AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
 Red Flag Questions
Pages 137-142
CHAPTER 5: CONGRESS: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
SECTION 3: The House of Representatives
By the end of this section, you will be able to answer these questions:
1. What are the key features of the House of Representatives and its membership?
2. What are some of the challenges that reapportionment and redistricting raise?
3. How is the leadership of the House organized?
4. What is the role of committees in the operation of the House?
MEMBERSHIP IN THE HOUSE

How did James Madison view the Senate in relation to the House of Representatives?
Formal Qualifications

What are the formal qualifications of members of the H. of R.?

For what reasons may the H. of R. expel one of its members?

How may the H. of R. expel one of its members?
Informal Qualifications

What is the most important quality for anyone who wants to be a member of the H. of
R.?

What is another ability that today’s members need?
REAPPORTINMENT AND REDISTRICTING

On average, how many people does each representative serve?
Changes in Population

reapportionment

What causes a state to lose seats in the H. of R.?
Gerrymandering

Who has the responsibility of creating the district boundaries?

gerrymandering
One Person, One Vote

How did Wesberry v. Sanders rule against gerrymandering?

What was the importance of Davis v. Bandemer?
LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE
The Speaker of the House

Speaker of the House

What are the roles of the Speaker?

bills

Where does the Speaker of the House fall in the line of presidential succession?
Other Leadership Posts

floor leader (majority leader)

What is the responsibility of the minority leader?

whips

party caucus
House Rules

What is a censure?

What is the function of the Rules Committee?
THE ROLE OF COMMITTEES
Standing Committees

standing committees

What is the purpose of the House Committee on Ways and Means?

How many subcommittees do standing committees have?
Other Committees

select committees

joint committees
Committee Chairs

What is each committee headed by?

What is seniority?
Committee Membership

Why might a member request a committee appointment?

How many committees and subcommittees can a House member serve on?