The Members of Congress Congress is the legislative, or lawmaking, branch of the national government. It is “bicameral,” meaning it is made up of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. I.
The Responsibilities of Lawmaking: when voting on laws, members of Congress have to consider several factors. • Local vs. National Needs: Members of Congress have to balance their responsibilities to their constituents (the people he or she represents) with their responsibility to the whole nation. • Political Parties: Members of Congress also have to consider their party’s position on the issues. Most members of Congress (533 of the 535!) are either Democrats or Republicans, and party leaders expect their members to vote with them on key issues. • Interest Groups: Members of Congress rely on campaign contributions from interest groups (groups of people who work together for common goals). Interest groups (like the NRA, AARP, the Sierra Club, the NAACP) employ lobbyists to meet with members of Congress and try to convince them to vote with them on issues affecting their members. By voting with an interest group, members of Congress may be able to count on their support (both in financial contributions and votes) when they run for reelection. II.
Members of Congress at Work • Members of Congress have to spend a lot of time learning about the issues affecting the country before voting on laws. They attend meetings with experts, with lobbyists, and with other members of Congress in order to educate themselves on key issues. They rely heavily on their staffs for support. Members of Congress have staff members in Washington, D.C. as well as in their home states or districts. III.
Representatives and Senators • Each state has two senators. States have different numbers of representatives, depending on their population. • Every ten years the government conducts a census to determine the official population count of every state. States are then told how many members of the House of Representatives they will have for the next ten years. The largest state, California, has 53 members in the House, while the smallest states, including Delaware, have just one member. However, both California and Delaware has two senators. House of Representatives: Size: 435 members Terms: 2 years (may serve an unlimited number of terms; as often as they get re-­‐elected) Congressional Districts/Apportionment: Each state is divided into equal-­‐sized congressional districts; the number varies depending on population. Qualifications: 25 years old; US citizen for 7 years; legal resident of the state which you represent. Senate: Size: 2 members per state (100 members now). Terms: 6 year term (may serve an unlimited number of terms, as often as they get re-­‐elected). Qualifications: 30 years old; US citizen for 9 years; legal resident of the state.