Gov. & Pol. Structure of Congress

Most important branch to the founding fathers

Legislative branch

Bicameral Legislature

Congress is split into 2 groups

Congressional Session

Begins Jan. 3 and lasts 2 years between 2 sessions

#of representatives in congress

435

#of senators per state

2

Qualification to be in the office

25 years old and a US citizen

Census

survey of the population that takes place every 10 years

Reapportionment

representation based on population

Redistricting

drawing boundaries on congressional districts

Gerrymandering

when a political party redraws boundaries to their favor

Packing

including as many districts into one

Cracking

divide districts into several districts

Qualification to be senator

US citizen for 9 years and 30 years old

senator term lenght

6 years

27th amendment

congress cannot give itself a pay raise, the raise becomes effective only after another election

salary of congressmen

$174,000

Privileges of Members

cannot be sued for what they say on the floor but can be punished by their own members

#of members of congress

535 voting members

5 delegates in the house

D.C., Guam, American Samoa, Norther Mariams, Virgin islands

Incumbents

members running for reelection

Why incumbents get elected easier

better known, have been gerrymandering, more campaign funds

House Rules

precedents that serve to guide to conducting business Ex: limiting speaking time to 5 minutes

Committee Work

perform most legislative activities, study and shape bills

Goals of the house leader

organize party members, scheduling work, making certain lawmakers are present for key votes, distributing information, keeping the president in touch, influencing lawmakers

Caucus

closed meeting where the speaker is choosen

Speaker of the house

3rd in sucession

Majority Leader

speaker’s top assistant

Majority or Minority whip

watches how the majority or minority members vote

Minority leader

parallels the majority leader

When a session starts

noon

House Ruled committee

traffic officer, controls a bills movement

quorum

minimum number of members for official legislature. (218)

quorum in a debate

(100) members

supermajority

2/3

requires a supermajority

overturn vetoes, approve treaties, remove federal officers

Unanimous consent

motion by all members

filibuster

defeating a bill by stalling the legislative process to prevent the vote

closure resolation

allows senators to speak for only 1 hour, used to stop filibuster

resident commissioner of PR (house member status)

Pablo Jose

pro tempore

longest serving senator

holds

put on bills to alert party leadersif a unanimous consent was sought

concurrent jurisdiction

when several courts hear one case

how to make a law

a bill viewed by the committee is approved by congress using hopper and then signed by the president