December 4, 2014

Objectives: To develop a better understanding of Congress

Question: How many representatives to the House does Washington have?

CONGRESCONGRESSS

The Constitution and the LegislativeThe Constitution and the LegislativeBranch of GovernmentBranch of Government

Article IArticle I creates a bicameralbicameral legislative branch of government.The upper house is called the SenateSenate in which each state receives twotwo representatives. Name WA’s two Senators.

The lower house is called the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives which is apportioned by populationapportioned by population. Name your Representative for the 10th District.

The SenateSenate has a six-year termsix-year term with 1/3 of the seats up for reelection every two years. Name which of our State’s senators just won re-election.

HouseHouse members serve two-year termstwo-year terms.

Apportionment and Apportionment and RedistrictingRedistricting

The Constitution requires that all Americans be counted every ten yearsevery ten years by a censuscensus.

The census determines the representation in the House of Representatives.

RedistrictingRedistricting (the redrawing of congressional districts to reflect changes in seats allocated to the states from population shifts) is done by state legislatures and, of course, always has political overtones.

When the process is outrageously political, it is called gerrymanderinggerrymandering and is often struck down by the courts.

Powers ofCongress

Taxation

Lawmaking DeclareWar

Regulate Commerce

SpendMoney

CreateCourts

Make all laws “necessary and proper” to carrying out

the enumerated powers

Constitutional Powers Constitutional Powers of Congressof Congress

The most important constitutional power of Congress is the power to make lawsmake laws.

This power is shared by the HouseHouse and the SenateSenate.

In order to become a law, a bill must be passed by bothboth the HouseHouse and the SenateSenate.

Key DifferencesKey DifferencesHouse Senate

• Initiate revenuerevenue bills

• Two-year term• 438• Formal• Specialist• Tax policy

• Advise and consent

• Six-year term• 100• Relaxed• Generalist• Foreign policy

Congress LeadershipCongress LeadershipHouse: the Speaker of the House majority leader of the House (wields real power) minority leader of the House whips (assistants who aid the majority or minority leaders)

Senate: presided by the Vice-President president pro tempore majority floor leader minority floor leader

The Members of Congress

Congress is older, better educated, whiter, and richer than most of us.However, great strides have been made. Currently, both California and Washington State senators are women.Points to ponder:

Can a man represent a woman?Can a white person adequately represent the

views of a black person?

Committee MembershipCommittee Membership

Committee System - The real work of Congress is done in committees. Based on party affiliationSeniorityChairman-most seniority & powerThere are 4 types of committees: 1.Standing 2. Special 3. Joint 4. Conference Standing - always exist Select - special purpose, limited time Joint - members of both houses, investigate something Conference - members of both houses, work out

differences in legislation

Organization of Congress

The Speaker of the House is the official leader of the House of Representatives.He/She is 3rd in line for the Presidency.The speaker controls the selection of Committee members in the House.The Majority leader is second in power behind the Speaker.He/She presents the official position of the party on issues and tries to keep party members loyal to that position

Organization of Congress

The President of the Senate is the Vice–President of the U.S.In cases of a tie, (50 – 50) the Vice-President will cast the tie breaking vote.For day to day operations, a president pro tempore is elected. This person is usually party of the majority party and senior member of the Senate

Final 5

Which house of Congress do you think will be more diverse? Why?

December 3, 2014

Objectives: To develop a better understanding of Congress

Tomorrow: Mock Congress begins!

Get out your notes and charts

Get with your partner and write these percentages down.

White 72% Hispanics 11%

Black 13% Asian/Pac. Islander 4%

Statistical AnalysisStatistical Analysis1. Identify which house of Congress is more

diverse. 2. African Americans are one of the largest minority

groups in the US population. How does the African American percentage of total population compare to their representation in Congress, which has a total of 535 members (House + Senate)?

3. Now compare the percentage of Hispanics in the US population to their representation in Congress.

4.4. EXTENDED RESPONSE:EXTENDED RESPONSE: Use the ratios you found to write an opinion statement on minority representation in Congress.

The Representational The Representational Role of Members of Role of Members of

CongressCongressHow should an elected official represent his/her constituents?

TrusteeTrustee - representatives use their own best judgment

DelegateDelegate - representatives vote the way their constituents want them to

PoliticoPolitico - representatives act as trustee or delegate depending on the issue

6. YOUR OPINION: Which of these representational roles do you agree with more? Explain why!

How Congress is How Congress is OrganizedOrganized

Every two years, a new Congress is seated.Which number will be assigned the Congress

sworn in on Jan. 3, 2015? The first order of business is the election of leaders and adoption of new rules. Both houses of Congress are organized on the basis of party for both leadership and committee purposes.Which party controls both houses of Congress?

How a Bill

becomes Law

Different Types of Different Types of Congressional Congressional CommitteesCommittees

Standing CommitteeStanding Committee: continues from one Congress to the next.Joint CommitteeJoint Committee: set up to expedite business between the two houses.Conference committeeConference committee: special joint committees that resolve differences in bills passed by either house.Ad hoc, special, or select Ad hoc, special, or select committeescommittees: temporary committees designed for a specific purpose.

The Law-Making Function of CongressThe Law-Making Function of Congress

Only a member of the House or Senate may introduce a bill but anyone can write a bill. Over 9,000 bills are proposed and fewer than 5 to 10% are enacted5 to 10% are enacted.Most bills originate in the Executive Branch.Who is the Chief Executive?

A bill must survive three stages to become a law: committeescommittees, the floorfloor, and the conference committeeconference committee. A bill can die at any stage.

Gun Control Legislation Gun Control Legislation Following Publicized Shootings Following Publicized Shootings

Since 1968Since 1968

How Members Make How Members Make DecisionsDecisions

It is rare for a legislator to disregard strong wishes of constituents, particularly on hot-button issues or those contentious issues that get a lot of media attention. Deciding how the voters feel is not possible.The perceptions of the representative are important since he/she cannot really know how all the constituents feel about an issue.If constituents have little knowledge or interest in an issue, the legislator often makes an autonomous decision.

Representative

Colleagues

Constituents Staff

CaucusesParty

Interest Groups

Political Action Committees

How Members Make DecisionsHow Members Make Decisions

Congress and the PresidentCongress and the PresidentEspecially since the 1930s, the president has seemed to be moremore powerfulpowerful than Congress.

However, Congress retains several key powers vis-à-vis the president: funding powers oversight impeachment/removal

Congressional Congressional Oversight of the Oversight of the Executive BranchExecutive Branch

Congress has the power to review the actions of the Executive Branch

Congressional oversight is used to ensure that the bureaucracy is enforcing and interpreting laws the way Congress intended.