LEGISLATIVE BRANCH CH 10
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LEGISLATIVE BRANCH CH 10 • The basics of Congress • Senate • House of Representative • Members of Congress
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LEGISLATIVE BRANCH CH 10. The basics of Congress Senate House of Representative Members of Congress. The Legislative Branch. Basics. Our Congress is a Bicameral legislature Meaning: it is made up of 2 houses Senate House of Representatives - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of LEGISLATIVE BRANCH CH 10
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
CH 10• The basics of Congress
• Senate• House of Representative• Members of Congress
BASICS Our Congress is a Bicameral legislature
Meaning: it is made up of 2 houses SenateHouse of Representatives
There was a Compromise between the Virginia and New Jersey PlansThe Senate is based on equal representation (2
per state)The House is based on the population of the
State (the more people, the more Representatives)
BASICS A term of Congress lasts 2 years.
Starts at “Noon of the 3rd day of January” We are in the 112th term of Congress that will expire on
January 3rd of 2013. A session of Congress is the period of time
where they conduct business 2 sessions per Term, 1 each year Congress suspends work when they see fit (it used to be
4 or 5 months, but now a lot longer)
A Special Session of Congress is called by only the President, in times of emergency
This has only happened 26 times, the last was 1948
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES1. At least 25 years old2. Have been a citizen of the US for at
least 7 years3. Must be an inhabitant of the State
from which he or she is elected Serve 2 year terms 435 members of the HOUSE
7 states have 1 representative
SENATE1. At least 30 years old2. Have been a citizen of the U.S. for at
least 9 years3. Must be an inhabitant from the State
from which he or she is elected
Serve 6 years Always 100 senators
ILLINOIS’ UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVES
Dick Durbin (D)
Mark Kirk (R)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE – from ILLINOIS 18TH
DISTRICT
Aaron Schock(R)
ILLINOIS’ U.S.
SENATORS
Congressional Duties: (5)1. Legislator 2. Representative3. Servant 4. Committee Member5. Politician
•Voting Options: (4)1. Trustee – Rep. judges by his/her conscience if the bill has merit.2. Delegate – Rep. is an “agent”, votes according to the constituents.3. Partisan – B/c of allegiance to the party the Rep. votes along party lines.4. Politico – Rep. attempts to combine all three methods when voting.
•BENEFITS:I. COMPENSATION -
$174,000 (for both Senators/Reps.) Majority/Minority Leaders = $193,400 Speaker = $223,500II. Non-salary – Travel allowance, franking privilege,
pension plan, etc.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
Reapportionment Act of 1929:1. Permanent size = 4352. Census Bureau determines new numbers3. Pres. Sends it to Congress.4. If neither House rejects the Census Bureau’s plan
after 60 days, it become effective Types of Districts:
1. Single-Member Districts (ex: 18th IL)2. At-Large Districts (ex: Montana, Alaska)
Q: How many districts are there in the U.S.?Q: How are they apportioned?
GERRYMANDERING To draw a district to the advantage of
the political party that controls the State’s legislature.
WHY?1. To concentrate the opposition’s voters in 1 or fewer
districts, thus leaving the other districts comfortably safe for the dominate party
2. To spread the opposition as thinly as possible among several districts, limiting the opposition’s ability to win anywhere in the region
The GOAL is to create “safe” districts – districts almost certain to be won by the line-drawing process.
District Requirements:1. Contiguous Territory (all one piece)2. Nearly equal # of inhabitants3. Compact Territory (small in area)
GERRYMANDERING
