Issues/Terms that relate just to HOUSE

Issues/Terms that relate just to HOUSE

pages 4-5can you think of any?

pages 4-5can you think of any?

Article I of the Constitution directs Congress to reapportion, or redistribute, seats in the House after each decennial census

Reapportionment

Article I of the Constitution directs Congress to reapportion (redistribute) seats in the House after each decennial census

Theory of Descriptive representation:

Elected legislature should reflect the demographic characteristics of the constituency

Reapportionment Act of 1929

Permanent size of the House = 435, so long as Congress does not change it.

Following each census, the Census Bureau in the House is to determine the number of seats each State should have.

When the bureau’s plan is ready, the President must send it to Congress

If, within 60 days, neither house rejects it, it becomes law

State legislators determine how the districts will be drawn

Each of the 435 seats represents about 650,000 Americans

State legislatures determine how the districts will be drawn

Each of the 435 seats represents about 650,000 people

Reapportionment in Action

1990 Census:

Redrew districts, increasing representation.

African-American representation went up by 50% and Hispanic representation went up by 70%

Shaw v. Reno

Shape of district was 160 miles down I-85...African-American majority

White voters challenged this (first African American representatives in Congress since Reconstruction)

Many felt that it was done to the advantage of African Americans and the disadvantage of White Americans

redistricting on race to be held to standard of strict scrutiny by district court(compelling State interest) and must be sure to comply witht the Voting Rights Act

It was redrawn a few times and eventually ended up with a plurality of white voters

Felt that racial gerrymandering can violate the Equal Protection Clause

Population shifts in the past 20 years have given more seats in the House to Southern States while reducing the numbers from other regions

House of Representative Leaders:

Leadership carries more power in the House than Senate because of House rules

House leaders do the scheduling and determine how the rules should be applied

Speaker of the House

Elected by whichever party has the majority

Presides over all House meetings

Uses her power to help pass legislation favored by her party

Speaker ContinuedDecides who shall be recognized to speak on the floor of the House, rules whether a motion is relevant and relates to the business at hand. Decides the committee to which new bills shall be assigned

Influences what bills are brought up for a vote and appoints the members of special and select committees

Speaker Continued

Third in line to presidency

Who is it?

Nancy Pelosi

Majority Leader of the Housekeeps party members in line

helps determine party policy and legislative agenda

Majority elects this person. Usually becomes Speaker if something happens to the Speaker and that party is still in the majority.

Steny Hoyer

Minority Leader of the House

Does the same as the Majority Leader, only for the minority party

John Boehner, From Ohio

Whips

Keep members in line and loyal to the party agenda, helps leaders stay informed, rounds up members for votes, keep count of how voting on controversial issues is likely to go

Eric Cantor

Evolution of House

Phase 1

Powerful House

Washington, Adams, Jefferson and House overshadowed Senate

Phase II

Divided House

Jackson asserted power of Presidency

Party Unity shattered by slavery

Leadership of House remained weak

Phase III

Speaker Rules

Speaker of House gains power

Phase IV:

House Revolts

Speaker loses power to appoint committee chairmen and be part of the rules committee

Phase V: Members Rule

Committee chairmen had to be elected by members of the majority party, no longer by seniority

Need to make subcommittees

Phase VI

Efforts to restore power of the Speaker

Issues or Terms that

Relate to Just the Senate

what are some?

FilibusterFilibuster

When a senator speaks with no intention of stopping. The intent is to delay a vote on a bill and tie up the work of Senate. This was a common and unpopular feature of Senate by the end of the 19th Century.

Used heavily by isolationists to keep America out of WWI

Filibuster!!

Vote of Cloture (Rule 22)

Way to end a filibuster. Places a time limit on the consideration of a bill1917 - way to stop isolationistsVotes of 60 members in Senate. Difficult when two parties are evenly represented.

Senatorial Leadership

President of the Senate

Vice President of the USDick CheneyDoesn’t do much.

President Pro TemporeThe majority party chooses one of its members, usually the person with the greatest seniority.Largely an honorific position required by the Constitution so that the Senate will have a presiding officer when the VP is not there.Robert Byrd, West Virginia

Majority Leader (real leadership is in the hands of this person

Helps determine party policy and legislative agendaRecognized first by floor debateServes the needs of other officers, gives choice committee assignments, materials, etc.Harry Reid, Nevada

Whips, AKA Assistant Party Leaders

Senator who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinkingRounds up members for important votesKeep count of how voting on controversial issues is likely to goKyl (Republican)Durbin (Democratic)

REVIEW

Why do we have a bicameral legislature?

Historical Reason

Practical Reason

Theoretical Reason

What congressional term are we currently in?

What are the names of the two senators from Virginia?

What was the Reapportionment Act of 1929?

Name 5 informal qualifications for House and Senate

Who holds the real leadership in Senate?

What is a continuos body?

How were senators originally elected?

Define the theory of “descriptive representation”

Name 4 of the jobs the Speaker of the House fulfills