Good Day!

DRAW A LINE SEPARATING TODAY & YESTERDAY1) Write: Date: 11/09/09, Topic: Congress2) On the next line, write “Opener #40” and then:

1) Plot your mood, reflect in 1 sent.2) Respond to the opener by writing at least 2 sentences about:Your opinions/thoughts OR/AND

Questions sparked by the clip OR/AND

Summary of the clip OR/AND

Other things going on in the news.Announcements: NoneIntro Music: Untitled

Agenda1) Congress Introduction

What you will be able to do:1) Know how Congress works for you

Reminder1) No HW

Review 1) Legislative Branch: Research laws, creates

laws, and investigates if laws are being carried out by the executive branch

2) Executive Branch: President overseas the bureaucracy in executing the laws of Congress

3) Judicial Branch: Interprets the constitutional and laws for the country when people disagree to their interpretation.

Notes #40a, Title: “Congress Intro Notes” 1) republican Govt (little r): Method of gov by

representatives2) Bicameral Legislature: US legislature divided

into 2 independent parts: House of Representatives (elected) and Senate (initially state appointed, 1913: now elected)

3) Purpose of Legislature: a) Create laws (legislate, tax bills orig in House)b) Conduct investigations (hearings)c) Help citizens with US gov (case work) 4) House of Reps (435/Honda): Local US rep,

serve 2 yr term/no limits. Tends to be more extremist (less intimate + more extreme voters)

5) Senate (100/Boxer+Feinsten): State US rep, serve 6 yr term/no limit. Tends to be more moderate (more intimate + broader voters)

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/freshman.year/

SENATE

WHITE HOUSE

HOUSE OF REPS

SUPREME COURT OUT BACK

Work #40a, “Bicameral Debate”1) Read the 2 sides, choose 1 side, and write

which you choose and explain why.2) Then write down what your partner thinks

(include their name at the end).1 2 3 4 5

CON: 2 Too Slow1) 2 chambers means a bill has to go through 2 places, slowing things down

2) Senate is a waste, why should a small state have 2 senators like a big state

PRO: 2 Chambers Good1) 2 chambers allows to separate eyes to look at any bill

2) 2 chambers allows small states to have more power in 1 chamber, and big states in another

34 Dem HoR19 GOP HoR 53: HoR Seats

HoRDEM: 258, GOP: 177

KEY PARTS OF THE HOUSE BILL (HR 3962) •Creates a public health insurance option and the Secretary of Health and Human Services would negotiate rates with doctors.•Mandates for individuals to purchase and businesses to provide health insurance or pay a fine. Individual penalty is 2.5 percent of gross income.•Insurance companies are prohibited from denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition. •There are caps on annual out of pocket spending at $5000.•Allows individuals up to 27-years-old to stay on their parent’s health insurance•Expands Medicaid from 100 percent to 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.•As amended, it prohibits federal funds from covering abortions. Women would need to purchase riders to insurance purchased on the exchange if they wanted that coverage.•The bill taxes individuals making more than $500,000 and $1 million for couples. It is a 5.4 percent tax.

SenateDEM: 58, IND: 2 (Liberal), GOP: 40

Work #40a, “Divided Gov Debate”1) Read the 2 sides, choose 1 side, and write

which you choose and explain why.2) Then write down what your partner thinks

(include their name at the end).1 2 3 4 5

CON: Good to have 1 party control congress, another the presidency1) We need a gov with checks against waste and abuse, parties do that

2) Parties bring different ideas to gov

PRO: We need unified gov, all GOP or all DEM1) Terrorism, economic crisis, global warming, we need a can do gov

2) Parties just waste time fighting on petty issues

Notes #40b, Title: “Congress Notes”

6) Committee: Small groups with in H + S, for efficiency + experience.

1) Committee votes: 1/2+2) Floor votes: 1/2+ (If a Senate filibuster, 60+ for S)3) Other chamber:(H or S)4) Conference Comm: Works

out differences, then both floors vote again (1/2+)

5) Pres Signs or Override Veto: 2/3 H + S

Notes #40b, Title: “Congress Notes”

6) Committee: Small groups with in H + S, for efficiency + experience.

1) Committee votes: 1/2+2) Floor votes: 1/2+ (If a Senate filibuster, 60+ for S)3) Other chamber:(H or S)4) Conference Comm: Works

out differences, then both floors vote again (1/2+)

5) Pres Signs or Override Veto: 2/3 H + S

7) Committee Work: Most of H + S time is spent their committees (public, you can go watch).

a) Role of Committees: To research a bill (hearings) + to edit bills (mark up).

b) Power of Committees: If a com. doesn’t like the bill (less than 1/2 of com), bill is DEAD!

8) Committee Chairman: Usually most senior member of the com. from majority party

a) Role of Chairman: Leadership + efficiencyb) Power of Committee Chairman: Controls

com. schedule + what investigations are called Committee on Agriculture Committee on AppropriationsCommittee on Armed Services Committee on the BudgetCommittee on Education and Labor Committee on Energy and CommerceCommittee on Financial Services Committee on Foreign AffairsCommittee on Homeland Security Committee on the JudiciaryCommittee on Rules Committee on Science and

Technology

9) Most Powerful Committees:a) Rules Committee: Rules committee last

place all H bills go b4 floor vote. Rules sets the rules on floor debate (how long to talk, what changes can be made). Rules can delay or kill any bill. Only HoR has Rules C

b) Appropriations Committee: All bills that cost money will pass through this com. HoR + Senate both have App Com

10) Hearings: Committees calls experts to testify on a proposed bill OR if current law is being enforced (testimony is under oath)

Homework: 1) Study today’s notes + work

sections for a possible workbook quiz.