1. The
National
Legislature
The House
The Senate
The
Members
CONGRESS

2. THE CAPITOL BUILDING

3. CAPITOL HILL

4.  Article I – Longest article
 Why is Congress the branch closest
to “the people”?
 Envisioned as the strongest branch
 Power has shifted to the Executive
Branch
 Primary job:
 Make Laws
 Where the public will becomes
public policy
“THE FIRST BRANCH”

5. History
 Parliament bicameral
 Most Colonial legislatures
bicameral
 Today, only Nebraska has a
unicameral legislature
Practical
 CT Compromise
Theoretical
 “We pour legislation into the
senatorial saucer to cool it.”
 Is the Senate “undemocratic”?
BICAMERAL

6.  2 year terms
 Starts Noon, 3rd day of January of each odd-numbered year
 114th US Congress today
TERMS

7.  When Congress assembles and does business
 Two sessions per term
 Meets virtually all year
 Adjourns several times for small breaks
Special Sessions
 President only can call
 For emergency situations
 Only 26 – Truman 1948
SESSIONS

8. THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES

9. - Seats in the house are based on population
 Members of the House:
 Maryland:
 State with most:
 Sate with least:
 DC & other territories have
non-voting representatives
HOUSE: SIZE & TERMS

11.  Seats are redistributed after every census
Reapportionment Act of 1929
 House set at 435 members
 Census Bureau determines reapportionment
REAPPORTIONMENT

12.  All seats up every 2 years
 Positives & Negatives?
 Party in power usually loses
seats in off-year elections
 Why?
 1998: An exception
HOUSE ELECTIONS

13.  Voters in each district elect one of the State's representatives
 Single-Member Districts
 Each member represents roughly 650,000 people
DISTRICTS

15. - Drawing districts to
provide a political benefit
 Concentrate opposition
voters in 1 or 2 districts
(Packing)
 Spread out the opposition
thinly among several
districts (Cracking)
GERRYMANDERING

18.  In last 20 years: 103
swing districts to 35
swing districts
 Good thing or bad
thing?
 West Wing – Angel
Maintenance (35 min mark)
 http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=V0CvmK0dVcI
SAFE DISTRICTS: FOR WHOM?

21. Formal Qualifications
 25 years old
 Citizen of the US for 7 years
 Inhabitant of the state from which elected
 NOT required to live in the district you are running for
Informal Qualifications
WHO CAN BE IN THE HOUSE?

22. THE SENATE

23.  Two from each state _______
 Designed to be a check on the
House (c_________)
 6 year terms
 No term limits
 Only 1/3 of Senate up for
election at any 1 time
 How does length of term impact
leadership style?
 h ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T38dhk4tr9o
SENATE: SIZE & TERMS
Strom Thurmond (R-SC) served in
the Senate for 48 years.

24.  Originally chosen by State legislatures
 “Millionaires’ Club”
 Which amendment called for direct election?
 At-large elections
 Represent entire states – How does this impact the way they
lead?
SENATORIAL ELECTIONS

25. Formal Qualifications
 30 years old
 Citizen for 9 years
 Inhabitant of the state from which elected
 Informal Qualifications
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yld3EUItOo
WHO CAN BE IN THE SENATE?

26. Most are…
 White
 Male
 50s or 60s
 Lawyers
 Not a cross section of the nation’s population
 Average Senator serving a 2nd term
 Average Representative has served 4 terms
THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

27. PARTISAN MAKE-UP OF 114TH CONGRESS

33. 1. Lawmakers
2. Representatives of their constituents
3. Committee Members
4. Servants of their constituents
5. Politicians
THE JOB: 5 ROLES

34. Trustees
 Use their own judgment to make decisions
Delegates
 Do what “the folks back home” want
Partisans
 Vote in-line with the party leadership
 Which one is best?
Politicos
 Seek a balance between the other 3
REPRESENTIN’
“Your representative owes you, not his industry
only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead
of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your
opinion” -- Edmund Burke
English Politician (1729-1797)

35.  Each member sits on several committees
 Where most of the work is done
 Most bills die here
COMMITTEE MEMBERS

36.  Solve problems constituents have with the bureaucracy
 Dedicated staff to handle these requests
 How much time should members of Congress spend on this?
SERVANTS

37.  $174,000 per year (more for leadership)
 Is this too much?
COMPENSATION

38.  h t t p : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ? v = v O P W b a n Y d 3 g

39.  P__________
 Travel allowance
 Franking privilege
 More important or less important today?
 Health benefits & pension
 Library of Congress
 Free Parking
 Immunity from libel or slander charges – Why?
WHAT ELSE DO WE GET?