICS: GENDER AND ETHNICITY U.S. CONGRESS THE UNITED STATES GENDER • 49.3% Male • 50.7% Female ETHNICITY • 65.1% Caucasian (White) • 12.9% African American • 15.8% Hispanic • 4.6% Asian American • 1.2% Native American • 1.7% persons reporting two or more races GENDER • 83% Male • 17% Female ETHNICITY • 85% Caucasian (White) • 8% African American • 5% Hispanic • 2% Asian American • <1% Native American

  14. HOUSE LEADERSHIP SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: John Boehner (R – OH) • The most powerful leader in Congress • Elected by majority party • They appoint members to committees and schedule bills MAJORITY LEADER: Eric Cantor (R – VA) • Speaker’s top assistant MINORITY LEADER: Nancy Pelosi (D – CA) • “Captain of the defense” MAJORITY WHIP: Kevin McCarthy (R – CA) MINORITY WHIP: Steny Hoyer (D – MD) • The job of the whip is to watch how party members plan to vote on bills and to persuade them to vote the way the party leaders want them to

  15. LAWMAKING IN THE HOUSE RULES • In the house, the rules are complex in order to move legislation through quickly. • Both the House and the Senate make new rules every two years. COMMITTEE WORK • Because it is so large, committee work in the House is more important than in the Senate. • Therefore, Committees do most of the work in Congress. • Representatives try to get on committees that are important to their constituents (the people in the districts they represent). Betty Sutton (D – OH): Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Natural Resources

  16. SENATE LEADERSHIP PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE: Vice President Joe Biden • The VP is the President of the Senate • Cannot take part in Senate Debates • Can only cast a vote in the event of a tie PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: Daniel Inouye (D – HI) • When the Vice President is not there to preside over the senate, the president pro tempore presides • Usually the oldest member from the majority party MAJORITY LEADER:Harry Reid (D – NV) MINORITY LEADER:Mitch McConnell (R – KY) • Majority leader controls flow of bills • Elected by party members • Keeps party working together MAJORITY WHIP: Richard Durbin (D – IL) MINORITY WHIP: Jon Kyl (R – AZ) • The job of the whip is to watch how party members plan to vote on bills and to persuade them to vote the way the party wants them to

  17. LAWMAKING IN THE SENATE RULES • In the Senate, the rules are more flexible than in the House. • They are designed to make certain that all Senators can express their ideas. • Senate usually allows for unlimited debate on bills. • Senators can filibuster to prevent a vote.

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