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Legislative Branch

Legislative Branch. AND: Wisconsin Members of Congress. What is another name for the Legislative Branch?. How many houses are there in the Congress? What do we call a body that has two chambers (or houses)? What is each house of Congress called? How often are members of the House elected?

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Legislative Branch

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  1. Legislative Branch AND: Wisconsin Members of Congress

  2. What is another name for the Legislative Branch? • How many houses are there in the Congress? • What do we call a body that has two chambers (or houses)? • What is each house of Congress called? • How often are members of the House elected? • How often are members of the Senate elected? • How many Senators are there from each state? • How many House members are there from each state? • From Wisconsin?

  3. U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI)

  4. U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

  5. How does this impact us? • Wisconsin divided by Congressional Districts • http://dpi.wi.gov/fns/pdf/wi_congress_dist.pdf

  6. Congressional District 1 • Paul Ryan • Republican • First Congressional District Map • Ryan discusses drilling in ANWR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgv5LwHRgx4&feature=related

  7. Constituent Toll-Free Hotline: 1-888-909-RYAN (7926) • Washington, D.C. Office • 1217 Longworth HOBWashington, D.C. 20515(202) 225-3031Fax: (202) 225-3393 • First District ConstituentServices Center • 20 South Main StreetSuite 10Janesville, WI 53545(608) 752-4050Fax: (608) 752-4711 • Kenosha ConstituentServices Center • 5712 7th AvenueKenosha, WI 53140Phone: (262) 654-1901Fax: (262) 654-2156 • Racine ConstituentService Center • 304 6th StreetRacine, WI 53403(262)637-0510Fax: (262) 637-5689

  8. Congressional District 2 • Mark Pocan • Democrat • Second Congressional District Map

  9. Congressional District 3 • Ron Kind • Democrat • Third Congressional District Map

  10. Congressional District 4 • Gwen Moore • Democrat • Fourth Congressional District Map • Gwen Moore at Fighting Bob Fest • Moore on the House Floor discusising Iraq http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHJX61INahg&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_s1FZ7a0FQ&feature=related

  11. Congressional District 5 • F. James Sensenbrenner • Republican • Fifth Congressional District Map

  12. Congressional District 6 • Tom Petri • Republican • Sixth Congressional District Map • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FujyHMeoxs4

  13. Just Retired from Congressional District 7 • David Obey • RETIRED AFTER ABOUT 43 YEARS ! • Democrat • Seventh Congressional District Map • Iraq War Commentary • GOP Budget compared to Oz

  14. Sean Duffy CD-7

  15. Reid Ribble CD-8

  16. Legislative Branch Review ~8:09

  17. Terms of Congress - Two Years • Only the President may call a special session of Congress. Only the Senate has been called into special session on 46 occasions, but not since 1933. Both houses have been called 26 times, the last time in 1948, by Truman, to consider anti-inflation and welfare measures. • The fact that Congress meets almost year-round cuts down the need for special sessions. Major Differences between the House and the Senate House Larger [435 members] Shorter term of office [2 years] Less flexible rules Smaller constituencies Power less evenly distributed Less prestige Less press and media coverage Policy specialists More committees Acts more quickly Senate Smaller [100 members] Longer term of office [6 years] More flexible rules Larger constituencies Power more evenly distributed More prestige More press and media coverage Policy generalists Fewer committees Acts more slowly

  18. Terminology • Bicameral – two chambers [House and Senate]. • Reapportionment – Congress reapportions the House of Representatives seats after each 10 year census. • It used to be one seat per 37,000. • Now it is one seat per 650,000. • If we still had one per 37,000, we would have more than 30,000 representatives.

  19. Terminology • Filibuster – “talking a bill to death” in an attempt to get the Senate to abandon or at least modify a bill. • In 1947, Idaho’sGlen Taylor spoke 8 & ½ hours on fishing, baptism, Wall Street, and his children. • The record is over 24 hours by Strom Thurman. • Cloture – a filibuster may be stopped in the Senate when 3/5 [60 members of the senate vote for cloture[this is usually hard to do]. • A petition signed by 16 senators is necessary to initiate a cloture vote.

  20. Gerrymandering – altering district lines for partisan advantage. Odd shaped districts that have been drawn to the advantage of the party in power. • Incumbent – current members of Congress. 90% of incumbents in House are reelected & most of the incumbents in the Senate are reelected.

  21. House Congressional Leadership • Congressional leadership is party leadership! • Power is dispersed widely requiring an appeal by leaders for broad support. • House Leadership: • Speaker of the House: second in line for presidency (after VP) • Once had autocratic powers… but most were removed in 1910 and given to committees (some later restored). • Formal Powers: • presides over House when in session; major role in committee assignments; • plays big role in appointing party’s legislative leaders and party leadership • has great control over which bills get assigned to which committees • has informal power inside and outside Congress • Majority Leader: (Speakers principle partisan ally) Rounds up votes for party legislation and for scheduling bills. • Minority Leader: same as majority leader but for minority party (not a Speaker ally). • Majority Whip: rounds up votes and reports views and complaints to party rank-and-file. • Minority Whip: same as majority whip but for minority party. Jim Clyburn Assistant Min. Leader John Boehner Speaker of the House Steny Hoyer Min. Whip Nancy Pelosi Minority Leader (former Speaker of the House first female) Kevin McCarthy Majority Whip Eric Cantor Majority Leader

  22. Senate Congressional Leadership • Senate Leadership: • President of the Senate: the Vice President is given this role by the • Constitution… little to no influence in the Senate but can break a tie. • President pro tempore: highest-ranking senator and 3rd in line for presidency after the Speaker of the House. During the VP’s absence, the President pro tempore is the highest-ranking official in the Senate and may preside, but usually delegates the authority… position usually given to the most senior senator in majority party. • Minority Leader: real source of power in the Senate; rounds up votes, influences committee assignments. • Majority Whip: rounds up votes and reports views and complaints to party rank-and-file. • Minority Whip: same as majority whip but for minority party. • Seniority is the length of time a member has served in Congress. Daniel Inouye President pro tempore Harry Reid Maj. Leader Richard Durbin Maj. Whip Mitch McConnell Min. Leader Jon Kyl Min. Whip

  23. The Number of Bills That Become Laws 10,238 Bills introduced Reportedbycommittee Passed one chamber Passed both chamber 667 Public Law 590

  24. Legislative Branch Review

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