Fair Distribution of Tickets among Family Members for a Popular Play

1. Congress Chapter 10 US Government St. Mary’s Academy

2. Warm-up Suppose you and two friends have 10 tickets to a popular play. You want to distribute the tickets fairly among your family members. What criteria would you use to determine how many tickets each family gets?

3. Section 10.1 The national legislature

4. Vocabulary • Bicameral • two houses • Term • Period a Member is in office • House: 2 years • Senate: 6 years • Session • When Congress meets during one year • Adjourn • Stop meeting at the end of a session • Recess • Stop meeting during a session

5. Bicameral Congress • House of Representatives • Representation based on population • 2-year term of office – reelection important • Responds quickly to the ‘voice of the people’ • Senate • Representation equal for all States • 6-year term of office – reelection less important • Takes a longer view • One house checks the other

6. Congressional Terms House – all stand each election Senate – 1/3 stands each election 2009 - 2010 2011 - 2012 2013 - 2014 2009 - 2014 2005 - 2010 2011 - 2016 2007 - 2012 2013 - 2018

7. Sessions of Congress • The period of time each year when the Congress meets and conducts business • One session each year beginning in January • Both Houses must adjourn together • Special session • Called by the President • Deal with emergency situations • Uncommon today because Congress meets year-round

8. Section 10.2 House of Representatives

9. Size of the House • Congress sets the size of the House • 435 members • Seats are assigned to States according to population • Each member represents a Congressional district • Seven states have only one seat • California has the most seats - 53

10. Small States Have an Advantage • Each The Member from Wyoming represents fewer voters than a Member from California • Each Wyoming voter has a ‘louder voice’

11. Qualifications for Representatives • Formal • At least 25 years old • Citizen of US for at least 7 years • Resident of the state from which elected • Informal • Ability to get votes • Party affiliation • Name recognition • Gender, ethnicity • Political experience

12. Term • 2 years • All members stand for election at one time • Elected by district • One Representative per Congressional district • Generally less powerful than Senators

13. Congressional Redistricting

14. District Terminology • Marginal district • Winner receives less than 55% of the vote • Safe district • Winner receives more than 55% • Malapportionment • Districts of unequal population • Gerrymandering • Creating odd shaped safe districts • Majority-minority Districts • Gerrymandered to assure that a minority group has a majority United States Government Honors 14

15. Gerrymandering • Drawing district lines to create safe districts • Usually occurs after reapportionment • Newt Gingrich on gerrymandering(p. 269) • 2003 Texas redistricting • Voter suppression

16. California Congressional Districts California 53 Congressional districts 36,000,000 population 680,000 people per district Los Angeles County 15 Congressional districts 10,000,000 670,000 people per district

17. CA 35th Congressional District United States Government Honors 17

18. CA 33rd Congressional District United States Government Honors 18

19. CA 46th Congressional District United States Government Honors 19

20. Section 10.3 The Senate

21. Size, Election • Size • 100 members • 2 from each State • Election • Originally elected by State legislatures • 17th amendment – elected by the voters • Vacancies • Usually filled by gubernatorial appointment, then special election

22. Qualifications for Senators • Formal • At least 30 years old • Citizen of US for at least 9 years • Resident of the state from which elected • Informal • Ability to get votes • Party affiliation • Name recognition • Gender, ethnicity • Political experience

23. Term • 6 years • Continuous body • 1/3 elected each 2 years • Elected at-large • No senatorial districts • Each senator represents the entire state • Generally more powerful than Representatives

24. Section 10.4 The members of congress

25. Member Profiles in 2006

26. Typical Member • White – 86% • Male – 85% • Early 50’s • Protestant – 60% • Married • Incumbent • Upper-middle-class

27. Roles of a Member • Legislator • Makes law • Representative of constituents • Speaks for constituents • Committee member • The work of Congress • Servants of constituent • Respond to constituent request for assistance • Politician • Serve their party and their own reelection

28. Types of Representatives • How does the representative decide how to vote on an issue? • Trustee • Judge issue on its merits using own judgment • Delegate • Follow the constituents’ opinion • Partisan • Follow the ‘party line’ • Politico • Balance the three roles

29. Compensation • Salary • $162,000 per year • Nonsalary • ‘fringe benefits’ • Travel allowance • Office and staff budgets • Franking privilege – no postage • Congress sets the salary • Pay is limited by President’s veto and public opinion

30. Legislative Immunity • Member cannot be arrested during a session • Exceptions • Treason • Felony • Breach of peace’ • Protected from libel and slander suit for actions arising from official conduct