CONGRESS Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Total Members Determined By Qualifications Length of Term Special Powers Congress The United States Congress HouseSenate Total Members435 Members100 Members Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Total Members435 Members100 Members Determined By Qualifications Length of Term Special Powers Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Determined By The states population: the more people living in the state, the more Representatives the state will have. Two from each state, no matter what the size of the states population Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Total Members435 Members100 Members Determined By The states population: the more people living in the state, the more Representatives the state will have. Two from each state, no matter what the size of the states population Qualifications Length of Term Special Powers Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Qualifications Must be 25 years old Must be U.S. citizen for 7 years Must be resident of state Must be 30 years old Must be U.S. citizen for 9 years Must be resident of state Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Total Members435 Members100 Members Determined By The states population: the more people living in the state, the more Representative the state will have. Two from each state, no matter what the size of the states population Qualifications Must be 25 years old Must be U.S. citizen for 7 years Must be resident of state Must be 30 years old Must be U.S. citizen for 9 years Must be resident of state Length of Term Special Powers Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Length of Term2 years6 years Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Total Members435 Members100 Members Determined By The states population: the more people living in the state, the more Representative the state will have. Two from each state, no matter what the size of the states population Qualifications Must be 25 years old Must be U.S. citizen for 7 years Must be resident of state Must be 30 years old Must be U.S. citizen for 9 years Must be resident of state Length of Term2 years6 years Special Powers Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Special Powers Impeaches federal officials Introduces money bills Selects a President if the Electoral College fails to do so Conducts impeachment trials Approves Presidential appointments Ratifies (approves) treaties Congress The United States Congress House of RepresentativesSenate Total Members435 Members100 Members Determined By The states population: the more people living in the state, the more Representative the state will have. Two from each state, no matter what the size of the states population Qualifications Must be 25 years old Must be U.S. citizen for 7 years Must be resident of state Must be 30 years old Must be U.S. citizen for 9 years Must be resident of state Length of Term2 years6 years Special Powers Impeaches federal officials Introduces money bills Selects a President if the Electoral College fails to do so Conducts impeachment trials Approves Presidential appointments Ratifies (approves) treaties Structure of Congress zTwo Houses (bicameral) zWhy? Bicameral Legislature z1. Historical British Parliament z2. Practical Compromise z3. Theoretical Checks & Balances Members of Congress zNot a cross section of the American people zHistorically - Mr. WASP yMale, White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant Informal Qualifications zMOST MARRIED, HAVE CHILDREN,ARE MEMBERS OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH, UPPER- MIDDLE CLASS zMANY ARE LAWYERS zPOLITICAL EXPERIENCE Privileges, Benefits & Penalties zPAY- $162,000YR. zPerks - Congressional staff, travel allowances, pension plans & Health, Franking Privileges & free parking zMisconduct- Ethics committee Congressional Elections zIncumbents usually win zWhy? zAdvertising name recognition zCredit Claiming - Pork Barrel & casework zSafe districts ygerrymandered Figure 11.2: Percentage of Incumbents Reelected to Congress zSource: Harold W. Stanley and Richard G. Niemi, Vital Statistics on American Politics, (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 2000), table 1-18. DUTIES z1. Legislators z2. Committee members yServe on 2 or 3 Standing committees yServe on 4 to 7 subcommittees z3. Rep. of their constituents yVoice for the people back home Models of Representation z1. Trustee yDecide each bill on its merits z2. Delegates yWhat the folks back home want ySuppress own views z3. Partisans yFirst allegiance: political party yPartisanship is the leading factor in influencing legislators votes on most important measures z4. Politicos yCombines elements of trustee, delegate & partisan roles z4. Servants of their constituents - Examples - Pork barrel legislation, Letters of recommendation & Flags yPork legislators appropriations of funds for special projects located within their congressional districts Powers of Congress Strict v. Liberal Construction zStrict a narrow interpretation of the powers of Congress zLiberal a broad interpretation of the powers of Congress Delegated Powers - (Article 1 section 8) aka- Enumerated Powers zPower to tax zPower to borrow zPower to regulate Commerce zCoin money zBankruptcies zWar Powers yDeclare War yRaise Armies & Navies Power to tax - zArticle 1, section 8, Clause 1 zPurpose to provide for the public needs zLimits on taxing yOnly public purposes yMay not tax exports 16 th Amendment zPower to tax incomes zIncome tax is progressive higher % for the people who make the most Figure 16.5: Federal Taxes on Income, Top Percentage Rates zSource: Updated from Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report (September 18, 1993), 2488. Figure 16.4: Tax Burdens in Nineteen Democratic Nations Implied Powers- Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 zto make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing (expressed) powers. zElastic Clause Nonlegislative powers zImpeachment zoversight & investigation zConstitutional amendments zSenate - confirm appointments & ratify treaties Leadership in Congress The U.S. Congress: The U.S. Congress House of Representatives Speaker of the House Majority Floor Majority Whip Minority Floor Minority Whip House of Representatives zSpeaker of the House- z1. Presides over the House yConsidered the Head of the House & party z2. Appoints select & conference committees z3. Appoints the rules committee z4. Assigns bills to committees z5. Second in line for the presidency Speaker of the House John Boehner ( R ) Majority & Minority Floor Leader z1. Partisan position picked by individual parties z2. Floor leader & legislative strategist zMajority McCarthy zMinority - Pelosi Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R) Minority Leader Party Whips z1. Assistant floor leader z2. Inform party leaders on the mood of the House Senate President of the Senate Majority Floor Majority Whip President pro Temp. Minority Floor Minority Whip Senate zVice President z1. President of the Senate z2. Presides over the Senate z3. Votes in case of tie Joseph Biden President pro Tempore z1. Ceremonial job z2. Presides when the VP is absent z3. Third in line for the presidency after the Speaker zOrrin Hatch (R) Majority Leader z1. True leader in the Senate z2. Recognized first for all debates z3. True leader of the Majority party zMajority McConnell zMinority - Reid Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Harry Reid (D-NV) Types of Committees zStanding These are permanent bodies with specified legislative responsibilities- (they discuss bills) Committee Chairmen zHead a standing committee zChosen by the majority party zDecide when they will meet zWhich bills they will discuss zDecide when to hold public meetings Seniority Rule zWhat is it? yThe head of a committee is almost always the longest-serving member of the committee from the majority party zCriticisms ignores ability and discourages younger members Bills zA proposed law zAll revenue bills must begin in the House of Representatives Bills z10,000 proposed laws per term zAbout 6% become law Two Types z1. Public entire nation z2. Private certain people or places Riders to Bills zRiders are provisions not likely to pass on its own merit zAttached to an important measure certain to pass zChristmas Tree bill many riders attached Resolutions zThree types Joint resolution, concurrent resolution and Resolution Joint Resolution zHas the force of law zMay be used to appropriate money & propose constitutional amendments Concurrent Resolution zState position zExample Foreign matters Resolutions zUsed for such things as the adoption of a new rule or procedure Court Cases zBuckley v. Valeo 1976 zPolitical spending is protected by the 1 st Amendment. However, there is sufficient public interest in establishing a level playing field to justify limits zWesberry v. Sanders 1964 zCourt ruled that each district must represent approximately the same number of people as all others zJoint- Both representatives & senators serve. Conference committees are a type of joint committee zShaw v. Reno 1993 zRuled against racial gerrymandering zShould members of Congress have a term limit similar to the President? Why or Why not?