Article I=The Legislative Branch
Section I: Legislative Powers
Legislative Department = Law Making Branch
HOR+SEN= Congress, 535 Members
Great Compromise established a bicameral legislature which included the
Senate= Upper House
House of Representatives= Lower House
The framers of the Constitution wanted this to be the most powerful branch.
Terms in Congress
Each Congress = 2 years
Term starts Jan. 3 of odd years and given a #2011-2013 = 112th Congress
Calender
Sessions
• 2 sessions per term.• Usually from Jan.- Nov.• Will meet for special circumstances/ emergency • Joint Session- when both HOR and SEN meet
together
Section II: House of Representatives
435 Members
Clause I: Representatives serve 2 year terms and have no term limits
Clause II: Qualifications25 years of age
Be a citizen for at least 7 years
Maintain residence in which state that which you represent
Section II: House of Representatives
Clause III: Determining the # of Representatives
Each state is allotted at least one Representative
No more than 1 Rep. per 30,000 people
Census every 10 years will determine the allotted # of Reps.
Section II: House of Representatives
Clause IV: Filling VacanciesIf a Representative is unable to fulfill his duties as Reps then a Writs of Election will be issued to order a special election.
Section II: House of Representatives
Clause VSpeaker of the House is elected by the representatives. Typically belongs to the majority party.
Sets the HOR calendar. Gives power to the majority party.
Currently John Boehner
60 minutes
Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi
Section II: House of Representatives
Clause V cont.
House is given the power of impeachmentBringing charges against an official
Nixon's Impeachment
Congressional Districts
Each state is divided into at least 1 or more districts.
State legislatures draw the boundaries so that they include roughly equal number of constituents.
States abuse this process by gerrymandering which is an oddly shaped district to increase the strength of a certain party.
Ex) district 12
NC Representatives; Dist. 9& 12
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Sue Myrick, R, District 9
Mel Watt, D, District 12