House senate qualifications Ch 6 goal 2 Qualifications

House & senate qualifications Ch 6 – goal 2

Qualifications and Privileges • United States Senate • 30 years old • Live in the state you represent • Citizen for 9 years

Qualifications and Privileges • United States House of Representatives • 25 years old • Live in the state you represent • Citizen 7 years

Qualifications and Privileges • Annual salary of $174, 000 • Free office and parking • Paid trips home • Low cost life insurance • Gym, restaurants, medical clinic

Qualifications and Privileges • Franking Privilege: send job-related mail for free

Qualifications and Privileges • Senators and representatives are granted immunity, or legal protection in certain situations but they cannot break the law

Personal Staff • Run offices in Washington, DC, as well as in the home district • Gather info on new bills and issues, handle requests for help from voters, deal with reporters and lobbyists, and work for reelection of the congressional member

Personal Staff • Lobbyists: people hired by private groups to influence government decision makers Add on: Hired by interest groups to persuade legislators – examples: sta

Personal Staff • In addition to professional staff, many members hire students from their home states; interns help with research and office duties, pages run errands

Committee Staff • Congressional committees also need staffs, committee members draft, or outline bills, gather information, organize committee hearings, and negotiate with lobbyists

Support Services • The Library of Congress is an important source of information to Congress

Support Services • The General Accounting Office reviews government spending, studies, programs, and recommends ways to improve the government’s financial performance • The Congressional Budget Office Helps make budget decisions

Lawmaking • Members of the Senate and House write and introduce bills, take part in committee work, listen to the input of people for and against a bill, and then vote on the floor of the House or Senate

Casework • Members of Congress help people from their home districts and states who request help in dealing with the government, this is called casework

Helping the District or State • Every year through public works bills, Congress appropriates billions of dollars for a variety of local projects such as post offices, dams, and military bases • These can bring jobs and money into a state or district

Helping the District or State • Lawmakers also try to make sure their districts or states get their fair share of federal grants and contracts funded through the federal budget

Pork-Barrel Projects • Government projects and grants that benefit the home district or state • The “barrel” is the Federal Treasury, the “fat” is money for a federal project for the Congressman’s district