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The House of Representatives And The Senate . 112 th Congress. Congressional Sessions. Each term of Congress has two sessions Sessions last until Congress votes to adjourn. The House of Representatives. # of members: Length of term: Age. 435 Based on states’ population (census)
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The House of Representatives And The Senate 112th Congress
Congressional Sessions • Each term of Congress has two sessions • Sessions last until Congress votes to adjourn
The House of Representatives • # of members: • Length of term: • Age • 435 • Based on states’ population (census) • Serve for 2 years • 25 years old
House of Reps (cont.) • Residency: • Leader • 7 years a U.S. citizen • Live in the state you represent • Speaker of the House (next in line behind VP) • John Boehner
The Senate • # of members: • Length of term: • Age: • 100 (two for each state) • Serve for 6 years (1/3 elected every two years) • 30 years old
The Senate (cont.) • Residency: • Leader • 9 years a U.S. citizen • Live in the state you represent • Vice President • Also, floor leaders and whips
Majority Leader/Minority Leader • Eric Cantor • Nancy Pelosi
Whips Secretary • StenyHoyer (D) Maryland • Kevin McCarthy (R)California
Benefits for Both • Set their members’ salaries, they receive numerous benefits, allowances for office staffs & business trips, tax breaks for maintaining two residences and pensions when retire • Immune from arrest – if not a felony or treason • Can not be sued for libel when in session • May refuse to seat a member and may censure or expel members
A & B Conversation • If you were a politician, would you rather be a member of the House or the Senate? Why? • Are the qualifications strict enough? Explain.
Member Characteristics • ½ are lawyers • Most white, middle-aged males, but increasingly starting to reflect the ethnic, racial and gender of nation. • Incumbent members win reelection to office b/c they’re well known, easier to raise campaign funds, and often represent gerrymandered districts • Starting to use internet as campaign tool
How a Bill Becomes a Law • Complete “How a Bill becomes a Law” graphic organizer.” • Define – Bicameral Legislature, Session, Census, redistrict, filibuster, gerrymandering, and incumbent ADD to vocabulary list • Define 27th Amendment • Define the following types of committees • Standing Committee • Select Committees • Joint Committees • Conference Committees
Conference Committee • Temporary joint committee set up when the House and the Senate have passes different versions of the same bill.
Select Committee • A Temporary Committee formed to study one specific issue and report its findings to the Senate or the House • Organized Crime, Public Concern, or Interest Groups
Standing Committee • A permanent committee in the Congress that oversees bills that deal with certain kinds of issues. • Rules, Ways and Means, Appropriations, Transportation, and Foreign Relations
Joint Committee • A committee of the House and the Senate that usually acts as a study group and reports its findings back to the House and Senate. • Economics, Printing, and the Library of congress