Unit 4:
The Legislative Branch
Introduction to Congress
 Legal Basis of Congress
 Found in Article I of
Constitution
 A Bicameral Congress
 Definition: a legislative body
made up of two houses
 Reasons:
1.
2.
3.
Historical: British Parliament
consisted of two houses
Practical: Settled conflict over
NJ and VA Plans
Theoretical: Created additional
checks and balances
Art. I, Sect. 2 – House of Representatives
 Total Number: 435
 Term Length: 2 years
 Qualifications:
 25 years old
 American citizen for 7 years
 Resident of that state
 Apportionment: number of
Reps based on population
 Salary: $174,000, $223,500
(Speaker)
 Speaker of House presides
 Has sole power to Impeach –
accuse or bring accusations
Art. I, Sect. 3 – The Senate
 Total Number: 100
 Term Length: 6 years
 Qualifications:
 30 years old
 American citizen for 9 years
 Resident of that state
 Apportionment: 2 senators per state
 Salary: $174,000, $193,400 (party leaders)
 Vice President presides over Senate, can cast only a deciding
vote – to break tie
 President pro tempore presides when VP is absent
 Has sole power to try Impeachments
A TERM of Congress
 Definition: a time in which all the members of
Congress are the same (no elections during
this time)
 Each lasts for two years and is consecutively
numbered
 A new term begins on Jan. 3rd of an odd year
 We are currently in the 112th Term which began Jan. 3, 2011 and will end
on Jan. 3, 2013
 http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/termsofcongress.html
A SESSION of Congress
 Definition: a period of time in which Congress assembles and
does work
 Other info:
 Two sessions for each term of Congress (1 year each)
 Congress adjourns or suspends each session as they see fit
 Currently, they work for most of the year but will recess
for several short periods
 Special Sessions
 A meeting to deal with an emergency situation
 There have been only 26 called in history
 Most recent: Harry Truman, in 1948, to consider anti-inflation and welfare
measures post-WWII
Key Terms – House of Reps
 Apportioned: seats are distributed in the House based on a state’s
population
 Higher population
More districts
 As of 2008: about 700,000 people per district
 Reapportioned: seats are redistributed following a census every 10
years
 Off-year Elections: elections
held between Presidential
elections (mid-term)
Gerrymandering
 Definition: redrawing districts to benefit one political
party over the other, usually done by the party in power
Key Terms – Senate
 “Continuous Body”: Senate terms are staggered,
meaning only a third (33 or 34) of the senators
are up for re-election every 2 years
 Constituency: the people (constituents) and the
interests the elected official represents
 Since Senators represent a larger constituency,
they are regarded as national political leaders
 Representative = one district
 Senator = entire state
The Members of Congress
 “Average” Member: white male






in early 50’s
More women than ever
Variety of minorities
represented
Most members are married
with children
Have some type of religious
affiliations
Most members have
considerable political
experience
Do you think this changes the
way Congress functions?
Gender Composition of the 112th Congress
U.S. House
U.S. Senate
Men
362
83
Women
76
17
Racial Composition of the 112th Congress
(including Delegates in the House)
U.S. House
U.S. Senate
White
361
96
Black
44
0
Hispanic
25
2
Asian
7
2
American
Indian
1
0
House of Reps
Republicans
Democrats
Senate
Vacancies
Republicans
Democrats
Independents
The Members of Congress
 Jobs:
 Legislators: write laws/bills, vote
 Representatives of Constituents
 Trustee – A lawmaker who votes based on their own
conscience and judgment, not the views of their
constituents
 Delegate – Lawmaker who votes based on how their
constituents tell them to vote
 Partisan – Lawmaker who owes their allegiance to their
political party and votes according to party lines
 Politico – Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic
elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles
How Congress Organizes
Opening Day
1) Each new Term begins on January 3rd of an odd
year.
2) The House chooses the Speaker, members are sworn
in, and they adopt new rules and appoint members
to committees.
3) The Senate (a continuous body) swears in new and reelected members, vacancies in Senate organizations
and committees are filled.
4) When both are organized, they let the President
know they are “ready” and wait for him/her to
deliver the State of the Union Message
 “He shall from time to time give to the Congress
information on the State of the Union…”
 -Article II, Section 3
II. Presiding Officers
House
Speaker of
the House
Majority
Floor Leader
Minority
Floor Leader
Majority
Whip
Minority
Whip
Current Leadership in the 112th Congress
 House of Representatives
 Speaker of the House
 John A. Boehner (R-OH)
 Majority Leader
 Eric Cantor (R-VA)
 Majority Whip
 Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
 Minority Leader
 Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
 Minority Whip
 Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
II. Presiding Officers
Senate
President of
the Senate
President
pro-tempore
Majority
Floor Leader
Majority
Whip
Minority
Floor Leader
Minority
Whip
Current Leadership in the 112th Congress
 Senate
 President Pro Tempore
 Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
 Majority Leader
 Harry Reid (D-NV)
 Majority Whip
 Richard Durbin (D-IL)
 House Minority Leader
 Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
 Minority Whip
 Jon Kyl (R-AZ)