CongressNotes Part 1

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.- Mark Twain, a Biography

It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress.- Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar

Congress Notes 1

• As citizens of the United States we live in what is known as a representative democracy.

• Congress serves as a representation of the will of the people.

• Congress does this by transforming the will and the needs of the American public into law and policy.

Bicameralism

• Congress is split up into houses known as the House of Representatives and the Senate

• A bicameral legislature has been in practice since the 1300’s in Britain

• The Senate consists of two representatives from each state while the number of representatives in the House is determined by a state’s population.

Terms & Sessions

• Each term in congress lasts for two years• Each term consists of two sessions, one in

each year• Neither of the two houses may adjourn for

the year without the consent of the other• If congress is out of session, the President

can convene a special session if need be to deal with an unexpected or pressing issue

The House of Representatives

• A House Rep. must be 25 yrs old, a citizen for at least 7 years, and live in the state which they represent.

• The House is made up of 435 members who were apportioned based on the populations of the states

• The house has power over its members and members elect in regards to qualifications and actions of its own members

• It has the power to punish and even expel its own members for disorderly behavior.

The House of RepresentativesCont’

• Each state is guaranteed at least one seat in the House• House member terms are two years long and there is no

limit on the number of terms a representative can serve• The reapportionment act of 1929 set the permanent size

of the house at 435, and stated that the seats would be reapportioned every ten years after the census

• The house is made up of representatives from single member districts within a state

• State legislatures are responsible for drawing up congressional districts that are contiguous, populated equally, and compact

• In many cases state congressional districts fell victim to Gerrymandering

GERRYMANDERING

• What is gerrymandering? Gerrymandering is a term that describes the deliberate rearrangement of the boundaries of congressional districts to influence the outcome of elections.  

• Where did gerrymandering come from?The original gerrymander was created in 1812 by Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry, who crafted a district for political purposes that looked like a salamander.  

• What is the purpose of gerrymandering?The purpose of gerrymandering is to either concentrate opposition votes into a few districts to gain more seats for the majority in surrounding districts (called packing), or to diffuse minority strength across many districts (called dilution).

The Senate

• The Senate is made up of 100 members, two from each state

• Originally Senators were chosen by the state legislature, however after the 17th amendment now gives the power to choose Senators to the general population

• A Senator serves a six year term with no limit on number of terms served

• The Senate is a continuous body• Senators are traditionally less affected by the pressures

of their local constituents• Often more concerned with national interests

The Senate Cont’

• Senators are considered to be of a higher status inside Washington and their respective political parties

• Senators must be at least 30 yrs old, a citizen for a minimum of nine years, and reside in the state which they represent

• Like the house, the senate has power over its members behavior

Members of Congress

• Congress is not an accurate representation of the American public

• However in recent years both houses have become slightly more diverse

• Most members are married, ¾ are from Judeo Christian backgrounds

• They often come from careers in politics, business, and law

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tt?catid=all

Duties of Congress

• Members of Congress serve multiple roles and functions

• They are legislators, committee members, representatives of their constituents, servants of their constituents, and politicians

• As committee members they serve in the processes of creating and proposing legislation and they exercise oversight function

• Oversight function is the process of checking on various agencies in the executive branch to make sure they properly operating

Voting Choices

• The primary responsibility of a congressman is to vote on laws

• Voting options: – Trustee: vote on their own accord.– Delegate: vote how their constituents want.– Partisan: vote as their party wishes. – Politico: balance of all three.

Benefits

• Congressman are also generously paid and enjoy a large variety of fringe benefits.

• $165,000

• Gymnasium

• Restaurants

• Franking, Congressional Mailing Privledge