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U.S. Congress

U.S. Congress. Unit 10. The Capitol. HOUSE. SENATE. Congressional Elections Financing. Candidates need approx. $2 million to run $1.14 billion raised in 2006 Rules: Individuals can contribute $2100 to a candidate; $26,700 to a party PACs can contribute

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U.S. Congress

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  1. U.S. Congress Unit 10

  2. The Capitol HOUSE SENATE

  3. Congressional ElectionsFinancing • Candidates need approx. $2 million to run • $1.14 billion raised in 2006 • Rules: • Individuals can contribute • $2100 to a candidate; $26,700 to a party • PACs can contribute • $5000 to a candidate; $15,000 to a party • Political Parties can contribute • $5000 to house candidates; $37,000 to senate candidates

  4. Congressional ElectionsIncumbency Factors • Incumbent Candidates use perks of the office • Large budget for staff members • Free Postage (franking privilege) • Free traveling expenses • Free media • Other perks?

  5. Structure • Membership: • House of Reps.: 435 • Senate: 100 • Terms: • U.S. House = 2 year terms • All 435 members are elected every two years • Senate = 6 year terms • 1/3rd of Senate is elected every two years • Every two years begins a new term: Currently we are in the 111th Congress

  6. StructureHouse of Representatives • Representation • 435 members / 428 districts (7 states have one Rep.) • 1790 - 1929: One representative per 30,000 people • Redistricting process • U.S. Census determines population every ten years • House then determines apportionment • Redrawing of congressional districts is determined by the state legislatures…leads to gerrymandering • Ex: In 2000 PA lost 2 reps. due to a significant loss in population • Today there is about 650,000 people per Rep.

  7. REDISTRICTING

  8. GerrymanderingPacking and Cracking

  9. Gerrymandering in MarylandPacking or Cracking?

  10. Qualifications

  11. Removal/Vacancies • Impeachment of members • Only the House has the power to remove / punish its own members • Same for Senate • Vacancies: • If a vacancy develops, The Governor of the state with the vacancy determines a replacement method: • Hold a special election • Appoint someone to serve the remainder of the term

  12. House of Representatives • Officers: • Speaker: Nancy Pelosi (D., Cal.) • Elected to House in 1987; Speaker in 2007 • Presides over House sessions • Sets the legislative agenda • Controls debate topics and length • Controls committee structure

  13. House of Representatives • Majority Leader: • Steny Hoyer (D. MD) • Leads the party with the majority of members • Aids Speaker in setting the legislative agenda • Aids Speaker in choosing committee membership

  14. House of Representatives • Minority Leader: • John Boehner (R. OH) • Leads the party with the minority of members • Aids Speaker in setting the legislative agenda • Aids Speaker in choosing committee membership

  15. U.S. Senate • Officers • Vice President (presiding officer): Joe Biden • Presides over debate and votes only in case of a tie

  16. U.S. Senate • President pro tempore: • Robert Byrd (first elected in 1958) • Presides over the Senate in the absence of V.P.

  17. U.S. Senate • Majority Leader: • Harry Reid (D. NV) • Leads the party with the majority of members • Sets the legislative agenda • Controls committee membership

  18. U.S. Senate • Minority Leader: • Mitch McConnell (R. KY) • Leads the party with the minority of members • Assists in setting the legislative agenda • Assists in choosing committee membership

  19. U.S. Congress • Personalities: • Avg. age is 52 • 60% are Christian • 29% are Catholic • 8% are Jewish • 83% male • Over 92% have College degrees or higher • Almost 100% have prior political experience • The job: • Legislator; Representative; Committee member; Politician; Public Servant

  20. U.S. Congress Salary: • House members: $174,200 • Senate members: $174,200 • Speaker and V.P.: $223,500 • Maj. & Min. leaders: $193,400 Perks: • Large budget for staff members • Free office space & supplies • Free Postage (franking privilege) • Congressional Research Service • Free traveling expenses • Free parking • Free use of health facilities / gym • Immunity from driving laws when on “official” business

  21. U.S. Congress Committees • Committee assignments: • Assignments are determined by need, interest, background of member, etc. • Every House member sits on either 1 or 2 committees • Every Senate member sits on either 3 or 4 committees

  22. U.S. Congress Committees • Standing committees: permanent committees • House has 20 and Senate has 17 • Select Committees: • Established to handle a specific issue (Not permanent) • Joint Committees: • Comprised of members of both houses • Conference Committees: • When the two houses disagree on changes made to a bill, members of both houses come together to settle all differences

  23. Congressional Power Unit 10

  24. Expressed Powers Congress has 17 expressed powers in the Constitution They include: 1. Declare war • Provide funding for the military & military actions 2. Tax 3. Borrowing money 4. Regulate Commerce 5. Coin money

  25. Expressed Powers 2. Tax Ex: Fed. Income tax; Medicare tax; Social Security tax Limits on Federal taxes No tax on religion Only tax to help the public No tax on exported goods

  26. Implied Powers Derived from the necessary & proper clause Examples: - Power to borrow money = Power to establish a bank - Power to regulate commerce= Power to set a minimum wage; ban discrimination in the work place

  27. Non-legislative Powers • Election of the Executive • Impeach and remove government officials • Approve of Executive appointments • Approve treaties • Investigate any issue covered by law

  28. Impeachment of a President • Step one: House Judiciary Committee writes the charges against the president • Step two: The whole House votes on the charges • Step three: Senate holds a trial • House members act as prosecutors • Chief Justice acts as judge • Senate acts as jury • Step four: Senate debates & votes to acquit or remove

  29. How a bill becomes a law Unit 10

  30. Step one: writing legislation • All legislation begins with a desired change or advancement within society • Thousands of bills are introduced every term, less than 1,000 become law • Types: • Government revenue (taxes, etc.) bills must start in the House • All other types of bills can begin in either the House or the Senate

  31. Step Two: Introduction to the House • Given to the House Clerk (dropped in the hopper) • Recorded as H.R.: H.R. 25 is the 25th measure introduced in the House • Read on the floor of the House • Entered into the Congressional Record

  32. Step Three: Bill in the House Committee Bills are given to subcommittees for research Subcommittees research through: • Public hearings where interested persons and lobbyists testify on the issue • Trips (called junkets) to areas affected by the issue Subcommittees report back to the whole committee for: • Approval or disapproval • Approval with changes • Approval of a committee bill (many bills made into one)

  33. Step four: Bill on the House floor All bills are assigned a scheduled date for debate and vote by the Speaker Debate: • Majority and Minority leaders decide how they will split time on debate • NO ONE person can hold the floor for more than one hour Voting: The House will vote in one of three ways • Voice vote (Speaker determines result) • Standing vote (Clerk must count heads) • Roll call vote (Clerk calls the roll) • Now done by electronic voting

  34. Step five: Introduction to the Senate • Same as step 2

  35. Step six: Bill in the Senate Committee • Same as step 3

  36. Step seven: Bill on the Senate floor Debate: NO limitations on speeches • Filibuster: When a senator disagrees with a bill so much that he is forced to take the floor until the bill dies or is changed • LONGEST Filibuster: Sen. Strom Thurmond spoke for 24 hrs and 18 min against the Civil Rights Act of 1957… he failed Voting: The votes by roll call

  37. Step eight: (if needed) Bill in the conference committee If the two houses disagree on changes to a bill, members of both houses come together to settle all differences • If this occurs, both houses revote on the bill

  38. Step nine: President’s decision • If signed, the bill becomes law • If it is not signed within 10 days it still becomes law • If vetoed, the bill dies or Congress can override it by a 2/3 vote of each house • Pocket Veto: If Congress ends a session within 10 days of giving the bill to the president, and he does not act, it dies

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