Congress
Bicameral Legislature – House & Senate
The House
Two year Sessions – begin January 3rd on odd years,
each 2yr session is a “new” congress.
Term of Office – 2 yrs
Qualifications:
at least 25 yrs old
Citizen of US at least 7 yrs.
Legal resident of district they represent
Chapter 5, Sect. 1
House of Representatives (cont’d)
Representation & Reapportionment
1929 House limited to 435 members, or districts
Districts set up according to Population
Population established by census done every 10 yrs
Reapportionment - Districts changed per change in census
figures
Redistricting – process of setting up new districts lines
Gerrymandering- Legislature draws new district lines to favor
party in power
Chapter 5, Sect. 1
Maurice Hinchey
22th District
Senatorial Membership
Qualifications –
At least 30 yrs old
Citizens of Us for at least 9 yrs. Before election
Legal residents of states represented
Elected at-large (represent entire state – no district)
Term of Office6 years
1/3 of senators run for election each 2nd year
Governor or legislature fill vacancies (for balance of term)
Chapter 5, Sect. 1
Privileges of Members of Congress
• “Free from arrest in all cases except treason, felony, and
breach of peace when they are attending congress, . . . “
• They can refuse an elected member to a seat with a
majority vote. (power of exclusion)
• Censure a vote for formal disapproval of the conduct of a
member of either chamber
• Franking Privilege – free stationary & postage for official
business
• Raising Salary limited by 27th Amendment – no sitting
Congress can vote itself a pay raise (it would become
effective in the next session)
Chapter 5, Sect. 1
Members of Congress
• The entire congress includes 535 voting members, 100
of which are senators and 435 of them are from the
House.
• There are 4 “delegates” in the House one each from
– District of Columbia
– Guam
– American Samoa
– Virgin Islands
Incumbents –members already in office, have distinct advantages
Such as PAC’s – Political Action Committees, gerrymandering,
name recognition, franking privilege
Chapter 5, Sect. 1
House of Representatives
Rules of OperationHouse sets up own rules (House Rules Committee)
Work done in committees
Representatives tend to try to work on committees that affect their
constituents . (Constituents are voters within the Reps own district)
House Leadership:
Speaker of the House – presiding officer of House, chosen in caucus
(Informal congressional groups and organizations of Members with
shared interests in specific issues or philosophies)
Majority leader – Speaker’s top assistant
Majority whips- assistants to Majority Leader
(monitor voting of members)
Chapter 5, Sect. 2
House of Representatives
Legislation in the HouseLaw starts as a bill, then goes to appropriate committee for review
If it survives it is put on the House Calendar (lists bills up for
consideration)
Rules Committee determines manner & order in which bill is
considered
Quorum- minimum number of members necessary for House to
take official action 218 members necessary. To act on a bill on the
floor a quorum must be present
The Senate
The Senate generally has a more relaxed atmosphere with fewer published rules
Senate Leadership•US Vice President is President of the Senate
•He may cast vote in case of a tie
•In absence of V P, President Pro Tempore presides (Senate elects this Senator)
•Majority & Minority leaders are party positions not Senate positions, who
with Whips and Assistant Whips help steer bills through votes.
Scheduling Bills- Senate has two calendars
The Calendar of General Orders- lists bills up for consideration
The Executive Calendar- Schedules Treaties & Nominations
Filibuster- “ . . . means to keep talking until a majority of the Senate either abandons the
bill or agrees to modify its most controversial provisions.”
Rules:
• Must discuss only the provisions of the bill for the first three hours
• After 3 hrs they may talk about anything
• To stop requires 3/5’s vote by the Senate for Cloture,
• Then each Senator may speak only 1hr
Chapter 5, Sect. 3
Congressional Committees
Purposes:
 Allows division of labor for efficiency & development of
expertise
 Selection process for bills (eliminates unnecessary legislation)
 Run investigations & public hearings
4 Basic Types:
1.Standing
2.Select 3.Joint 4.Conference
Standing Committees:
Permanent groups, continuing from Congress to Congress, to oversee
bills dealing w/certain types of issues
Subcommittee:
Specializes in a subcategory of the standing committee’s responsibility,
Assists in research of committee’s responsibilities
Congressional Committees
Select Committees:
Most often TEMPORARY, to study & report on specific issues (as opposed to
bills, but some have become permanent such as Select Intelligence
Committee).
Joint Committees:
Made up of both House & Senate members, usually to coordinate study or
research for a bill or issue between both houses.
Conference Committees:
TEMPORARY committee to form a Compromise Bill when House & Senate
have developed different versions of the same bill
House of Representatives
Standing
Agriculture
Armed Services
Education and Labor
Financial Services
Homeland Security
Judiciary
Natural Resources
Rules
Small Business
Veterans' Affairs
Ways and Means
Appropriations
Budget
Energy and Commerce
Foreign Affairs
House Administration
Intelligence (Permanent Select)
Oversight and Government Reform
Science and Technology
Standards of Official Conduct
Transportation and Infrastructure
Standing Committees –
1.Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
2.Appropriations
3.Armed Services
4.Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
5.Budget
6.Commerce, Science, and Transportation
7.Energy and Natural Resources
8.Environment and Public Works
9.Finance
10.Foreign Relations
11.Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
12.Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
13.Judiciary
14.Rules and Administration
15.Small Business and Entrepreneurship
16.Veterans' Affairs
Senate
House & Senate
Special, Select, and Other
Impeachment Trial Committee
Indian Affairs
Select Committee on Ethics
Select Committee on Intelligence
Special Committee on Aging
Joint
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Committee on the Library
Joint Economic Committee
Staff & Support Agencies
Help Representative or Senator to
Communicate with constituents
assist in running committee hearings & floor sessions
draft new bills
Write committee reports
Attend committee meetings for rep
Keep rep informed on issues
Work on reelection
Handle problems with constituents (caseworkers)
Support Agencies
Library of Congress – formed in 1800 as a research resource to
Congress
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)- estab. 1974 to coordinate
budget work of Congress. Studies and reports on effect of
financial policies
General Accounting Office (GAO)- estab. 1921 as a watchdog
on government spending
Government Printing Office (GPO)- Does the printing for
entire Federal Government