Lawmakers and Legislatures

1. Lawmakers and Legislatures Who are they? What do they do?

2. Legislators and their Constituents • Most members of Congress start out in local politics • After they gain experience, they may run for either the House or Senate • The people they serve are called Constituents • The size of this group increases as they move up in politics

3. Formal Qualifications for Members of Congress • Must be a resident of the state in which elected • House members must be at least 25 years old and must have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years • Senators must be at least 30 years old and a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years

4. Informal Qualifications for Members of Congress • Members of Congress used to be all white, male, and middle to upper class • This changed starting in 1960s: Now women and minority groups are somewhat included (but it is still mostly old white rich guys) • Most have a college degree, many have advanced degrees • Most have a background in business or law

5. Some Statistics on the 113th Congress (2013-2015) Party Composition in House *Republicans: 233 *Democrats: 200 *2 Seats are currently vacantGender Composition in Congress *100 women

6. Religious Affiliation • Largest denomination: Catholic Racial Composition: • 19% of House members are minorities, which includes: • 43 African Americans (10%) • 34 Hispanics (8%) • 10 Asians (2%) • 2 Native Americans (.5%) • Average age of members of the House of Representatives is 57 • Average age of members of the Senate is 62

7. Apportionment • Senate=100 seats, 2 for each state • House=435 seats, each represents 1 congressional district (approx. 700,000 people) • House seats are assigned by state’s population (each state guaranteed at least 1) • This is determined by the census, taken every 10 years. When states gain or lose population, sometimes House seats are reapportioned, and congressional districts change.

8. Congressional Redistricting • See: • http://ed.ted.com/lessons/gerrymandering-how-drawing-jagged-lines-can-impact-an-election-christina-greer • Gerrymandering is the process of re-drawing electoral district boundaries in order to create a political advantage for a particular party by manipulating geographic boundaries. • Named after Elbridge Gerry, the governor of Massachusetts who redrew Massachusetts state election districts to benefit his Democratic-Republican party in 1812. • Gerrymandering was outlawed in 1960 by the court case Gomillion v. Lightfoot.

9. Getting Elected • House members run for re-election every 2 years • Senators run every 6 years (1/3 up for re-election every 2 years) • Number of terms is unlimited for both • Incumbent=currently in office • During elections, incumbents have the advantages of: • name recognition • campaign funds • Solve voters issues John Dingell: D- Michigan

10. Leadership in the House • Organization is based on the 2 major political parties • Party with the most seats controls the agenda • Speaker of the House: • presides over the House • Schedules bills for action • Also, 2nd in line to assume the Presidency in an emergency John Boehner (R-OH)

11. Leadership in the House

12. Who currently holds these offices? House Majority Leader: Eric Cantor (R-Va) House Minority Leader: Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca)

13. Leadership in the Senate

14. Who currently holds these offices? President pro tempore Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) The Vice President Joe Biden (D-Delaware)

15. Who currently holds these offices? Senate Majority Leader: Harry Reid (D-NV) Senate Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)

16. Purpose of Congressional Committees • Ease workload and divide work • Select worthy bills • Most bills never make it past committee stage • Help public learn about bills

17. Types of Congressional Committees • Standing- permanent committees that deal w/ specific policy area • Select- temporary committees to study a specific issue • Joint - made up of members of both chambers, permanent or temporary • Conference- temporary committee to resolve issues over versions of a bill and create a compromised bill

18. Choosing Committee Members • Membership extremely important for congressmen • Each political party assigns members of Congress to standing committees • Committee Chairperson • Decide when the committee will meet • How long they will discuss a bill • Manage floor debate of bills from their committee

19. Congressional Powers • expressed powers (enumerated powers):granted to Congress explicitly in the Constitution. • Article 1 Section 8

21. Congressional Powers • Elastic Clause: Constitution authorizes Congress to “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper.” • Powers beyond those expressed in first 17 clauses • Congress can stretch its listed powers to meet the needs of a growing nation • These implied powers must be linked to specifically assigned powers

22. Congressional Powers • Denied Powers • Limits on Congressional Power: Bill of Rights • Cannot pass Bill of Attainder: laws that punish people w/o allowing them a trial • Ex post Facto laws: laws that make crimes of acts that were legal when committed

23. Non-Legislative Powers (Powers aside from lawmaking) • The Power to choose a President in a tie • Impeachment: House can formally accuse a federal official of wrongdoing, Senate then conducts a trial to decide whether to remove the official from office • Confirmation: Senate approves officials appointed by the President • Ratification: Senate must approve all treaties negotiated by President before become law • Amendment: Both houses of Congress can vote to propose an amendment to the Constitution