Organization of Congress
The House of Representatives
&
U.S. Senate
Congressional Membership
 Bicameral: Two house legislature.
 Congressional Sessions
 Each term begins on January 3 of odd-numbered years and lasts
for two years.
 111th Congress [2009-2010]
 112th Congress [2011-2012]
 113th Congress [2013-2014]
 Each session lasts one year.
 Have to vote to adjourn.
Membership of the House
 435 members.
 Based on each state’s population
 [APPORTIONMENT]
 Each state is guaranteed 1 representative.
Congressional Apportionment, 2000
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUCnb5_HZc0
 http://mapscroll.blogspot.com/2011/01/2010-census-
population-and.html
Qualifications
 Must be at least 25 years old.
 Citizen of the U.S. for at least 7 years.
 Live in the district they represent.
Dan Benishek
Term of Office
 Two-Year Terms.
 All members (435 of them) must run for reelection!
 90% are reelected.
 What if there is a vacancy?
 Special election to fill the vacancy.
Representation and Reapportionment
Census Bureau Census taken every 10 years.
 Population determines the new number.
Congressional Redistricting
 After reapportionment, the states sets up congressional
districts – one for each representative.
 Redistricting.
 Some states abused redistricting power.
 Creating districts of unequal populations
 Gerrymandering- odd shaped districts
 “One person, one vote”
 Each district contains about 650,000 people.
Membership in the Senate
 2 Senators from every state = 100
 Qualifications
 Age 30+
 U.S. citizen for 9 years
 Legal residents of the state they represent.
 All voters of each state elect senators AT LARGE, or
statewide.
DEBBIE
STABENOW
CARL LEVIN
Term of Office
 Continuity
 6 year terms – 1/3 of the senators would run for reelection
every 2 years. [Most win reelection]
 Vacancy??
 State legislature may call upon the governor to
appoint someone until the next election.
OR
 Governor may also call a special election to fill the
seat.
Salary and Benefits
 Senate and House set their own salaries.
 27th Amendment (Michigan cast the deciding vote!)
 Prohibits a sitting Congress from giving itself a pay raise.
 $133,000 (‘93)
 $150,000 (‘02)
 Franking Privilege: free stationary, postage.
Privileges…..
 Free from arrest
 Cannot be sued for things they say on the floor.
 May judge each others’ qualifications.
 May punish its own members for disorderly behavior by
majority vote. [Can expel with 2/3 vote]
 Censure: formal disapproval of a member.
 E.g. Bill Clinton Scandal.