unit two: chapter five the organization of congress
TRANSCRIPT
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Unit Two: Chapter Five
The Organization of Congress
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Bicameralism
• Congress is made up of two houses.– The Senate and the House of Representatives.
• Senate + House of Reps = Congress
– Has roots from Great Britain.
• Compromise from NJ and VA Plans.• The two houses check & balance each other.• Each term of Congress consists of two
sessions, one during each year of a term.
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House of Representatives
• Size – 435 members– Not fixed by Constitution, set by Congress– One seat is about 620,000 people
• Apportionment– Constitution says seats will be apportioned
(distributed) among states on basis of their respective population.
• Look on page 125
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Qualifications
• Must be 25 years old.• Must be a citizen for 7
years.• Must live in the state
where you are chosen.• Tradition – must live
in the district where you are chosen.
• Can punish their own.• Can expel their own
with a 2/3 vote.
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Everyone gets a say…
• Every state is guaranteed one seat in the House of Representatives.
• The following states only have one representative:– Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North and South Dakota,
Vermont, and Wyoming
• District of Colombia, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa– All have a delegate to represent them in the house
• Puerto Rico chooses a resident commissioner• None of these are considered H.O.R. members.
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It’s a short life
• Representatives are chosen every 2 years for 2 year terms.– Next election is always near, so they tend to
think more about the folks back home
• No constitutional limit on the number of terms representatives may serve.
• Terms: 2 years, no limit!
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Keeping it fair!
• Article One of the Constitution says…
• Congress must reapportion (redistribute) seats after the decennial census!– So… we had apportionment done in 2011, after
the 2010 census, and it will became effective in 2012 elections.
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Reapportionment Act of 1929
• 1 – Permanent size of House of Reps is 435• 2 – After the census, the Census Bureau will
determine how many seats each state should have.
• 3 – The President sends the Bureau’s completed report to Congress.
• 4 – If within 60 days of receiving it, no state disapproves, it becomes effective.
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Congressional Elections
• Have been held on the same day of Presidential elections ever since 1872.– 1st Tues, after 1st Mon, in Nov, every 4 yrs.
• Off-year Elections– Congressional elections that occur years other
than a Presidential election.– Usually the party in power loses seats in an off-
year election.
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Congressional Terms and Sessions
• Terms begin:– As per 20th amendment, the “lame duck
amendment”– January 3rd of odd numbered years at noon– Last for two years, each year is one session
• Current congress:– 114th – Jan 3rd 2015 – Jan 3rd 2017
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Districts
• There are 435 districts.• Single Member
District – One person is chosen
for that district
– H.O.R.
• General ticket system– Senate’s seats are filled
at large (from the state as a whole).
– Everyone votes on everyone
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The Senate, aka: “Upper House”
• Composed of 2 senators from each state.
• Went from 22 members in 1789 to 100 now.
• Senators are picked by voters in each state at regular November elections.
• Each Senator is elected from the state at large.– General Ticket System
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Senators, continued.
• Serve 6 year terms.– They feel less public pressure and can vote
more how they feel, than their constituents.– Are supposed to be focused on the big picture.
• There is no limit to how often they can be re-elected.
• Is a continuous body – all seats are never up for re-election at the same time.
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Smaller body, more power?
• Senators have more power in their State organizations, than H.O.R.’s.
• They have easier access to media, and have larger staffs than H.O.R.’s.
• They are also the primary source to Presidential Candidate Nominations.– More senators are up for the Presidency than
H.O.R.’s.
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Qualifications
• Need to be at least 30.• Must be a citizen for 9
years.• Must be an inhabitant
of the state where they were elected.
• May exclude a member-elect by a majority vote.– 2/3 vote
• Can punish their own members.
• 15 members have been expelled.
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Gerrymandering
• When the political party controlling the state gov’t draws a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage in elections.
• Elbridge Gerry• Hillgrove example
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Who’s Who Among
Congress
Men & Women
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The Firsts…
• 1st African American – Hiram Rhodes Revels
– 1870-1871
– Republican, Mississippi.
• 1st Woman – Jeannette Rankin
– 1916
– Republican, Montana
• 1st Chinese American– David Wu
– 1998
– Democrat, Oregon
• 1st Native American– Ben Nighthorse
Campell
– 1992
– Republican, Colorado
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Other statistics…
• 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and 2 Independents who caucus with the Democrats.
• 55% are Protestant.
• A little more than 1/2 are lawyers.
• Almost all are upper/middle class.
• Almost all are married.
• Nearly all have a college degree.
• Many depend on their salaries for their income.
• Most serve in House for 4 terms, and Senate for 2.
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Duties of the Job
• Their major job is to make law.
• They are members of Congress, but also:– Committee Members– Representatives of their constituents– Servants of their constituents– Politicians
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Additional Duties…
• Trustees– Holders of public trust,
who decide issues on merit alone (not opinions of groups/constituents).
• Delegates – Agents of those who
elected them, should suppress their own views in favor of electorates.
• Partisans– Bound to vote on
issues according to party platform and party leaders.
• Politicos– Many members
attempt to balance the roles of trustee, delegate, and partisan.
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Compensation
• Senators and Representatives receive salaries averaging $174,000
• Nonsalary Compensation – Congressional Members receive fringe benefits
• Low cost medical care
• Free printing and distribution of speeches, newsletter, and other materials
• Congress sets their own benefits
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Any Privileges?
• Members cannot be arrested for misdemeanors while Congress is in session.
• Members are immune from court action because of any speech they may make in Congress.
• Myth – Congressional Members do not pay taxes from their pay check…– YES THEY DO!!!!!