Congress: The Legislative Branch

1. Congress: The Legislative Branch

2. Back to Chapter 1 for a sec… • What kind of democracy do we live in? • So the people rule, but they don’t make public policy • Who does make it?

3. Bicameral Congress • Our Congress is bicameral, meaning it has two houses • The larger house, which is supposedly the “common man’s house,” is the House of Representatives • The smaller house, which is for “the elite” of America is the Senate

4. Members of the House of Representatives • Official title is “Representative So and So” • Also called “congressman” • There are 435 congressmen • Congressmen are elected to a term of 2 years

5. The House of Representatives House of Reps.

6. The House of Representatives

7. Members of the Senate • Official title is “Senator So and So” • There are 100 Senators (2 from each state) • Senators are elected to a term of 6 years

8. The Senate The Senate

9. The Senate

10. Basic Information • Since you get new congressmen every 2 years, we call each 2 year period a “term” of Congress • The terms are numbered consecutively… the one that ends Dec. 2008 was the 110th Congress • The one that was just elected is called the 111th Congress

11. Basic Information • A session of Congress is all the time it takes to finish their business for the year • So how many sessions are there in a term of Congress? Two!

12. Seats in the House • Seats are apportioned (given out) to each state based on population • Every 10 years seats are reapportioned after the census, when a new count of the population is taken • Ever since 1929, the number has been 435 (Reapportionment Act)

13. Seats in the House • Every state divides itself into districts based on the number of seats apportioned to the state • For example, Arizona is given 8 seats based on our population

16. What Does it Take to be in the House? • 25 years old • U.S. citizen for at least 7 years • Must live in the state you are elected in Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ 6th)

17. Seats in the Senate • The Constitution establishes that there are 2 seats per state in the Senate • 50 States = 100 Senators

18. What Does it Take to be in the Senate? • 30 Years Old • U.S. Citizen for 9 Years • Must live in the state you are elected in Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

19. Off-Year Elections • In the election years where there is no presidential election (2006, 2010), the president’s party usually loses seats in Congress In 2006 Republicans lost 27 seats in the House and 6 in the Senate

20. Comparing the House and the Senate • Originally, congressmen were elected by the public, and Senators were elected by the state legislatures • Founding Fathers did not trust the public with all power • 17th Amendment has since changed Senate elections to a public vote

21. Comparing the House and the Senate • Senators have a much longer term • Entire House is elected at once, while only 1/3 of Senate is chosen at a time • House members appeal to one small district, Senators appeal to entire state

22. Founding Fathers’ Intent • The Founding Fathers wanted to have one house that would quickly respond to the desires of the public (House of Reps) • And one house that would be moderate, and stop any crazy nonsense the House would try (Senate)

23. Demographics of Congress • Congress is not at all demographically representative of the U.S. population • For example…

24. U.S. Males – 49% Females – 51% Congress Males – 83% Females – 17% Demographics of 111th Congress

25. U.S. White – 75% Black – 12% Hispanic – 13% Asian – 4% Native – 1% *Many people qualify as more than 1 race Congress White – 85% Black – 8% Hispanic – 6% Asian – 1% Native – 0% Demographics of 111th Congress

26. U.S. Millionaires – 0.7% Non-Millionaires – 99.3% Congress Millionaires – 33% Non-Millionaires – 67% Demographics of 111th Congress