Legislative Branch Congressional Structure Congress HOUSE 435 Pop
Legislative Branch
Congressional Structure
Congress HOUSE 435 %Pop 2 Yrs Total people # of Reps for state Length of terms SENATE 100 (2*50) 2 Per state 6 Yrs Qualifications 25 Yrs Age 30 Yrs 7 Yrs Citizen of US 9 Yrs Must reside in the State that they represent
Terms and Sessions • • Congressional Term for 2 yrs Session- 2 sessions Jan 3 rd – Dec. , Jan - July 31 st Work day: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Working time: Noon to 5 – 6 o’clock. Recess = temporary break Special Session= Outside of regular hours Joint Session= Both House and Senate “State of the Union” Called by president
Determining Representatives • Census=Every 10 years to determine population Census • Reapportion=Divide between states Reapportion • Redistrict=when apportionment changes, state Redistrict legislatures redraw the lines • Gerrymander= Gerrymander drawing district lines based on some characteristic other than just population – a) Discriminatory gerrymandering – b) Misrepresentation
Congress Senate Upper House of Representatives Lower House President of Senate VP of USA Speaker of House President Pro Tempore Majority Leader Senior Ranking Member Of the Majority Party Senate Majority Leader Senate Minority Leader House Majority Floor Leader House Minority Leader Senate Majority Whip Senate Minority Whip House Majority Whip House Minority Whip 100 Senators 2 from each State 435 Representatives Elected by Population
Congressional Leadership
Leadership in the House of Representatives SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE Selected by the majority party Job: Presiding Officer of the House Power: Decides which committee a bill goes to. John A. Boehner (R-OH) Elected 2011
Leadership in the House of Representatives SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE Selected by the majority party Majority Leader Leads the majority party Job: Shepherds legislation Kevin Mc. Carthy R-CA Minority Leader Leads the minority party Job: Leads Opposition Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca)
Leadership in the House of Representatives SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE Selected by the majority party Majority Leader Minority Leader Majority Whip Job: Assists the leader, rounds up votes, heads large group of deputy and assistant whips. Minority Whip Job: Assists the leader, rounds up votes, heads large group of deputy and assistant whips. Steve Scalise Steny Hoyer R- LA D-MD
Georgia’s Representation • Georgia currently has 14 congressional districts. • Wheeler’s current congressional district is the 6 th represented by: • Republican: • http: //tomprice. house. gov/about/committees- Congressman Tom Price
Leadership in the United States Senate PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE The Vice President of the United States Vice President Joe Biden Elected in 2008 Job: Presiding Officer of the Senate Power: Breaks tie in legislation. Otherwise does not vote.
Leadership in the United States Senate
Leadership in the United States Senate Majority Leader Minority Leader Leads the majority party Job: Shepherds legislation Leads the minority party Job: Leads Opposition Also plans the senate work schedule, assigns bills and senators to committees Mitch Mc. Connell (R-KY) Harry Reid (D-NV)
Leadership in the United States Senate PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE The Vice President of the United States Job: Presides over the Senate when the Vice President is absent. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE Selected by majority party. Usually most senior member of the Senate majority party
Leadership in the United States Senate Majority Whip Assist the Majority Leader Job: Makes sure legislators are present for key votes Richard Durbin D-IL Minority Whip Assist the Minority Leader Job: Makes sure legislators are present for key votes John Cornyn R-TX
Georgia’s Representation Senator David Perdue AND Senator Johnny Isakson
Congressional Rules and Benefits
Privileges and Penalties • Congressional Immunity • Freedom of Expression in Congressional Records • Expel Members with 2/3 rd vote. • Censure Members • Codes of Ethic.
Section 4: Committees: Purpose • Divides the work load and allows congressmen to specialize. • Sort thru the thousands of bills; compromise on some and kill others • Create public awareness.
Kinds of Committees • Standing- last from one session to the next • Subcommittees- focus on certain areas of standing committees • Select- temporary, members from one house, focus on a particular issue • Joint- temporary or permanent, study a certain issue and report findings back to each house. • Conference- have temporary members of both houses to work out differences b/n different house versions of bills
Chapter 6: Congressional Powers • The House: “all bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives” but such bills must pass both houses. • The House: sole power of impeachment • The House: if no presidential candidate has a majority, the House chooses the president. • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Sl 4 Pb 5 Y pbho
Senate Powers • “Advise and Consent” for presidential appointments. • Conduct the trial in cases of impeachment, and remove a government official with 2/3 vote. • Ratify treatise with other countries with a 2/3 vote. • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=GCJi. Hz. E 3 z. JY Clinton impeachment. http: //abcnews. go. com/Archives/video/bill-clinton-impeachment-acquitted 9396061 clinton trial.
Select Committee Hearings • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=07 bu. RR J 6 s 4 k • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=XY 5 YBg 28 tw
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