Congress – The National Legislature
•Congress translate public will into public policy –
law. Congress has all legislative power.
•Bicameral Legislature
Historical – British Parliament; well known
Practical – Represented proportionally (House)
and equally (Senate)
Theoretical – Checks & Balances
Presidential
Candidate
Vice Presidential
Candidate
Political
Party
Barack H. Obama (Red)
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Popular Vote
Electoral Vote
Democratic
65,918,507
51.01% 332
61.7%
Willard Mitt Romney (Blue) Paul Ryan
Republican
60,934,407
47.15% 206
38.3%
Gary Johnson
James P. Gray
Libertarian
1,275,923
0.99%
0
0%
Jill Stein
Cheri Honkala
Green
469,015
0.36%
0
0%
637,706
0.49%
0
0%
Other
House of Representatives – 114th Congress
Percentage of members from each party by state, ranging from dark
blue (most Democratic) to dark red (most Republican).
114th Congress
Republicans – 244
Democrats – 188
Total – 432
3 Vacancies
Grimm (R), NY resigned 1/5/15
Nunnelee (R), MS died 2/6/15
Schock (R), IL resigned 3/31/15
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUCnb5_HZc0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYL28mO8lNI
Party membership of the Senate, by state
2 Democrats
2 Republicans
1 Democrat and 1 Republican
1 Independent and 1 Democrat
1 Independent and 1 Republican
114th Congress
Republicans – 54
Democrats – 44
Independents - 2
Congress – The National Legislature
Terms & Sessions •Lasts for 2 years and is numbered consecutively.
•20th Amendment – 3rd day of January.
•2 sessions for every term; 1 session each year.
•Congress can adjourn each session as it sees fit. Both
houses recess several short times per session.
•Neither house can adjourn(sine die) without the consent
of the other.
•The President can adjourn a session when Congress
cannot agree on a date (Prorogue).
•Special Session – called by the President only; deals with
an emergency situations; President can call either house.
Congress – The House of Representatives
Qualifications –
•25 years of age, citizen for at least 7 years,
inhabitant of the State from which you are elected.
•House may or may not refuse to seat a member.
•May punish (majority) or expel (2/3rd) its members.
•Other informal qualifications such as political party,
ethnicity, gender, name familiarity, or experience
may play a role in an election.
Congress – The House of Representatives
•435 Members – set by Congress – distributed among
the States based on population. Each State is
guaranteed 1 Representative.
•Territories send 1 delegate and Puerto Rico sends a
commissioner; not full-fledged members.
•Elected every two years; two year terms; no term
limits.
•Reapportionment – redistribute seats after each
decennial (10 years) census.
•Reapportionment Act of 1929 – 435 members, Census
Bureau determines number of seats, President sends it
to Congress, Congress has 60 days to respond.
Congress – The House of Representatives
Congressional Elections –
•Date – Tuesday following the 1st Monday in
November of each even-numbered year.
•The elections that are held between presidential
elections are called Off-Year Elections (Midterm).
•The party in power usually loses seats.
Congressional Districts –
•435 separate districts across the country; used to
be done using an at-large process. Today, we use a
single-member district plan and States are
responsible for drawing district lines.
Congress – The House of Representatives
Gerrymandering –
•Drawing a district to the advantage of the political
party that controls the State’s legislature. Achieved
by Packing, Cracking, or Kidnapping.
1. Concentrate the opponents voter’s
2. Spread them too thinly
3. Wesberry v. Sanders (1964) – “one person one
vote”
4. Done on the basis of race violates 15th
Amendment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcUDBgYodIE
New York's 17th congressional district
Representative: Eliot L. Engel (D)[
Counties:
Bronx County (part)
Westchester County (part)
Rockland County (part)
New York's 18th congressional district
Representative: Nita M. Lowey (D)
Counties:
Rockland County (part)
Westchester County (part)
New York's 19th congressional district
Representative: John Hall (D)
Counties:
Dutchess County (part)
Orange County (part)
Putnam County
Rockland County (part)
Westchester County (part)
New York's 17th congressional district
Representative: Nita Lowey (D)
Congress – The Senate
Qualifications –
• 30 years of age, citizen for at least nine
years, inhabitant of the State from which he
or she is elected.
• Senate judges the qualifications of each
member and can refuse to seat a member
(majority vote) or punish (majority vote) or
expel (2/3rds vote).
Congress – The Senate
Size –
• Two Senators from each State (100 total).
• “Upper House” – more respected and sought
after position.
• Each Senator represent the entire State.
Election –
• Originally chosen by State Legislatures (changed
with the 17th Amendment 1913).
• Only one Senator can be elected in any election
unless in the case of death, resignation, or
expulsion.
Congress – The Senate
Term –
• Six year terms, no limit on terms.
• Terms are Staggered, only 1/3rd of the Senate
comes up for reelection every two years
(continuous body).
• Senators are to focus on the “big picture issues”
instead of the interests of a specific group or
demographic.
• Prime source of Presidential candidates, more
media attention, more clout, more prestige.
Staggering of the United States Senate
The Members of Congress
Background –
• Average member is white male, mid 50s, either
all married or divorced, 2 children on average,
60% religious affiliation, over a third in the
House and over half in the Senate are lawyers,
most were born in the State they represent,
most have extensive experience.
• Not a typical cross section of the nation’s
population.
• Composition has changed over the years
(women and minorities).
The Members of Congress
Job Description –
1. Legislators
2. Representatives of their Constituents
a. Trustees – use of conscience and independent
judgment to make decisions; decisions are based
on merit.
b. Delegates – voting that is done based on what he
or she believes their constituents want; do not
pay attention to their own beliefs or those of
special interest groups or colleagues.
c. Partisans – voting in line with their political party.
d. Politicos – combine and balance the above roles.
The Members of Congress
Job Description –
3. Committee Members –
a. Proposed laws are referred to committees to be
screened.
b. Committees decide which proposals are to be
considered by the House and/or Senate.
c. Oversight – checks and regulates the agencies of
the Executive Branch.
4. Servants –
a. Assist constituents with various local problems
such as passports, loans, contracts, appointments.
The Members of Congress
Compensation –
• $174,000 per year; some higher ranking members
are paid more (Senate and House
majority/minority leaders-$193,400, Speaker of
the House-$223,500).
• Fringe Benefits – special tax deduction, travel
allowances, generous life and health insurance
policies, generous retirement plan, office space
allowances, operating costs, franking privilege
(postage-free mailing), free printing, low cost
supplies, restaurant choices, pools, gym, free
parking, and the services of the Library of
Congress.
The Members of Congress
The Politics of Pay –
• Congressional pay can be limited by the President’s
veto or the fear of voter backlash.
• 27th Amendment
Membership Privileges –
• Exempt from arrest for any civil offenses while
engaged in congressional business.
• Legislative immunity – protection from suits involving
“free speech” during official business.
• Not designed to give members unlimited freedom of
speech whether verbal or written (no slander or libel).