Legislative Branch
Ms. Ramos
The US Congress
House
Senate
# Members
Basis of Size
When elected
Age
Citizenship
Legal Residence
Salary
CA Members
Ms. Ramos
The US Congress
House
Senate
435
# Members
100
Population
Basis of Size
Equal-2
2yrs all
25
US 7
When elected
Age
6 yrs/ 1/3
30
Citizenship
US 9
District
Legal Residence
State
174,000
Salary
174,000
Joe Baca
CA Members
Boxer &
Feinstein
Ms. Ramos
Traits of Congress
•
•
•
•
Over 40
“Old white men”
Educated
*** It is changing!- but still not
representative of the US pop
Ms. Ramos
Benefits of Congress
•
•
•
•
•
•
Office staff
Insurance
Pension
Secret service
Immunity
Free travel
•
•
•
•
•
Barber
Cafeteria
Health club
Free parking
Franking
privilege
Ms. Ramos
• House
• Speaker-preside over
House & spokesperson
• Maj/Min Leadersmaj:schedule leg,
min:represent concerns
• Maj/Min Whip- close
contact w/part & keep
votes
Ms. Ramos
House
Leadership
http://www.cabr.org/photos/11SealHouse01.jpg
Speaker Pelosi
http://riccioli.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/
442px-nancy_pelosi_official_portrait.jpg
Maj Leader Hoyer
http://judicial-inc.biz/wh.o_i3.jpg
Maj Whip Clyburn
http://antzinpantz.com/kns/images/jan09/clyburn.jpg
Min Leader Boehner
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wpsrv/politics/congress/members/photos/228/B0005
89.jpg
Min Whip Cantor
http://rednova8.files.wordpress.com/200
9/02/eric_cantor_headshot1.jpg
Ms. Ramos
• Senate
• Presiding OfficerV.P.
• President Pro
Tempore- fill in for
VP
• Maj/Min Leaders
• Maj/Min Whip
Ms. Ramos
Senate
Leadership
Pres Biden
Pres Pro Tempore
Inouye
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlined
http://www.whitehouse.gov/adminis
tration/vice_president_biden/
b/cgibin/membervotes.cgi?&lang=&member=
HISR&site=afsa&address=&city=&state=
HI&zipcode=&plusfour=
Maj Leader Reid
http://reid.senate.gov/about/index.cfm
Maj Whip Durbin
http://durbin.senate.gov/page_images
/Durbin0002.jpg
Min Leader
McConnel
http://mcconnell.senate.gov/official_photos.cfm
Min Whip Kyle
Ms. Ramos
http://kyl.senate.gov/constit_center/about.cfm
Designated Powers
House
• Originate
appropriations
($)
• Impeaching
officials
• Decide
presidential
election
Senate
• Approve treaties
• Approve
appointments
• Try
impeachments
• Decide VP
election
Ms. Ramos
Expressed Powers
• Declare War
• Approve treaties
• Copyright &
patent
• Postal power
• Coin money
•
•
•
•
Create judiciary
Acuire territory
Naturalization
Regulate
interstate
commerce
Ms. Ramos
Implied Powers
• Draft
• Tax to fund
welfare, schools,
housing, etc
• Est minimum wage
• Protect disabled
• Ban discrimination
• Bar shipping of x
items
Ms. Ramos
Types of Committees
• Standing
– Permanent
• Select
– Special issue
• Joint
– Both houses
• Conference
– Both houses work out bill differences
Ms. Ramos
Committee assignment
• Chair
–member of majority part &
longest
• Member
–reflect how well regarded &
knowledge
Ms. Ramos
• Resources
–Personal staff
–Cmte staff
–Congressional Agencies
• Proposal
–House: Hopper
–Senate: Floor
Ms. Ramos
Types of Bills
• Bill
– Proposed law
• Joint Resolution
– Act w/force of law, often re: temp matter
• Concurrent Resolution
– Statement on issue, both houses, w/o force of
law
• Resolution
– Statement on issue, one house, w/o force
Ms. Ramos
Intro H1
Intro S1
Cmte Action
Cmte Action
Standing
Sub
Full
Rules-
Standing
Sub
Full
Rules-
Conditions for
debate & anmend
Conditions for
debate & anmend
Floor Action
Floor Action
Conference Cmte
Congressional Approval
President
Ms. Ramos
Senate
1789:
• Create stability
• 1/3 elected every 2
yrs
Election: • State legislature
• 17th Amendmentpeople elect
Ms. Ramos
• Powers
denied:
• Ex post facto
• Bill of attainder
• Suspend habeas
corpus
• Tax exports
• Laws Violate
Constitution
Ms. Ramos
Conducting Business
• New term begins Jan 3
• Quorum: # needed to conduct
business
–Senate: 51
–House: 218
Ms. Ramos
Congressional District
• Apportionment
– avg: 646,946
• CA- 26th District
http://dreier.house.gov/cdd_bio.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_House_of_Representatives,_California_District_26.png
Ms. Ramos
Census:
* Every 10 years
* Used for redistrictingGerrymandering
–“
–
* “One person,
one vote”
http://www.nospeedbumps.com/wp-images/Alabama_Splitlined.jpg
Ms. Ramos